Mary

By Liz Wiskowski

      May is the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We honor her, we pray the litany to her, and in other small ways we try to remember to pray to her. But let's not forget what our Lady of Fatima tried to teach us. She warned us of the future if we didn't change. She told us that the world (including the U.S.) would have suffering like has never been seen before. I feel that it is just beginning. Wars, earthquakes, floods, tornados, the oil spill, fires, 9-11.

      Look at what we have become. Untold numbers of abortions, birth control, homosexuality, divorce, no prayer in schools, the pictures on T.V. and the internet, the lack of good religious education, immodest dress, teen sex... the list could go on and on. We are becoming a Godless society. Remember Sodom and Gomorrah? Our mother also told us what we should do to avoid the consequences. If every Catholic did our best, we could turn everything around.

      Our Lady's peace plan from heaven consists of penance and reparation. We need to give up our easy lives of sin, ask forgiveness, and offer sacrifices to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We need to do the best we can for our state in life and obey the commandments. We need to pray the Rosary daily, as a family if possible. Make the five first Saturdays: Confession, Communion, say five decades of the Rosary and spend 15 minutes meditating on the mysteries with the intention of making reparation to her. Consecrate yourself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. One of the best ways to do this is to wear the Brown Scapular. Wearing the scapular is a constant reminder of one's personal consecration to Mary and heeding her requests.

      Above all, pray, pray, pray to Our Mother. She will take our requests to Her Son. Remember the wedding at Cana.