13 July 2013 Fatima: The third apparition Late in the morning of this day in 1917, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco went to the ‘Cova da Iria’ where some 5,000 people had crowded around the holm oak. On reaching the tree, the children fell to their knees and began reciting the rosary. Minutes later Lucia cried out: “Shut your umbrellas, the Lady is coming!” All at once, a little white cloud could be seen floating down from the eastern sky and coming to rest on the holm oak. “What do you want of me?” Lucia asked, now in ecstasy. And the Lady answered, “I want you to come here on the thirteenth day of next month and to continue to pray the rosary everyday in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, for she alone can help.” “I would like to ask who you are”, Lucia said “and to perform a miracle so people will believe you are appearing to us.” The Lady replied, “Come here every month. In October I will tell you who I am, what I want. I will perform a miracle everyone may see and believe.” The Lady’s face then grew very grave and told the children to sacrifice for sinners as she taught them a prayer. Then she opened her hands on the three children once again and the light streaming from them seemed to penetrate the earth; the children beheld a vision of hell. Lucia cried out in terror to Our Lady. “We could see a vast sea of fire”, she revealed years later. In praying the rosary the Lady also taught them to pray after each mystery: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need.” After a pause, Lucia then said: “Do you want anything more of me?” “No”, the Lady replied. “Today, I want nothing else of you.” Lucia got up off her knees and pointing to the sky she cried: “There she goes! There she goes!” And then: “Now you can’t see her anymore.” Ref: Francis W Johnston, “Fatima: The Great Sign”, 1979, pp32-4 On fervour in serving God Fervour is promptly devoting our whole self with all our heart to the service of God. A fervent person will be faithful to the smallest observance of his norm in which he sees the expression of the Will of God. With fervour, we have everything; without it, nothing. There is purity and peace of conscience, perfect happiness. Labour is no longer a burden. The yoke becomes light and sweet. The greatest sacrifices become delightful. We quickly heap up merits, a consolation to our spiritual directors; edification to others. We draw down blessings from heaven for our good works. Lastly, with fervour we make constant progress in virtue, obtain final perseverance, and a weight of glory in heaven. If we begin to grow lukewarm, we will begin to be uneasy. A negligent and lukewarm person reaps troubles and on every side suffers anguish. He is indeed miserable, the salve of his passions daily staining his soul with sin. The peace he seeks eludes him. He carries the yoke of his norms without its consolations. He labors hard but reaps little for eternity. Lastly, he risks losing his vocation, friendship of God and final perseverance. Let these thoughts inspire us with a lively horror of lukewarmness, and especially because our vicious nature leans towards it. If we have fallen into it, come out with a holy indignation against ourself and vigorously begin again the practise of preserving fervour. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp439-41 Perfection and Sanctity “If I had to sum up the way of perfection briefly, I would describe it this way: meditate on the purpose for which we have been created, directing your thoughts often to heaven; be indifferent as to whether you earn heaven in health or sickness, in one position or another, esteemed or despised, poor or well-off, here or there. Consider that Jesus chose a life of poverty, obedience, mortification, humility and patience. “So we, too should choose, insofar as we can, humiliation, poverty, suffering and a life of obedience. We must feel the need of giving ourselves unreservedly to God. Quite unconsciously, we are still keeping too many things for ourselves. We say big things, but when our self-love is wounded, we see only too clearly that God is not yet the absolute master of our heart.” (Rev J Alberione, SSP, STD, “Pauline Calendar”, 1974, 2:28) “Sanctity is the supreme good we can attain in this life. By its very nature it is something infinitely desirable, but since it is also an arduous and difficult good, it is impossible to tend toward it efficaciously without strong impulse of a will which is determined to attain it at any cost. “St Teresa of Avila considers it of decisive importance ‘to have a great and very determined resolve not to stop until one reaches it’, without reckoning the difficulties along the way, the criticism of those around us, the lack of health, or the disdain of the world. Therefore, only resolute and energetic souls, with the help of divine grace, will scale the heights of perfection.” (Antonio Royo, OP and Jordan Aumann, OP, “The Theology of Christian Perfection”, p571) “Set yourselves to work for the acquisiton of virtue; otherwise, your spiritual growth will be stunted. Neither should you think you have acquired a virtue if you have not been tried by its opposite and have not had the occasion to faithfully practice it. Therefore, you should never flee the occasions to practice it, but rather desire them, seek them and willingly embrace them.” (St Teresa of Avila, “Spiritual Diary”, p26) “Humility and charity are two main parts of the spiritual edifice. One is the lowest and the other the highest and all the others depend on them. Hence, we must keep ourselves well founded in these two, because the preservation of the entire edifice depends on the foundation and the roof.” (St Francis de Sales, “Spiritual Diary”, p27) Ref: In “The Vatican II Weekday Missal”, 1975, pp1268, 1271-2, 1275 Novena To Our Lady of Mount Carmel Memorial: July 16 (www.ewtn.com/faith/carmel.htm) Sixth Day With loving provident care, O Mother Most Amiable, you covered us with your Scapular as a shield of defense against the Evil One. Through your assistance, may we bravely struggle against the powers of evil, always open to your Son Jesus Christ. (‘Pause and mention petitions.’) Say: ‘Our Father’, ‘Hail, Mary’ and Glory Be ...’ ‘Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.’ • A century before the birth of our Saviour, the image of Our Lady of Chartres was carved in a forest in the midst of the plains of La Beauce, by order of Priscus, king of the people of Chartres; and was set up afterwards with this inscription, “Virgini pariturae” — that is, “To a Virgin who is to bring forth” — in the same place where it is seen at the present day, which was then a cave, where the Druids offered their sacrifices. St Potentianus, second Bishop of Sens, whom the Apostle St Peter had sent into France, stopped at Chartres where he blessed this image, and dedicated the cavern as a church in the year of Jesus Christ 46. — Sebastian Rouillard, Parthen; c. iv. n. 1. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • On this date 100 years before the birth of Our Lord, an image of Our Lady was carved in the forest on the plains of Beance, with the inscription, “To the Virgin who is to bring forth” This still exists and is known as Our Lady of Chartres. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Image of Our Lady of Chartres, France, carved in 100 B.C. with the inscription, “To a virgin who is to bring forth.” (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html) • Our Lady of Chartres. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • “Notre Dame de Chartres”. In 100 B.C., a statue of Mary seated on a throne and holding a child on her knees was carved in the forest on the plains of Beance, with the inscription "To the Virgin who is to bring forth". The statue and altar are known as "Virgini paritur" and were built by Druids. Religious history of Chartres, one of the most important cathedrals of the Middle Ages. As a locus of eastern and western Christian unity. Pilgrimage history. See also August 6, 17; October 17; December 22, 31. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Our Lady of the Mystical Rose. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • Apparition at the Cova da Iria (Fatima, 1917). (http://www/mariedenazareth.com)