Both today and yesterday, we have heard readings from the 13th chapter of Acts, in which Paul is in in Antioch, addressing the people in the synagogue and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. For Paul and his companions, their faith in Jesus, his proclamation of God’s kingdom, and his death and resurrection, are the foundation of their work of Evangelization. Every Easter season, as we hear the story of the founding of the Early Church and the way in which they lived out their faith, we are called to be inspired by their zeal and energy in our work of evangelization in the modern world.
Today, as we hear about the zeal and energy of Paul and the disciples of Christ in the Early Church, we celebrate Mary in a special way in the feast of our Lady of Fatima. On this day in the year 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared to three humble shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. The children, aged 7 to 10, were named Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia. The Blessed Mother appeared to them once a month from May through October. Mary asked them to pray the rosary for world peace, for an end to WWI, for sinners, and for the conversion of Russia. This message of the conversion of Russia has made news during the current war between Russia and Ukraine. The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by the local bishop in Portugal in 1930 to mark the date of the first appearance to these children. The feast has been at part of our Church's worldwide calendar since 2002. The main message of Fatima is for us to constantly pray.
Our Mother Mary has appeared to the faithful in different forms throughout history. Each time, she has brought converts to the faith through her message of reconciliation and love. Mary brings the faithful ever closer to her son. We celebrate Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, in a special way today, and together with her, may we pray for peace in the world and we pray for our families.
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