This very well done movie shows what happened at Fatima, Portugal way back in 1917. There were so many incredible messages given from the Mother of God to those children. Watching this movie with my boy, I was struck by the fact that, as a Catholic, few people that I am aware of seem to discuss about the Blessed Mother's apparition in Fatima.
Now, we must be clear: no one MUST believe in any PRIVATE apparition, since nothing in such an apparition holds anything that will make our salvation any more real from our Lord Jesus Christ. However, as Holy Mother Church encourages us, when an apparition is approved, such apparitions can help to increase our spiritual life, that is, our growth in holiness.
Why? Often it is because these messages from heaven give us some way to reconnect with our faith in a very personal and real way. Our Lady or our Lord or some saint is usually calling us to recommit ourselves to God and to reject sin. Who doesn't need that kind of encouragement!? Even more, however, the messages often give a deeper spiritual appreciation of where our society or a person's spiritual life is lacking. For example, at Fatima, the Blessed Mother, by God's grace, showed the children a vision of hell. They were allowed to see the poor souls who send themselves there because of their indifference to God - especially in the Holy Eucharist. To combat this indifference, the angel who came before Mary to the 3 children gave them a prayer which was often encouraged for all Catholics to say before mass. As a 33 year old man, I am very aware that I don't even know this prayer by heart. It was never encouraged for me, however, I think the time has come for me to learn it.
There are so many things that God gives us as signs to reveal his love for us. The least of which was the great miracle of the Sun in Fatima. I was all interested in this great miracle as it is said that 70,000 people including Freemasons, Atheists and Communists all saw this miracle and I always see movies with people filming the event as it happened and I was wondering if any such film actually exists today. I found these pictures on Youtube:
Nevertheless, I know there are other miracles that have happened and continue to happen every year around the face of the planet. It surprised me, though, I must admit to find this one:
Is it real? I believe it is. Could it be doctored? It probbably could be, but I would prefer to believe the miracle until someone disproves this. Whether this is real or not, will it change my faith? No. Why would I believe before being skeptical? Because I am "some moron who rejects science?" No, because I know that God exists and actually does communicate to all mankind and, as the Scripture says, He acts in mysterious ways. Why must he do what we think is right or what shows us what we envision or understand God to be? As a good Father, as Jesus reveals Him, God knows what we need to help us to grow in love for mankind and for the one living and true God. Do people doctor pictures like this or fake them? Yes. In fact, there have been apparitions, such as in Bayside, New York, where people claimed to have seen "divine things" and later it was proven to be a hoax. Nevertheless, the love of God is real, and like our American system of judicial law, I prefer to believe the miracles that are presumed to be of God are real until proven false. And if they are proven false, fine. It won't change my belief in the one living and true God just because man was trying to imitate God by creating some false miracle. Rather, I would prefer to believe in the goodness of God and forgive man's idiocy in doing such things.
Why? Becuase I know who loves me, and who died for me, and who has restored my soul with the peace and joy that this world has never offered me in the midst of all the sins I have wallowed in. At the end of the day, miracles are periphery; they are the icing on the cake of the greatest reality that God is real, the God cares about me even in the midst of all I have made myself, and he calls me to abandon myself to Him in love. For only in finding and living His love will I or you or any human soul find our greatest joy and peace.
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