OUR LADY OF FATIMA, WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER, MAY 13, 2026
- Olivia M. Bannan
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Gospel-John 16:12-15
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you."
The Gospel of the Lord
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
REFLECTION
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
In 1917, during the turmoil of World War I, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children — Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto — in the small village of Fátima, Portugal. Between May and October, Our Lady appeared to the children six times at the Cova da Iria, calling humanity to prayer, repentance, and conversion of heart. She especially urged devotion to the Rosary as a path to peace and salvation.
Lucia 10 years old, Francisco 9 years old, Jacinta 7 years old.
During the apparitions, Mary revealed messages concerning the reality of sin, the need for sacrifice, and God’s desire to bring souls back to Him. On October 13, 1917, before tens of thousands of witnesses, the famous “Miracle of the Sun” occurred, where the sun appeared to dance and move across the sky — a sign that led many to believe in the authenticity of the apparitions.
The message of Our Lady of Fatima remains deeply relevant today: pray the Rosary daily, seek peace through conversion, trust in God’s mercy, and live a life of holiness.
The children underwent
Ridicule and Public Mockery.
Pressure from Family Members to recant their story. Lucia was repeatedly pressured to admit the visions were fabricated.
Interrogations by Local Authorities --The Local Authorities were strongly anti Catholic. They badgered the children and threatened them and their family with incarceration if they did not recant their story. The Fatima eventss became politically sensitive and officiala feared the apparitions would strengthen Catholic devotion.
Taken into Custody: Before the August apparition, the children were taken into custody by authorities and held in jail in Ourém. They were separated from their families and interrogated repeatedly.
Threats of Death : While imprisoned, the children were reportedly threatened with being boiled alive in oil unless they confessed the apparitions were false or revealed the secrets. The children remained firm in their testimony.
Constant Crowds and Loss of Privacy The children were overwhelmed by crowds asking questions, requesting prayers and trying to touch them.
Emotional and Physical Hardships: The children were deeply affected by the public scrutiny, fasting, and prayer. Francisco and Jacinto suffered greatly during the influenza epidemic.
