The apparitions to Lucia, after 1917, the devotion of the first five Saturdays of the month

In the July apparition Our Lady said: "I will come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the reparation Communion on the first Saturdays": therefore, the message of Fatima was not definitively closed with the cycle of apparitions in the Cova da Iria .

On December 10, 1925, the most holy Virgin, with the Infant Jesus beside her on a luminous cloud, appeared to Sister Lucy in her room in the house of the Dorotee Sisters in Pontevedra. Placing one hand on her shoulder, he showed her a Heart surrounded by thorns, which he held in the other hand. The Child Jesus, pointing to him, exhorted the seer with these words: "Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy Mother covered with thorns, which ungrateful men confess to you at all times, without anyone making an act of reparation to remove them" .

The Most Holy Virgin added: «Look, my daughter, my Heart surrounded by thorns, which ungrateful men at every moment confess me with blasphemies and ingratitudes. At least you try to console me. To all those who for five consecutive months, on the first Saturday of the month, will confess, receiving Holy Communion, recite the Rosary and keep me company for fifteen minutes, meditating on the mysteries of the rosary with the intention of alleviating my pain, I I promise to assist them in the hour of death with all the graces necessary for the salvation of the soul ».

On February 15, 1926, the Child Jesus appeared again to Sister Lucia in Pontevedra asking her if she had already divulged the devotion to her most holy Mother. The visionary explained the difficulties presented by the confessor and explains that the superior was ready to propagate her, but that that priest had said that the mother alone could not do anything. Jesus replied: "it is true that your superior alone cannot do anything, but with my grace she can do everything".

Sister Lucy exposed the difficulty of some people to confess on Saturday and asked if the eight-day confession was valid. Jesus replied: "Yes, it can also be done many more days before, provided that, when they receive me, they are in grace and have the intention of consoling the Immaculate Heart of Mary". On the same occasion. Our Lord communicates to Lucia the answer to this other question: "Why five and not nine Saturdays or seven, in honor of the sorrows of Our Lady?". «My daughter, the reason is simple: there are five forms of offenses and blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart of Mary: 1) blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception. 2) against His virginity. 3) against divine Motherhood, at the same time with the refusal to recognize it as the Mother of men. 4) those who publicly seek to inculcate indifference, contempt and even hatred towards this Immaculate Mother in the hearts of the children. 5) those who outrage her directly in her sacred images ».

Reflection. The Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary guides the soul to a perfect love for Jesus. In these further apparitions it is noted how devotion to her Mother is at heart, in the way in which she herself asked for it. Among the essential practices of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary are, therefore, the daily recitation of the Holy Rosary, recommended six times by Our Lady at Fatima, the first Saturday of the month dedicated to the Heart of Mary, in the likeness of the first Fridays in honor of the Heart of Jesus and sanctified by the reparatory Communion, the prayers taught by the Angel and the Virgin, the sacrifices. the practice of the First five Saturdays is highlighted which includes, as we have seen, Confession, Communion, the crown and a quarter of an hour of meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months, all with the express intention of honoring, consoling and repairing the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Meditation can be done on one or more mysteries of the Rosary, either separately or together with the recitation of the same or by meditating the individual mysteries for some time before reciting the ten. Meditation can be made up for by the homily with which many priests solemnize the first Saturdays "(cf. from Fonseca). We must underline the Christocentric meaning of this message which recommends an intense life of grace characterized by Confession and Communion. this is also further proof that Mary has a single purpose: that of leading us ever more to union with Jesus.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit: O Holy Spirit, water and cultivate in our soul the lovable Mary, true tree of life, so that she may grow, flourish and bear fruits of life in abundance. O Holy Spirit, give us a great devotion and filial love for Mary, your divine Bride; a total abandonment to her maternal Heart and a continuous appeal to her mercy. So that in her, living in us, you may form in our soul Jesus Christ, alive and true, in his greatness and power, to the fullness of his perfection. Amen.

To live the message We decide to start the devotion of the first Saturdays as soon as possible and immediately dedicate at least half an hour to meditating on the mysteries of the rosary.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, may your Kingdom come.