MARY, OUR MOTHER

Our Blessed Lady's Message Today: Repentance in Preparation For An Era of Peace

(Part 1.)
In the early part of the 20th Century, Pope Pius X in his encyclical Suprema Apostolatus, commented: "There is room to fear that we are experiencing the foretaste and beginning of the evils which are to come at the end of time, and that the Son of Perdition, of whom the Apostle speaks, has already arrived upon the earth." This prophetic warning foreshadowed the many warnings of Our Blessed Lady in this century. From Fatima in 1917, her message has been clear and unequivocal:
"I have come to ask the faithful to amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must cease offending God, who is already too much offended!" . . . "If my requests are fulfilled, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; . . . Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph . . . an era of peace will be granted to mankind."
Those familiar with this Fatima message have seen its fulfillment with two World Wars and the spread of communism from Russia throughout the world. In the latter half of the 20th century this message has been more emphatic and urgent especially in the most recent apparitions and locutions. With the increase of evil in the world, Our Blessed Mother has been multiplying her appearance in the hope of saving mankind.
The message which Our Blessed Lady has given to selected individuals, who are usually simple souls and children, confound the wise of this world. Even in the days of the Old Testament, the messages of God were unheeded by mankind. The first reading for the Fourth Sunday of Lent can be applied to our modern generation:
"Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people wickedly transgressed according to all the abominations of the Gentiles: and they defiled the house of the Lord, which he had sanctified to himself in Jerusalem. And the Lord the God of their fathers sent to them, by the hand of his messengers, rising early, and daily admonishing them: because he spared his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused the prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, and there was no remedy. For he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, and he slew their young men with the sword in the house of his sanctuary, he had no compassion on young man, or maiden, old man or even him that stooped for age, but he delivered them all into his hands." (2 Chronicles 36: 14-17)
The parallel to today's world is evident as the Holy Scripture tells of all times. If today's generation, like their Jewish forebears, does not heed the messages of Our Blessed Lady, they too will be purified. In these latter times, the Queen of Prophets implores her children with her tears and her entreaties to return to God who is "Already too much offended."
On March 25, 1936, Our Blessed Mother gave Sister [St.] Faustina an important message for our times: "I gave the Savior to the world; as for you, you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh, how terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still time for (granting) mercy. If you keep silent now, you will be answering for a great number of souls on that terrible day." (#635 Divine Mercy)
(From an article by Br. George Roth, O.S.F.
[To be Continued]