Aug 10 2008
The Secrets of Our Lady of Fatima… what are your thoughts?
I got a call from a friend today. He was asking me if I’ve heard of the third secret of Fatima and its predictions for 2010. He got it from an email chain letter that was sent to him by a friend. You may not know this but I am a devotee of the Blessed Mother. I used to go to church on Wednesdays to attend mass in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I still and will always hold the Blessed Mother dear to my heart. I’ve seen many miracles through her intercession.
The one thing that hasn’t become clear to me are the predictions of the Blessed Mother during her apparitions. I am pretty familiar with most of them, most specially the revelations at Fatima. Since I accepted my sexuality, my faith had shifted a bit as well. To make it more palatable for me, I had to let go of a lot of dogmas. I had condensed the 10 Commandments with one rule and that rule is the one given us by Jesus himself, “Love your God with all your might, with all your heart and with all your soul – and your neighbor as yourself.” It has become my guiding light throughout the years. If you follow this commandment, you are sure to follow the 10 commandments as well.
Now, let’s go back to the predictions. As my friend read the email to me, I wondered in my mind what benefit it will give the faithful. There are specific instructions to avoid damnation and it involves praying the rosary, kneeling before the crucifix and all that. I have painted a picture of a loving and merciful God. That was my discovery at the time when I finally resolved the conflicts between my faith and my sexuality. God loves me. Would you think a loving and merciful God will choose a specific religion to be saved? How about the Jews or the Muslims who never prayed in front of a crucifix or prayed the rosary for that matter? Are they going to be doomed?
It seems unfair to me and my friend and I discussed that same subject. Will God allow the rest of humanity perish just because they didn’t believe in the rosary or the crucifix? Will that be the only way to gain entrance into heaven? If so, then I am very confused. I am not saying that you abandon your belief in it. If it makes you feel closer to God, why not? As for me, I couldn’t reconcile God’s love with eternal damnation.
We ended our conversation with the usual statement that I always tell my friends. I believe God to be loving and merciful. I believe that He will not let anything like that happen to His own children. Just know that Jesus said this Himself as well, “All men will know that you are my disciples if you LOVE one another.”
LOVE – the greatest gift of all. It’s not the rosary, it’s not the crucifix, it is LOVE that will save you from damnation. If you have LOVE, you will be safe for GOD is LOVE.
good to know tht…..me tooooo
Dear friend in Christ,
Just a thought on the point you brought up about Jews and Muslims. Someone told me many years ago that God desires us to come to know the one true Faith, but people who are sincerely trying to know, love and serve Him, but have not come to know the fullness of the truth, are pleasing in His sight. Only God can know and judge what is in the heart and mind of each person. Therefore, as you rightly state, a loving and merciful God would not judge a Muslim or Jew who has strived to please God any differently to Catholics/Christians.
Great you have such a devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Rosary. Keep saying it. Sometimes I find it hard to say it, but feel very at peace when I do say it. Our Lady will protect those and help to keep them in a state of grace. The Rosary is a sign of predestination,also something I remember hearing a long time ago. Being close to Mary will lead us to Jesus.
God Bless you,
Finola Glassmoyer
You say you love God with all your heart and I believe that you do indeed love the god that you have made in your own image, the one most “palitable to you” and at your present rate you will likely be with that god for all of eternity. On the other hand you can try to get to know the true God who did give us ten commandmants because loving him includes obedience.