Our Blessed Mother of Fatima

On 13th of May 1917, Mother Mary appeared to the three children - Jacinta, Francis and Lucia and continued to do so, for 6 consecutive months on the same 13th day of the month. On 13th May 1981 John Paul II was miraculously protected from an attempt on his life. On May 13th 2000, John Paul II beatified Jacinta (she was 9 when she died) and Francis (he was 10 when he died)... they were canonized this day, in 2017, the 100th anniversary of the first apparition. Lucia died as a cloistered nun on 13th February, 2005. 

Many ask a question, is it not too much to claim that Mary keeps doing such powerful things? Is it not a mere clamorous attribution of the Catholic church? The Lord has prepared us for this: 'I tell you solemnly, whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, he (or she) will perform even greater works'... can we think of a person who believed more than our Blessed Mother?

She is the most favoured daughter of God and the specially chosen Mother of God. What a beautiful mystery she embodies! Let us pay heed to her message: repent, pray, consecrate yourself to God... the Mother would tell us today - you may think you are being threatened by the worst things in the world, but be assured you belong to God. 

May the Queen of Holy Rosary, our Blessed Mother of Fatima, pray for us and for the entire world. 

To listen and to follow - being Christians

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 4th week in Easter time

May 13, 2025: Acts 11:19-26; Jn 10: 22-30

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me! The believers in Antioch were called 'Christians', because they belonged to the Lord... they listened, they followed! 

Listening to the Lord would not mean just hearing the Word, it would mean to drink in the principles of the Lord. It is, as St. Paul would reiterate most often, to put on Christ's mind! It is thinking like Christ, having the priorities of Christ, having the same motivations and purpose as Christ - the fulfillment of the holy will of the Father. 

Following the Lord would mean, to live like him. As an effect of listening to the voice of the Lord, and thinking as the Lord does, our choices and our values would mirror those of the Lord himself. And the result: our actions, our decisions, our judgements, align themselves with those of the Lord. Our actions will have to be our witness, not merely our words or our titles.

Would anyone, unknown to me, looking at me and my actions, say I should be a Christian? Not because of the cross I might be possibly wearing, nor with the name tag that I may probably have, but with the attitudes that I sport and the actions that spontaneously emanate from me! 

I am tempted to ask myself today: is it right to say that a person will do good if he or she is a Christian, or to say, anyone who does good to the other without expecting anything in return, is truly a 'Christ-ian'?