Good morning, Digital Neighbors! Happy Monday and the final week of Easter! I hope you all had a beautiful weekend. The weather here was phenomenal, some of the most beautiful spring days thus far.
For the Blessed Mother, the Apostles, and Disciples of Jesus these days between the Ascension and Pentecost were days of prayerful waiting and joyful anticipation. Unlike the days of fearful hiding between the Passion and the Resurrection, there is a renewed confidence in the power of Jesus and in His promise to be with them always. They know He has conquered sin and death, and they trust that the Holy Spirit will continue the work of Jesus, the Gospel, until He returns.
The Blessed Mother is the teacher of these gathered men and women as one well acquainted with the Holy Spirit and the Spirit’s movement in one’s life. She is the model of loving trust in the will of God. She knows more than anyone else how a yes to God can change everything in your life. Her yes so many years ago to God brought the Incarnate Word into the world and His yes to God brought abundant mercy and amazing grace into the world. The Apostles and Disciples are ready to say yes, to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and set on fire with apostolic zeal and paschal joy. For the last 44 days the church has proclaimed that reality in the Acts of the Apostles as we see Peter and then Paul in their service to the Gospel. The Acts do not end, the baton of evangelization, conversion and discipleship is passed from them down through the ages to us.
On this Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, I thought it would be good to conclude with a few prayers from Our Lady’s apparitions at Fatima. Have a great day and peace.
THE FATIMA PRAYER
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy Mercy.
THE PARDON PRAYER
My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love Thee! I beg pardon for all those that do not believe, do not adore, do not trust and do not love Thee.
