J.M.J.
V
FORMATION PROGRAM #7
Fourth Apparition of Our Lady - August 15 or 19, 1917
Lucia
Speaks: Accompanying Commentary:
“What do you want of
me?” Let us again open our heart and
listen to what Our Lady asks of us.
“I want you to continue going to
the Cova da Our
Lady reminds us to persevere in our duty and to pray the Rosary daily. She
reminds Lucia
Iria on the 13th, and to continue
praying the of
the promise She made to her as a sign of Her own commitment.
Rosary every day. In the last month, I will
perform a miracle so that all may
believe.
[Lucia]: “What do you want done with the People
are already contributing to the work that is going to be done in the building
of a chapel,
money that people leave in the Cova da Iria?” yet
Our Lady has not even made Her request for it yet. When God prepares us for a work, if
[Our Lady]: “Have two litters
made. One is to we are obedient in the preparation of our
souls, God is already bringing together events to
be carried by you and Jacinta and
two other make
this work possible, which He will involve us in, at a later time.
girls dressed in white; the other
is to be carried
by Francisco and three other
boys. The money
from the litters is for the
“festa” [feast] of Our
Lady of the Rosary, and what is
left over will
help towards the construction of
a chapel that
is to be built here.”
[Lucia]: “I would like to ask you to cure some Lucia
again asks mercy for some sick persons and Our Lady gives limited consent…
sick persons.”
[Our Lady]: “Yes, I will cure
some of them
during the year.”
[Looking very sad, Our Lady
says]: What
Our Lady really wants is to extend mercy that goes beyond the corporal works of
mercy.
“Pray, pray very much, and make
sacrifices She
pleads for the means to be extended to people that will bring them eternal
mercies. So
for sinners; for many souls go to
hell, many
people are preoccupied with temporal good works that give life to the body, but
few
because there are none to
sacrifice themselves want
to apply themselves to good works which truly give lasting benefit and eternal
life to
and
to pray for them.” souls. This requires the true virtue of divine love
of self-denial and self-giving, rather than only
human
love which is mingled with self-love.
REFLECTION & RESOLUTION: Let us examine our motives for the things we do. We need only occupy ourselves with those
things that have to do with our state in life.
It is possible to be too busy with “extras” (be it parish work,
visitations, apostolic endeavors, etc. as well as wasted time taken up with
unnecessary activities), that we crowd out or make seemingly “good” excuses for
avoiding those things at home which we really need to do to bring life to
bodies and souls. By prioritizing, we
can live a balanced, peaceful lifestyle.
As we master our vocational call and put our own household in order, we
will be able to see our way clear to do whatever else God may call us to. Unless He does the calling, we must ask
ourselves, ‘Who’s will am I doing?’
[Brief period of silent reflection]
Discussion
Examination of last month’s resolutions
Apostolic resolution
Resolution in brief: Examine your motives and lifestyle. Prioritize and live your vocation by putting
your household in order.
Prayer and
sacrifice must be our priority in living a balanced, peaceful lifestyle to
fulfill God’s Will in our lives.
Act of Consecration