For those who believe, no explanation is necessary.
For those who do not believe , no explanation is possible.
For those who do not believe , no explanation is possible.
—Author Unknown
***
As I’ve penned in the first post of “Fatima: The True Story,” I find myself wanting to retreat to a quieter place away from the mayhem.
I’ve decided to return to my ‘roots’ and record the true story of what happened in the very small village of Fatima in 1916.
Again, as I post these excerpts, I ask that the Holy Spirit touches the hearts of many and delivers its true message therefore eliminating any pre-judged prejudices regarding Catholicism – this, in my opinion, isn’t about ‘religion’ but, rather, the message.
***
The following excerpts from the book, The True Story of Fatima, are true accounts taken directly from Lucia’s memoirs and have been personally checked by her.
*
**
**… When noon came, they did give their lunches to the sheep. Hungry as they were, it was a hard thing to do, to give away the bread and cheese that their mothers had prepared for them. As the days went by, they thought it would be more pleasing to the Lady to give their lunches to some poor children instead of the sheep. When they themselves got hungry, Francisco climbed the holm oaks and picked acorns, even though they were still green. But this wasn’t enough of a sacrifice for Jacinta. She suggested that they should prefer the acorns from the oak trees, for they were more bitter.
“That first afternoon,” Lucia recalled, “we relished this delicious meal. Other times, we ate pine seeds, roots of bell-flowers (a little yellow flower on whose root grows a little ball the size of an olive), mulberries, mushrooms and some things that we picked from the roots of pine trees, but I don’t remember what they are called. We did have some fruit, if we happened to be near our parents property.”
Those days were long days for the children, for there was no song or peace of mind to help speed the hours away. Their greatest trial came from their families. Lucia’s lot was the worst. Mother, sisters, friends and neighbors, all heaped abuse upon the little one. Her father, however, refused to let the affair bother him. He shrugged his shoulders and called it just some more women’s gossip. Yet if he was indifferent, Lucia’s mother worried a great deal about it. She used to say, “And I was the one to be burdened with these things. This was all I needed for my old age. To think that I was always so careful to bring up my children to tell the truth, and now that girl comes up with such a lie.”
Nor did Senhora Maria Rosa content herself with mere talk. She took action to stop this carrying-on of her child. One day before Lucia went out with the sheep, her mother tried to force her to confess that she was lying. She tried caresses, threats, then resorted to the broomstick. Lucia’s answer was either silence or continued confirmations of what she had already told. Finally, in desperation, the mother commanded her, “Take the sheep out and think over during the day that I have never approved lying in my children, much less will I overlook such a lie as this. When you return in the evening, I will force you to meet those whom you deceived. – confess to them that you have lied and you will ask for their forgiveness.” Lucia went away with the sheep, and when her companions saw her coming, for they had been waiting for her, they noticed she was crying. They ran to meet her. She told them what had happened and asked for their advice, “Mother wants me to say that I lied. How can I say that? What am I going to do?”
“It’s all your fault,” Francisco said to Jacinta. “What did you tell it for?”
Jacinta fell on her knees crying, and stretching out her arms, begged to be forgiven. “It’s all my fault, but never again will I tell anybody else.”
In the evening Lucia’s mother sought again to obtain a confession, so she decided to take her to the Pastor. “When you get there,” she scowled at Lucia, “you fall on your knees before the priest, -- tell him that you lied and ask to be forgiven. Do you hear? I don’t care what you think. Either you clear things up now, admit that you lied, or I will lock you in a room where you won’t ever again see the light of day. I have always succeeded in having my children tell the truth before. Am I going to let a thing of this sort pass in my youngest child? If only it wasn’t such an important matter!” But how could the child say that she had not seen what she did see? The words of the Lady ere proving true:
“You are going to suffer a great deal. But the grace of God will be your comfort.”Part 4 to follow.
***
The following video, “The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima - Part 04 of 10 /”, courtesy of You Tube.
###
