Devotion to Mary: Guarantee of Salvation 2
What did the Most Holy Virgin come to announce to sinful humanity? What did she come to plead for? Who would have the courage to reject an urgent request from the Mother of God?
God precedes His great interventions in history with numerous and varied signs. He often uses men of eminent virtue to transmit His warnings to the people or predict future events. This is how the Eternal Father proceeded regarding the coming of the Messiah, His Only Begotten Son. The magnitude of such an event, around which the history of mankind revolves, required a long and careful preparation
Thus, it was foretold for many centuries by the Prophets of the Old Testament in such a way that, on the occasion of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, everything was ripe for His coming into the world. Even among the pagans, many were expecting some event that would provide a way out of the moral crisis in which the people of that time were immersed.
It could almost be safely asserted that the more significant the predicted event, the greater the magnitude of the signs preceding it, the authority of the prophets announcing it, and the time of anticipation.
It could be said that, in His infinite wisdom, God, in His dealings with men, follows certain rules for which He very rarely makes exceptions.
In light of this rule of history, it is easy to evaluate the importance of the prophecies of Fatima, for the one who announces them to us is not an Angel, nor a great saint or prophet, but the Mother of God herself. Indeed, “the Western Roman Empire closed with an illuminated catastrophe analyzed by the genius of a great Doctor, who was Saint Augustine. The decline of the Middle Ages was foreseen by a great prophet, who was Saint Vincent Ferrer.
The French Revolution, which marks the end of the Modern Times, was foreseen by another great prophet, who was also a great doctor: Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort. The Contemporary Times, which seem to be on the verge of ending with a new crisis, have a greater privilege. Our Lady came to speak to men.” [1]
In Fatima, Our Lady undeniably predicts the advent of great punishments for humanity (some of which have already been fulfilled), in case they do not cease to offend God. However, more importantly, in a certain sense, than the announcement of divine punishments are the means of salvation indicated by the Mother of God: the prayer of the Rosary, the practice of the Five First Saturdays, devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Its most immediate purpose is to give men the possibility of getting out of the twisted paths of sin. If there were no other reason, this would be sufficient for such an extraordinary intervention as the Apparitions in Fatima.
