Marian May Day 3: She Came With a Rosary in Her Hand
So....I’m still wrestling with all of this.
Not in a way that pushes Mary away anymore, but in a way that keeps inviting her in—gently, steadily, prayerfully. Trying to understand who she really is, and how she actually fits into the will of God; how she intercedes for us. Not based on tradition alone, or denial alone, but based on watching and listening for myself.
I’ve been circling her for years, wary of the devotion, afraid of the excesses, protective of the Lord’s glory, and a little too lazy to pray the rosary on a regular basis, if I'm honest. But little by little, I’ve let myself look at her more closely. And the deeper I go, the more I’m realizing that she doesn’t compete with the Trinity—she cooperates with it. And now, I find my daily rosary time to draw me closer to Jesus and feel like I gain new enlightenment daily.
She is not an outsider; she was with Jesus from the beginning, hand-picked by the Father, and overshadowed by the Holy Spirit at Christ's conception. She raised him and went womb to tomb with him, and now, she is where He is—and He is near wherever she is sent.
I have some personal knowledge on that, but that will be for another day.
I’ve come to believe something else to be real now, too: Mary has been entrusted with more than I was ever told she was
Mary is not the source of grace. But she is a vessel that can pour it out where it is needed. She’s not the one with the authority to heal. But miracles follow her because she is trusted with the distribution of heaven’s resources. I believe—as one who was once very hesitant to say this—that she notices needs, even now, and brings them to Jesus, to the Father, and to the Holy Spirit.
She moves. She intercedes. She even shows up in person.I know she does.
So as I’ve been asking who Mary really is, it was only a matter of time before I arrived at Fatima.
Truth be told, I’d heard of it my whole life—like most Catholic kids. I knew there were three secrets. I knew there were three children. I knew the Church was reluctant to release the last part. That mystery was fascinating to us. But I never knew the whole story. Not the visitations. Not the miracle. Not what she actually said.And certainly not that 70,000 people saw the miracle and that it was recorded on film!
I did not know that she came holding a Rosary, and asking us to pray it every single day for peace.
I pray my Rosary daily now. But not always specifically for peace. That wasn’t my intention for years. And frankly, as I’ve been reading more about what she asked, I’ve been realizing something uncomfortable:
We never really did what she asked. Not as a Church. Not as a people. Not as a world.
And maybe that’s why the peace we crave has never come.
So today is May 13. The anniversary of the first time she appeared at Fatima. It was 1917. The world was in the middle of a brutal war, and three little children in Portugal—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta—were out tending their sheep in a field called Cova da Iria.
They were obviously little catholic kids, because part of what they did in the cove was to pray their rosaries together. It wasn't a new concept to Catholics when she showed up, but they were praying like little children do - rushed, shortened prayers, they could say they had done it, but they wanted to get onto lunch and playing- they were just littles. Soon, they were building a playhouse out of sticks and stones, when suddenly....
A bright flash of light cracked through the sky causing Lucia to shout out "Lightening."
They ran to gather the sheep to protect them.
But the sky was clear. No clouds. No storm. Confused, they looked around expecting signs of a storm that weren't there.
Then they saw her.
standing above the tree, resting lightly on the topmost leaves, a beautiful lady;Her presence was both physical and otherworldly.Dressed in white. Radiant. Peaceful. Beautiful.
Lucia stepped forward, and Mary—eventually to be known as the Lady of the Rosary—began to speak. Below in Lucia's words, is what happened next.
The Full Conversation – May 13, 1917
(from Fatima in Lucia’s Own Words, 1999)
[Lucia asks:] “Where are you from?”
Mary: “I am from Heaven.”
Lucia: “And what do you want of me?”
Mary: “I came to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the 13th day of each month, at this same hour. Later I shall tell you who I am and what I want. Afterward, I shall return here a seventh time.”
Lucia: “Shall I go to Heaven?”
Mary: “Yes, you will.”
Lucia: “And Jacinta?”
Mary: “She also.”
Lucia: “And Francisco?”
Mary: “He too, but he must say many Rosaries.”
Lucia: “Is Maria das Neves already in Heaven?”
Mary: “Yes, she is.”
Lucia: “And Amelia?”
Mary: “She will be in Purgatory until the end of the world.”
Mary then asked: “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?”
The children: “Yes, we are willing.”
Mary: “Then you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.”
(At that moment, she opened her hands and an intense light surrounded them. They fell to their knees. Then she said:)
Mary: “Say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war.”
As she departed: “Do not be afraid. I will not harm you.”
Glossary of Terms
Rosary – A Catholic prayer devotion using a set of beads to meditate on events in the life of Christ. Mary asked for it to be prayed daily for peace.
Purgatory – A temporary state of purification after death for those destined for Heaven. (See 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 2 Maccabees 12:45)
Reparation – Acts of prayer or sacrifice offered to God to make amends for sin and draw down mercy. (See Colossians 1:24)
Conversion of sinners – Turning hearts back to God through repentance and grace. (See James 5:19-20)
Suffering – Accepted as part of one’s spiritual offering to God; joined to Christ’s own suffering for the redemption of the world. (See Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:10)
References
Dos Santos, L. (1999). Fatima in Lucia’s own words: Memoirs of Sister Lucia (Vol. 1). Secretariado dos Pastorinhos.
Apostoli, A. (2010). Fatima for today: The urgent Marian message of hope. Ignatius Press.
De Marchi, J. (1952). The true story of Fatima. The Ravengate Press.
Maybe it's time we listen.
I've actually concluded something else, too: She is deeply loved by each Person of the Trinity. She is the Immaculate Conception, and unlike any other person ever born. She is the top human being ever born into the world; she is full of grace, and has favor with God.
I'm still discovering what all of this means. But I know I want to stay with her story. I want to find out what happened next.
So tomorrow, let's keep walking with her.
Maybe not all at once. But one step at a time.
And as always, I’d love to know what’s stirring in your heart. Leave a comment, ask a question, or share what Fatima meant to you—especially if you grew up with pieces of it, but never the whole thing.
Let’s keep discovering who she might really be. Don't forget to check out Joann's Joynt and conversations with Hank, and if you missed the Mother's day reflection, we've dropped the first grace we will all pray for- can you guess what it is? you can find it Here
We’d love to hear what stirred in your heart as you read. Whether you’re just beginning to explore Marian devotion or have stories of your own, come share them with us. Join the conversation in our Facebook group here—we’re walking this journey together, one grace at a time. 💫