Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
John 14:1
We have the youngest saints who are not martyrs just canonized yesterday! On the centennial anniversary of the first Marian apparition of Fatima, Pope Francis canonized two of the three visionaries, Jacinta and Francisco Marta. Lucia, the third, died in 2005, and her cause is still in process. As Catholics, many of us grew up knowing the Fatima prayers and being taught the main message of Fatima which is to convert hearts to Jesus. In this scripture passage that we will read in today's Gospel, Jesus also says he is the way, the truth and the life. If we follow these simple precepts, our lives will be easy, correct?
No, not necessarily. Many of us also know of the warnings that came from the Fatima apparitions of upcoming evils, and in 1917 these visions were terrifying if we only saw the dire warnings and forgot about the essence of prayer. There was foretelling of war, visions of hell, and communism, with a godless setting and even the death of a pope. There were questions about the "conversion of Russia" at the time, and some of these messages must have convinced many to turn to God and return to follwing Jesus. Let us pray today for our families, and let us also pray for those who reject God, who deny God, and who do not practice their baptized faith. Let us rely on the grace of God to be our comfort, as Mary told the three shepherd children so many years ago.
