“Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially whenever you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Our Lady spoke these words to the children of Fatima on July 13th, 1917, during the third of the six visits she would pay them. After saying these things, she showed them a terrifying vision of Hell.
After this vision, she spoke of God’s desire to establish devotion to her Immaculate Heart. She asked for Russia’s consecration to her Heart and the devotion of the Five First Saturdays. She spoke of what would happen in the world if her requests were not heeded and of the final triumph of her Immaculate Heart.
She then gave the children the prayer we know so well, instructing them to recite it after each decade of the Rosary:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
Our Lady’s love and concern for sinners was a consistent theme of her apparitions at Fatima. She showed the children the vision of Hell in order to stir up their compassion for sinners heading for that dreadful place. She constantly urged them to pray and sacrifice for the salvation of souls, and the children—touched by what the Lady told and showed them—spent their lives doing just that.
Let’s join them in their mission!
Pray the Rosary—and the “O My Jesus” prayer Our Lady taught us—every day. Make the Five First Saturdays of Reparation and add in some sacrifices when you can. In this way, you will be honoring Our Lady’s requests at Fatima, requests which call out to us more than a century later.
Today, August 5th, is a First Saturday! You can learn more about the powerful First Saturday devotion, Our Lady’s apparitions at Fatima, and her various requests and messages in the comprehensive book, Fatima For Today: The Urgent Marian Message of Hope. In this book, Father Andrew Apostoli—one of the world’s foremost experts on Fatima—carefully analyzes the events that took place in Fatima, clears up lingering questions about their meaning, and challenges us anew to heed Our Lady’s call. Get your copy today at The Catholic Company and dive deeper into the urgent messages given to us at Fatima!
