Power of Love!

Our Lady of Fatima

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Is 61:9-11; Lk 11:27-28

Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. 

What does it mean to celebrate the feast in today’s context?

As one hears of the escalating tensions and full-scale wars between countries like Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, and India and Pakistan, we cannot but be reminded of Our Lady’s revelation of war as a consequence of our sinfulness, and it needs a profound reflection today. 

In her fourth apparition on July 13, 1917, referring to World War I, Our Lady of Fatima revealed that “The war will end, but if they do not stop offending God (…) a worse one will begin.”

War – A Consequence of Sin: For Our Lady, war is a consequence of human sinfulness because it often arises from pride, greed, hatred, injustice, and inordinate desire for power. The same was stated by St. Augustine in his concept of libido dominandi (lust for domination) as it refers to the willful human desire to control, dominate, and exert power over others. While St. Augustine saw it as a key force behind conflict and the fall of societies, Our Lady’s warning also exposes the corruptive force of human sinfulness, which only results in nations and societies fighting each other out of their willingness to control and dominate. While sinfulness blunts our conscience to any virtue that benefits the society, it also means a turning away from God, profoundly disrespecting God’s plans for us. Hence, Our Lady’s revelation of war as a manifestation of human sinfulness is an apt theme for reflection today. 

War – An Offense to God: For Our Lady, war is also an offense to God, as it symbolizes a willful and deliberate ignorance of God’s will and design for humanity. In her 1917 messages, Our Lady warned that if humanity persists in blasphemy, impiety, and moral deprivation, it would only lead to greater wars and suffering. The ‘will to dominate,’ which manifests itself in armed conflicts, offends God as it chooses to ignore God’s invitation to love and peace, violates the dignity of human life, and decimates the beautiful creation of God. Attrition warfare is another manifestation of evil wherein the prolonged effects of war even defeat winners, only producing endless suffering to ordinary people with loss of life and livelihood. In other words, war offends God as it reveals a radical disregard of our neighbors through enmity, hatred, violence, and killing. Our Lady of Fatima helps us understand that whatever offends His creation offends God directly. 

While war signifies also a spiritual battle besides the material devastation, Our Lady of Fatima helps us with three spiritual weapons to fight the root cause of all sinfulness. 

1. Our Lady’s invitation to mend our relationship with God is centered around our repentance and conversion. It is to realize the purpose of God’s creation and live it out more fully. 

2. For Our Lady, the moral renewal is more nurtured by praying the Rosary, as it draws us closer to God and invokes Mary’s intercession. Rosary transforms the ‘will to fight’ into the ‘will to unite.’

3. Entrusting ourselves to the protection and guidance of the Immaculate Heart of Mary means to draw from Mary’s exemplary virtues of faith, humility, neighborliness, and love.

Let us pray that, turning to Our Lady of Fatima, we may understand the power of love. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar