St. John Nepomucene

Mary wishes to accompany us
on a Pilgrimage to God
 

I am happy to have this opportunity to talk with you on the message of Our Lady of Fatima.  Back in 1916 when the Angel of Peace appeared to the three shepherd children three times and back in 1917 when Our Lady of Fatima appeared six times, World War I was going on.  Nations and individuals were on the path of self-destruction.  The number of deaths and immense human suffering had never been seen before on such a large global scale.  Pope Benedict XV urged the Catholic world to implore our Lady with her Divine Son for the gift of peace.  After his eight-day novena, the Blessed Mother appeared on May 13, 1917 with her Peace Plan from Heaven.
 
The Gift of Peace is a gift that the Risen Lord wishes to give all of us.  The poet Dante said in reference to God, “In His Will, is our Peace.”
 
The Peace Plan from heaven includes three elements: Daily Duty, Wearing the Brown Scapular and Praying a Five-Decade Rosary every day.
 
First – Daily Duty.  Begin your day with the morning offering.  We can offer our daily duty as a prayer for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In 1943, Sister Lucia later stated that Our Lord said, “The sacrifice required of every person is the fulfillment of his or her duties in life and observance of My law.  This is the penance that I now seek and require.”
 
The Statue of Our Lady of Fatima that travels around the Diocese is often called the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima.  We are called to be on a daily pilgrimage, a daily journey to God.  Mary wants to walk with us on that journey.
 
Whether we are going to work or school or doing the household chores, the purpose of the day is to make a journey to God.  These every day responsibilities are part of the journey.
 
Second – Wearing the Brown Scapular.  In 1950 Sister Lucia states that Mary held the scapular in her hands because she wants everyone to wear the scapular.  It involves complete surrender of oneself to Mary.  We make a thing sacred by surrendering it to God.  We are made sacred as we surrender ourselves to God.  In reference to St. John Paul II, his motto was “Totus Tuus”, which means All Yours, a reference to his surrender of himself to the Mother of God.  In the wearing of the scapular, part of the cloth is worn over the chest and part over the back.  You can say that Mary, as our Heavenly Mother, wishes to clothe us and embrace us.  Those who wear the scapular will be helped on their journey by the Mother of God.  It is a garment of salvation.  It is a reminder that we belong to Mary.  It is a help in times of temptation, a protection in times of danger and will preserve the wearer from suffering the flames of hell.
 
Lastly, the Rosary – Mary treasured the events of Jesus in her heart.  When we pray the rosary, we too join Mary in treasuring the events of Jesus in our hearts; His Birth, Life, Death and Resurrection
 
Recently, on October 7^th we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Rosary.  In 1571, it looked as if the Turks would overrun Christian Europe.  The Pope at that time asked that the rosary be prayed in all the churches.  Don Juan of Austria instructed his soldiers and sailors to come on board with a weapon in one hand and a rosary in the other.  The soldiers and sailors prayed the rosary on their ships.
 
Though the enemy ships were larger, there was a tactical shift in the wind which favored the smaller ships of the Christian fleet.  The Pope, soldiers, sailors and people attributed the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Mother and praying the rosary.
 
At Fatima, in all six apparitions to the children, Our Lady requests that we pray a five-decade rosary every day.  In the Apparition of October 13, 1917, she identifies herself as the Lady of the Rosary.
 
Possibly in your life you are in need of a rosary victory.  What are you struggling with today?  Maybe someone whom you know or love is suffering.  The rosary remains a powerful prayer to receive Divine assistance.  We have First Saturday Devotions at 3:15 pm on the first Saturday of the month.  We also have Eucharistic Holy Hour on the second Sunday of the month at 12:30 pm.  The Rosary is prayed at both devotions.
 
Please, if you have not already done so, fill out your pledge card regarding your offertory contribution.  You may bring it with you to Mass, mail it to us or drop it off at the rectory office.
 
May Mary lead all of us a pilgrimage to God.  May we receive a rosary victory in our area of need or struggle.