Wait for the Lord!

.... take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the Lord!"

Psalm 27:14

JMJ

I'm almost finished reading : FATIMA IN LUCIA'S OWN WORDS. It was translated into English by the Nuns of Perpetual Rosary and published by the Ravengate Press Box 103 in Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138. In these memoirs, Sister Lucia the remaining seer in 1963 had been asked by the Bishop to write down her recollections of the events leading to the apparitions of the the Blessed Virgin Mary to three very young shepherds beginning in 1915 with the apparition(s) of an the Angel of Peace. Francisco and Jacinta were brother and sister, Lucia was their first cousin. The angel prepared the children by teaching them the prayers needed to recite the rosary which they use to recite by saying "Hail Mary" on the decade beads and saying "Our Father" on the single bead separation the decades. They were too little to know the prayers so their rosary said daily went very quickly and they were off to play.

The first prayer that the Angel taught them was to fall on their knees, bend their little heads till they touched the ground and then recite in (reparation for the sins of many) repeatedly:

"Oh Most Holy Trinity, we believe in You,

we adore You, we hope and trust in You, and we love you.

We beg pardon of all those who do not believe in You,

do not adore You, do not hope and trust in You,

and do not love You throughout the world"

Two more apparitions occurred where the children were taught the mystery of the "hidden Jesus" in the Eucharist, and were taught the prayers needed to recite the rosary.

Shortly after, the Blessed Mother of Fatima visited the children on the 13th of each month for a period of time. Of course, Jacinta being the youngest could not contain her joy of the apparition of Jesus' mother and told her family. Great pressure was placed on the families of the seers to take back what they claimed to see. Poor babies, they were told by the Blessed Mother not to disclose what she was showing and telling them, and they were being ordered by their parents to state that the whole story was a lie.

These children were persecuted and thrown into prison for not disclosing the "secrets" given to them by the Blessed Virgin Mary, and for not admitting to a lie. Francisco and Jacinta were told that they would be taken to heaven very soon but would suffer greatly until such time. But Lucia, the eldest of the three, (she was ten years old) would have to remain here on earth until the Father called her. She would be the keeper of the secrets releasing them when God told her to do so. Such obedience and humility is this story of these little souls who sacrificed and prayed for sinners and reparation to Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of His Mother.

Today's gospel Luke 15:1-10 are two stories Jesus told about a lost sheep and a lost coin. I imagine that the sheep wandered away, where as the coin was misplaced. No matter, how they got lost, the owner(s) see these lost things as having great value. One leaves ninety-nine sheep to search for the lost one; the owner of the coin sweeps every corner of the house searching for the coin. Both rejoice when they find what was lost.

Whether we wander away, or we are misplaced by mental illness, or misunderstanding, or gossip, or persecution, or mistreatment from the body of Christ that has been entrusted to care for us. God will find us! If we seek to be found. If we are in his heart today, let us not forget to offer sacrifices for our brothers who are currently lost or misplaced. Those who don't know Him, adore Him, hope and trust in HIM. The rosary is so beautiful and so powerful to win souls to His Divine Sacred Heart. His Mother is our Mentor, her humility our map to her Son's Heart.

Ask for the graces everyday to enter into a deeper love of Mary's Son Jesus. She was chosen as an immaculate and perfect vessel of LOVE. Her "yes" brought Jesus to us, for our Salvation. Our "yes" to follow her example of following the Father's will perfectly, will bring us to her Son, though the Holy Spirit, to the throne of God the Father, who seeks to find this creation of "great value" crafted in the image and likeness of HIMSELF.

Don't give up. God will find us all. But once found and reconciled, the rest is up to us to surrender our will and pride to be used and to serve according to His will and good pleasure for the Kingdom. Wait for the Lord! ...and then like a good servant, wait on the Lord. In silence and great generosity give Him the best of everything, holding nothing for yourself.