Fatima is my favorite apparition. Tomorrow is the memorial of the Miracle of the Sun. That is the day on which Our Dear Lady showed thousands of people that the apparitions were true, and when Jesus, through her intercession, healed many people.
God does not always use magnificent signs in order to convince people something is true and good. But, too many Catholics do not expect miracles, and therefore, do not ask for such.
St. Teresa of Avila states that when we do not ask God for specifics and when we do not believe he will answer, we insult Him.
Recently, I have developed a love and honor of Blessed Jacinta of Fatima. I suggest you read a biography of her, as I did this summer. She experienced horrific pain, both physical and existential. She is one of the modern small saints, who also demonstrates a great capacity for suffering for the souls of others.
Part of my job is to pray for the souls in purgatory, and for some to convert. We need to take intercessory prayer seriously and offer up penances, as well as prayers, for others. Blessed Jacinta was told by Mary, Our Mother, that she would suffer. The little girl accepted this suffering, and it was intense. She was operated on and had ribs removed because of pleurisy and she did not have proper anesthetics.
One cannot imagine pain at this level. Now, she is part of my list of personal patrons. And, for some reason, only God understands why, she intercedes for me.
Choose patrons to pray for you and with you. The three seers of Fatima seem to be good choices for our world. They lived in turbulent times and underwent persecution.
What better patrons can we have today?
