Mary Needs Our Help
On April, 16, 1917, Nikolai Lenin and Leon Trotsky arrived in Petrograd, Russia, to lay plans for the Communist Revolution. Seven months later, on November 7, the Communists took over the government of Russia. This they regarded as but the first step in their sweeping program of the world conquest. "First Russia, and then the world," was the motto of the godless, religion-hating Communists.
Between these two dates the Mother of God made her six appearances at Fatima, Portugal. At one end of Europe the forces of evil were triumphing. At the other end our Lady was rallying the forces of good for a crusade of prayer, the Rosary, and penance. Never were words clearer than those spoken by our Lady at Fatima: "If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. Otherwise, Russia will spread her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecutions of the Church. Many will be martyred; (Note: More people have been martyred for their faith in the 20th century then at any other time in history.) the Holy Father will have much to suffer; several nations will be destroyed."
It is as simple as that. All we need to do is heed the requests of Our Lady, and there will be peace. The solution to the problems of war or peace is in our hands. Our day-to-day actions are more important than all the deliberations of the United States. But, so far, not enough of us have carried out our Ladies request, and we are reaping the terrible results. Communists are active in many countries, and their errors have spread through the world.
In the 1930s, the Communists gained control of Spain and were overthrown only by a terrible civil war. They then caused wars in Finland, China, Korea, Indo-China, and many other places, provoking wars. Since the beginning of World War II, Russia seized one country after another. Each new seizure has been followed by a bitter campaign against the Church. Catholics have been imprisoned and put to death for their religion. Pope Pius wept when he learned of the sentence the communists had given Cardinal Mindszenty. The countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been swallowed up and completely digested. Large segments of their populations have been moved out, and the Russians have moved in. These countries are not even shown on the newer maps. All of this could have been prevented if more people had heeded our Lady's warning.
Today the battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil is more intense than ever before. Every country in the world is threatened by atheistic forces. Judging by surface appearances, all the victories seem to be going to the forces of evil. But the battle is not as one-sided as it seems. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin is increasing steadily throughout the world. More and more people are quietly enrolling in the crusade of the Holy Rosary and sacrifice. And we know who will win the battle. The result is written in advance. The Blessed Virgin never loses in her battle against Satan. Did God not promise that she would crush the serpent with her heel?
Our Lady herself said at Fatima: "In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph." Saints and mystics tell us that a glorious age is coming in which the Blessed Virgin will be recognized by men as their Queen. This will be the Age of Mary.
But Mary's victory might be delayed by the sins that are being committed throughout the world. A delay might mean more victories for evil forces, more cruel persecutions, more wars with millions of deaths. We cannot have a feeling of false complacency, a feeling that we can relax, that Mary will take care of everything. The victory is certain, but the time depends on us.
"Mother of God," says Thomas Merton in The Seven Storey Mountain, "how often have you not come down to us, and telling us what was to come upon us, and we have not heard you. How long shall we continue to be dead to your voice, and run our heads into the jaws of the hell that abhors us?" For Fatima was not the first of our Lady's messages to the modern world, nor has it been her last. Since 1830, she has appeared numerous times, pleading with us to pray and do penance, warning us of disasters that were to come if her pleas went unheeded. Nothing is more important than for us to become acquainted with Mary's message and to act upon it. She is trying to save the world, and she is pleading for our help. By doing what she says, we can have peace in the world; by acting upon her message, we can greatly hasten the coming victory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Source: The Woman shall conquer. Don Sharkey.