Our Lady of Fatima—IHM Convent Mass
Acts 13:44-52  +  John 14:7-14
May 13, 2017

“The Father who dwells in Me is doing His works.”

On this one-hundredth anniversary of the first appearance of Our Lady of Fatima, the Church is in the midst of her Easter Season.  This week we’ve been hearing Jesus’ words from the Last Supper.  John’s is the loftiest of the four Gospel accounts, but the Last Supper discourses offer the loftiest of the loftiest words spoken by Christ in John.  Much of what He says at the Last Supper concerns the unity of the Holy Trinity, and specifically of the Father and the Son.

“Words” and “works” flow from the relationship of the Father and the Son.  Jesus mentions both “words” and “works” in today’s Gospel passage.  Both of these—“words” and “works”—call for fidelity from the Christian disciple.  The disciple must not only be true to his word.  The disciple must be true to God’s Word.  The disciple, in other words, must root everything he says while on earth in the Good News of Jesus Christ, or he ought not speak at all.  Likewise, regarding the disciple’s works, everything he does ought to reflect the saving works—the saving mysteries—of Jesus Christ.

It almost goes without saying that both of these forms of fidelity—being faithful in one’s words to God’s Word, and being faithful in one’s works to the saving mysteries of Christ—are pre-eminently seen, heard, and felt through Our Blessed Mother.  As our mother and as our Queen, she deigned to appear at Fatima to the three shepherd children.  She entrusted to them a message for all of her children throughout the world, and throughout the years to come.  The praying of the Rosary, and penance carried out for sinners, conform us to Our Blessed Mother.  These words and works—the Rosary and penance—help us to be children of Our Lady.  These words and works are a share in her maternal vocation, to bring others to her Son.  Thanks be to God for giving us so great a Mother, and thanks be to God for the love that she continues to shower upon us.