I believe angels, I believe in miracles and I believe in apparitions.

But yes ……Angels don’t always appear with wings and a halo. Miracles don’t always happen at our choice. And apparitions are not witnessed by people of weak faith.

May 13th 1917……..exactly 100 years back in a small village in Fatima, the blessed mother of our Lord appeared to 3 sheperd kids…… Francisco, Lucia and Jacinta. There is something special about sheperds, that the Lord prefers appearing to them first.

The maiden mother appeared to the kids about six times for the following six months. She came with a message and a warning. According to Church lore the maiden mother urged penance, sacrifice and turning away from sin. A warning of the wrath of God in the form of war was also made known during the course of the apparitions.

People as usual didn’t believe the kids when they disclosed what they had witnessed. Infact the local administrative officials placed the children in separate cells and attempted over 3 days to coerce them into recanting. They were told they would be fried in olive oil if they continued with their lies. But the children held firm.

The apparitions finally culminated in October with the  Miracle of the Sun , when others in Fatima witnessed the sun spinning in the sky, just as it was prophesized by the kids. For believers, it was a proof that the apparitions were indeed authentic. 

Little Francisco and Jacinta died in an epidemic , 2 years after the apparitions. Little Lucia survived and went on to become a cloistered Carmelite. 

Today……..100 years later, the world rejoices in commemorating the event of the apparitions and the church moves ahead to canonize the kids. 

But the question arises ……..did the world really understand the message of Fatima?

Have we changed ? Are we conscious of our sins or have they become a part of our lifestyle?

Have we lost the fear of God? Have we taken undue advantage of his mercy?

Will the wrath of God come over us? Or will God uphold his covenant with Noah even in his rage ?

How many more times would the blessed mother try to save humanity?

Would she find innocent hearts with a strong faith, to appear before? Or would she just go unnoticed amongst all the noise.

Is there still hope left for mankind……or have we doomed ourselves.

Oh mother of the Lord look upon us as you always did ……guide us back to the light, so that one day like the prodigal son, every soul may return back to the Father.

I still believe in angels, I believe in miracles and I believe in …………God.