When the reception of grace begins

"The apostle praised one [Timothy] who had known the holy Scripture
from infancy (2 Timothy 3:15). He also instructed that children be
reared 'in the discipline and correction of the Lord' (Ephesians 6:4).
So we consider every time of life, even the very earliest, suitable
for receiving persons into the community of faith."
 by Basil the Great, 329-379 A.D. (excerpt from THE LONG RULES 15)

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June 13th - Our Lady of Fatima: The 2nd Apparition

In May 1913, Our Blessed Mother began a series of visits with three
Portuguese shepherd children: Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta. During the
months that followed the initial visitation, the three visionaries
were graced with six messages from the Blessed Virgin, as well as
three apparitions of the “Angel of Portugal,” all of which culminated
in the spectacular “Miracle of the Sun,” witnessed by tens of
thousands of the faithful. Each month, on the 13th day, Our Lady of
Fatima delivered a message to the children--a message of the
importance of devotion to the Immaculate Heart and praying the
Rosary--through which the ruinous course of humanity could be
converted and redeemed.

Following the previous visits of the Angel of Portugal, who had taught
the children how to pray, and prepared them for the first apparition
of Our Blessed Mother, Mary had appeared in a wondrous light,
conversed with the children, and instructed them: “Say the Rosary
every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war.” She
promised to return the following month.

On June 13th, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta returned to the pasture
where Our Blessed Mother had previously appeared to them. It was
approximately noon when they arrived, and they found a small crowd
gathered, waiting for them. The children began to pray the Rosary as
was their habit, and soon found themselves bathed in radiant light.
Those present witnessed the light on their faces, but could not see
the radiant image of Our Blessed Mother.

Lucia, in her memoirs, details their interaction. She inquired,
"Please tell me, Madam, what it is that you want of me?"

Our Blessed Mother replied, “I want you to come here on the thirteenth
of next month. I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. And
after each one of the mysteries, my children, I want you to pray in
this way: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of
hell. Take all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need.
I want you to learn to read and write, and later I will tell you what
else I want of you.”

Lucia, repeating her question from the previous visitation, asked,
"Will you take us to heaven?" She again received the reply, “Yes, I
shall take Jacinta and Francisco soon, but you will remain a little
longer, since Jesus wishes you to make me known and loved on earth. He
wishes also for you to establish devotion in the world to my
Immaculate Heart.”

"Must I remain in the world alone?"

“Not alone, my child,” Our Lady of Fatima replied kindly, “and you
must not be sad. I will be with you always, and my Immaculate Heart
will be your comfort and the way which will lead you to God.”

Lucia recounted that following this words, Our Blessed Mother opened
her hands and “transmitted to us, for the 2nd time, the reflection of
that intense light. In it we felt we were submerged in God. Jacinta
and Francisco seemed to be in that part of the light which was rising
to Heaven, and I in the part spreading over the earth. In front of the
palm of Our Lady's right hand was a heart encircled with thorns which
appeared to pierce it. We understood it was the Immaculate Heart of
Mary offended by the sins of mankind, craving reparation.”

As she had in the previous apparition, Our Lady of Fatima ascended
from them, disappearing into the “immensity of heaven.” Those who were present began to believe, having witnessed a cloud, the dimming of the
sun, the light of heaven on the faces of the children. However, the
struggles for their families did not diminish, and the parish priest
warned that what the children were experiencing might be of demonic
origin. For the children, their days became sorrowful and filled with controversy. Over the next several months, they would endure the
skepticism of family, Church, and government officials, never
recanting their stories, holding fast to their faith in Our Blessed
Mother.

As promised, Mary would return on July 16, offering the children a
glimpse of the suffering souls of hell, and encouraging them to
continue praying for sinners and praying the Rosary for peace in the
world.

Through prayers of adoration and reparation, we turn to Our Lady of
Fatima--to whom God has entrusted our redemption through her grace and cooperation with her divine spouse--to rectify the state of the world,
reduce the influence of evil, save the sinful, and draw ourselves
closer to Our God through devotion to the Immaculate Heart.
by Jacob


Oh my Jesus, Forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of Hell.
Lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those most in need of Your Mercy. Amen.


Bible Quote:
And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away. (Matthew 11:12) DRB

Saint Quote:
When I attentively consider, O Lord, that Thou hast Thine eyes as
continually and as carefully fixed upon me as if neither in heaven nor
on earth Thou hadst any creature to govern besides myself; when I
think Thou beholdest all my actions, that Thou dost penetrate my most
hidden and secret thoughts, and that all my desires are in Thy sight,
I feel myself filled with confusion.
--St. Augustine


<><><><>
Reflection.
A soul which truly loves God regards all things of this world as
nothing. The loss of goods, the disgrace of the world, torments,
sickness, and other afflictions are bitter to the senses, but appear
light to the one who loves God. If we cannot bear our trials with
patience and silence, it is because we love Him only in words. “One
who is slothful and lukewarm complains of everything, and calls the
lightest precepts hard,” says Thomas a Kempis.

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