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- back to “Prayer material”
The month of September arrived. On the 13th, as usual, Lucia ordered the people to pray the Rosary which she herself began and led. Everyone present, on their knees, answered in a loud voice. They hadn’t finished praying yet when the “flash of light” announced the Lady’s arrival.
«What do you want of me?» Lucia asked once more.
«Continue to pray the Rosary every day in order to bring an end to the war», the white Vision answered. She then insisted that we be present on October 13, and confirmed that St. Joseph would appear with the Child Jesus to bring peace to the world, Our Lord to bless the nation, and then Our Lady in the figures of “Our Lady of Sorrows” and of “Our Lady of Carmel”.
Lucia prayed for many sick people who entrusted themselves to her; the Lady answered that only some would be healed, the others wouldn’t «because the Lord didn’t trust the latter»; that is, they would misuse the gift of their healing, to the detriment of their own soul.
The little girl then expressed the people’s desire to build a chapel on the place of the apparitions; the Lady agreed. At last, Lucia said: «Many people say that I am a liar who deserves to be hung or burnt alive. Perform a miracle so that all may believe!»
«Yes, in October I will perform a miracle so that all may believe», the Lady confirmed once again.
 A few women had given the girl two letters and a little bottle of perfume to give to Our Lady; Lucia gave them to Her, but She answered: «These things aren’t useful for Heaven».
And the splendid Vision rose towards Heaven, and disappeared.
SACRIFICES AND SINNERS
In all the apparitions, our Mother in Heaven asks the children for prayers and sacrifices. We have seen the relationship that exists between the Rosary and the conversion of sinners; let’s see now why we can save sinner with sacrifices too.
You see, children, when God the Father decided to bring back humanity into His Heart, He sent his only-begotten son Jesus down to earth, so that by the suffering and the humiliation of the cross He could free them from sin. Next to Jesus, even Our Lady gave her great contribution of love and suffering.
Following their example, those who love their Father in Heaven and their brothers on earth must be willing to do what the Angel of Peace told Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta when they asked him how they had to sacrifice themselves: «Of everything you can, the Angel answered, but above all by accepting day by day what the Lord wishes to send you».
Therefore, there are two kinds of sacrifices we must make: 1) little voluntary sacrifices; 2) always saying «yes», in every moment of the day, without complaining about anything, accepting humiliations and scoldings in silence, even if we don’t deserve them; bearing with patience an illness, a suffering or the loss of a dear one; forgiving those who offend us without taking revenge, not being naughty when we can’t have what we want.
Since the invitation to prayer and sacrifice applies to all the children in the world, commit yourselves too, following the example of the three shepherd children, and respond generously to the Angel and Our Lady’s requests.
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