Our Lady is sad, with the deep sorrow of her sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, as she says these words that all of us should seriously take to heart and put into practice:
“Sacrifice yourself for sinners and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice: ‘O Jesus, it is for Thy love for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.’” (Our Lady of Fatima to the three shepherd children and to the whole world.)
With these words as an introduction, let us enter into the topic of this specific Marian theme for our reflection, meditation, and prayer.
Our Lady revealed that there were five sins against her Immaculate Heart. We will briefly list these five and strongly urge all to strive to make due reparation for these sins that wound the Immaculate Heart of our heavenly Mother so deeply. When moral damage is perpetrated due to sin, then in justice we must do all in our power to repair for the damage done.
THE FIVE SINS AGAINST THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY:
1. BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
2. BLASPHEMES AGAINST HER PEREPETUAL VIRGINITY.
3. BLASPHEMES AGAINST HER DIVINE MATERNITY—and at the same time a failure to recognize her as Mother of all mankind.
4. Blasphemes against Children—all those who try to sow in the hearts of children a coldness, indifference, or even hatred toward their Immaculate Mother.
5. Blasphemes against Holy Images. The offenses of those who outrage the Immaculate Mother Mary by damaging and outraging her holy images.
These words about the five sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary were spoken to Sister Lucia when she was living in the convent as a nun. The words were actually spoken by Jesus who ardently desires that acts of prayer and reparation be made to Mary’s Immaculate Heart. The reason? So that those who have so grievously offended Mary, the Mother of Jesus, will beg pardon for these grave sins and thereby receive mercy from the Heart of Jesus.
Common sense tells us that not one of us would want to go before the Lord Jesus on the day of our judgment having grievously offended His Mother Mary. The thought of this should fill us with a reverential Fear of the Lord and an ardent desire to repair for our sins, as well as the sins of the whole world. “For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion and the sufferings of the sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
Let us now proceed to take each and every one of these Marian offenses and strive to understand the offense and what we can do on our part to offer a worthy act of reparation to the Heart of Mary and to the Heart of Jesus, whose Heart was formed in the womb of Mary.
1. BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. The Immaculate Conception is one of the four Marian dogmas that states that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the moment of her conception in the womb of St. Anne, was preserved from the stain of Original Sin that all of us contracted from our first parents, Adam and Eve. For those who mock, deride, or make fun of this most profound, sublime, and holy gift that God endowed on Mary we suggest these concrete acts of Reparation:
a) PRAISE AND THANK GOD constantly for having endowed Mary with this most sublime gift. Call to mind the words of the English poet Wordsworth: “Mary and the Immaculate Conception is our tainted nature’s solitary boast.”
b) LITURGICAL CELEBRATION. Every year celebrate and participate with great joy and gratitude the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. This Solemnity celebrates the Immaculate Conception who happens to be the Patroness of the United States of America.
c) HOLY COMMUNION OF REPARATION. Offer your Holy Communion that day in reparation for all the sins and blasphemes against the Immaculate Conception.
d) THE MEDAL. Wear with great joy and pride the medal with the title The Medal of the Immaculate Conception. (Also known as The Miraculous Medal—due to the many miracles attributed to its wearing and trust in Mary.)
e) PRAY THIS PRAYER in reparation for the sins against the Immaculate Conception: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
2. BLASPHEMES AGAINST MARY’S PERPETUAL VIRGINITY. Another one of the Marian dogmas, the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, is what the words express. Mary was always a virgin. She was a virgin before the birth of Jesus, during the birth of Jesus, and after the birth of Jesus. Perpetual means this: always, never-ending! How can we repair for the sins against the Perpetual Virginity of Mary?
a) CLARITY OF EXPRESSION. Be ready and willing to explain to all the meaning of this wonderful privilege given to Mary from God Himself.
b) MODESTY. In imitation of the sublime purity of Mary, let us all strive to live lives of great modesty in the way we dress, walk, speak, and act. This is a great means to repair for this sin.
c) PURITY. Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God.” (Mt 5:8) In ourselves, and in our children, let us strive to live lives of great purity. If done, we will be able to contemplate the Faces of Jesus and Mary in time and forever in heaven.
3. BLASPHEMES AGAINST MARY’S DIVINE MATERNITY. This is the greatest of all of Mary’s privileges—her Divine Maternity. This means that Mary is truly that Mother of God. This was proclaimed dogmatically at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. Mary was proclaimed as the THEOTOKUS—She who was the vessel that carried God as His Mother.
a) LITURGICAL SOLEMNITY. Once again we invite all to make due reparation for the sins and blasphemes against the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary by celebrating with preparation, attention, devotion, and joy the Liturgical Solemnity of Mary’s Divine Maternity. Actually, on Christmas day we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus the Lord, but at the same time we cannot separate the birth of Jesus from Mary the mother who gave birth to Jesus—that is to say Mary’s Divine Maternity. Mary as Mother of God is also celebrated as we usher in the New Year on January 1st— Mary as Mother of God, as well as the universal Day of Peace.
b) COMMUNION OF REPARATION. On these days, strive to make a fervent Holy Communion and offer it in reparation for all the sins against Mary as Mother of God.
c) THE HAIL MARY. Pray the Hail Mary often with the purpose of reparation for the sins of the world, but specifically for the sins against Mary as Mother of God. Most especially do we call to mind the desire for reparation when praying these words: Holy Mary Mother of God…
d) ABORTION AND REPARATION. In a real sense the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary challenges us to offer Mary’s YES to life in her Divine Maternity to repair for the countless abortions—the destruction of innocent life in the womb.
4. THE SCANDALIZING AND BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE CHILDREN. The words of Jesus and His tender love for children resonate in our hearts: “Let the little children come to me.” Blasphemy against children lacerates the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, especially when adults and those in authority, speak negatively, sarcastically, and derisively while demeaning, mocking, and making fun of the person of the Blessed Virgin Mary. How much Mary really loves all, but especially children, and how much Mary desires their purity, innocence, and the salvation of their immortal souls. It is not by chance that Our Lady of Fatima appeared to three simple shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta!!! Those who cause coldness, indifference, rejection, or worse yet hatred for the Blessed Virgin Mary in the hearts of children are indeed committing an outrageous offense. We must offer due reparation to the sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. The following are some suggestions:
a) BAPTISM. Have children baptized as soon as possible, thereby transforming them into sons and daughters of God and sons and daughters of Mary.
b) NAMES. Why not NAME your child in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary? Marian names are plentiful: Mary, Maria, Mary-Anne, Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe, Lupe, Conception, Dolores, etc. Having Mary’s name brings with it a special blessing!
c) CONSECRATE TO MARY. In the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism, there is a final Rite of consecrating the child to Mary. Do it!
d) MARIAN MEDAL. Place on your child, even the little ones, a beautiful medal of Mary.
e) MARY OUR MOTHER. In the context of catechism for children, tell the children who Mary is and how much she really loves them and is their Heavenly Mother. Teach the children to love Mary and to talk to her with much devotion and confidence.
5. SCANDAL AND BLASPHEMES THROUGH THE IMAGES OF MARY. Recently there has been a series of blasphemes against images of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Statues have been sprayed or destroyed. Paintings have been ruined. Possibly even worse, there have been movies and programs that have mocked and blasphemed the Blessed Virgin Mary. How this wounds deeply the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus! It is true that the devil both hates and has a mortal fear of the Blessed Virgin Mary and will do all in his power to blaspheme her, often using human agents or instruments! Let us offer due reparation; here are some suggestions:
a) MARIAN PAINTINGS. Buy attractive paintings of Mary and display them in your home.
b) CONSECRATION OF YOUR HOME. Buy a beautiful image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Have it blessed by a priest and then have it enthroned in your home.
c) CONSECRATION OF THE FAMILY. Invite the priest to formally enthrone your whole family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Make it public; invite other families to the celebration. And do this in reparation for blasphemes against Marian images.
d) CHURCHES. Encourages priests and Pastors to have beautiful images, paintings, and statues of Mary to honor and beautify their churches.
e) HOLY CARDS OF MARY. Buy a good number of attractive Holy Cards of Mary and on the back have written these words of reparation: “Sacrifice yourself for sinners and say many times, especially when you make a sacrifice: ‘O Jesus, it is for Thy love for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.’”
We hope and pray that all will have a greater love, respect, devotion, and limitless trust in the power, presence, and prayers of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in our daily lives. Therefore, let us do all in our power to show our great love and tenderness towards our Heavenly Mother by offering due reparation for the many sins committed against her great honor!
