Three days ago on the 13th of September was the 106th anniversary of the penultimate Apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. Our Lady promised a miracle at her next visit in October. This post has nothing to do with that, but I thought I’d bring it up anyway. 

However, for this Immaculate Heart Saturday post, I’ll continue along with the series I began last week: the Apparitions of the Angel of Peace to the little shepherd children in the Summer of 1916. The children had finished pasturing their sheep and were resting when the Angel appeared and said to them:

“What are you doing? Pray, pray very much! The Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.”

Lucy asked: “How are we to make sacrifices?”

“Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is so offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down peace upon your country. I am its Angel Guardian, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission the suffering which the Lord will send you.”

 Again we see the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In this case, their mutual intent is having ‘designs of mercy’ on the children. It seems as if the children are to be channels of mercy for the world. These merciful designs are tied to sacrifices the children must make for sinners, especially those who grievously offend God, and also for their country, Portugal. 

The idea of making sacrifices became a major theme of the Fatima Message. Our Lady also made this request for ‘making sacrifices’ for sinners in her August 1917 Apparition. Making sacrifices for sinners was the apostolate of the short lives of  Sts. Jacinta and Francisco Marto, two of the seers. 

And finally, the Five First Saturdays are all about making reparation for the sins of others. It may not seem like it, but trying to fulfill the conditions of the devotion can seem like making a sacrifice. The actual devotion is really quite simple to fulfill, but if you find difficulty in doing it, that’s Satan just trying to interfere.

Are you a creative Catholic? "The Catholicpunk Manifesto" is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone, perhaps yourself, who might like Catholic devotionals for alcoholics? Please take a look at my books! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)