Our nation needs prayer now more than it even did before, especially with an election coming up so soon. Find peace in knowing that your prayers are effective, even if they don’t seem to be. We trust in Mary’s Immaculate Heart because we know that God cannot and will not lose.
WATCH the "100 Years of Fatima" series by Fr. Joe Roesch, MIC.
By Br. Alexander Pumphrey, MIC
There are only a few places in this world where, once I’ve arrived, I’m loathe to leave. Highlights include my grandmother’s house in Georgia; the Altstadt (Old Town) in Hamburg, Germany; and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima, Portugal.
Our Lady’s House
To be fair, I’ve only been to Fatima twice, but the impact and impression were so powerful that I still think about my time there every day. Just like the humidity on a hot August day in Georgia, the presence of Our Lady permeates the whole place and is so thick in the atmosphere, you could cut it with a proverbial knife.
I’m sure that many of you are familiar with the story of the Miracle of the Sun, how on Oct. 13, 1917, in Fatima, Portugal, the sun appeared to dance around the sky, moving closer and closer to the throng of spectators who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the Blessed Virgin during her apparitions to the three shepherd children St. Jacinta Marto, St. Francisco Marto, and Venerable Lucia dos Santos.
The event was experienced by thousands and reported in newspapers all over Europe. Even those present who had come to disprove the apparitions were at a complete loss to explain the miracle they had seen with their own two eyes.
The greater miracle
While the dancing of the sun in the sky is certainly a great miracle, I think God performed an even greater miracle that day: namely, that so many people had come to Fatima to see Our Lady. Regardless of whether they were faithful or faithless, they came. They came from all over Portugal, Europe, and even from all over the world. Some small spark, a quiet voice, a whisper, a nudge compelled them to go, to go and see Our Lady of Fatima.
As much as we try to explain to the contrary, the world back then and the world right now are not so different. Nations are in turmoil; war still rages in Europe; and the same old sufferings of sickness, death, disease, and hardship prevail. Problems still exist within the Church, the political sphere, and all levels of society. We all still struggle with sin, our own and that of those around us.
And yet, in the midst of what any reasonable person would see as a cause for despair, we see the faint traces of Our Lady’s quiet and subtle work. If we scratch the surface just enough, we see that prayers are answered, souls are converted, lives are changed and joy returns to lives once plagued with fear.
Powerful prayer
So, we pray! We continue to ask Our Immaculate Mother that she intercede for us, our loved ones, our nation, and our world. Consecrate yourselves and your loved ones to her, and trust in her love and guidance for you. Just as Our Lady of Fatima brought so many souls to the Cova da Iria, so she is still drawing countless souls closer and closer to Jesus every day.
We trust and know that her Immaculate Heart will triumph, and has already triumphed in each and every soul she brings to the saving knowledge and love of Her Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Pray for the U.S.A.
Our nation needs prayer now more than it even did before, especially with an election coming up so soon. Find peace in knowing that your prayers are effective, even if they don’t seem to be. We trust in Mary’s Immaculate Heart because we know that God cannot and will not lose. We already know how the book ends; it’s just a matter of waiting for the remaining chapters to be written.
Pray for peace, pray for conversion, pray for the salvation of souls, that hearts and minds will be touched by God’s grace and turn to Him who heals, restores, and renews all things. We are all in need of prayer; we are all in need of God’s grace. As the old saying goes, “prayer changes things,” and how true this age-old wisdom is!
With Rosaries in hand, we can change the world, one Hail Mary at a time.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
{shopmercy-ad}