Fr Richard's homily for the optional memorial of Our Lady of Fatima
Homily: Fatima points to Jerusalem
Today we look to Fatima, a Portuguese city, where Our Lady
appeared six times to three shepherd children in 1917. She exhorted them (and
us) to pray the Rosary each day and to make sacrifices for sinners.
Our Lady chose to appear to Saints Francisco and Jacinta along
with Lúcia (a servant of God), poor, humble children of faith, who in their own
simple way were journeying towards another city, the heavenly Jerusalem. This
is the pilgrimage of every Christian. In today’s first reading, Paul and
Barnabas set off towards the earthly Jerusalem. It would have been a journey full
of joy, a travelling home to the holy city. Just as the earthly Jerusalem is
the birthplace of the Church on earth, so the heavenly Jerusalem is the Church’s
eternal home. Especially at the Mass, the Church on earth and in heaven unites
to praise God.
Jesus in the Gospel gives us one of the many images of the
Church when he says to us: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” To remain
united and loyal to the Church is to be a branch, joined to Christ the vine,
Christ the head of the Church. To be a branch, open to God’s grace flowing from
the vine, means we will bear much fruit; we can journey on in faith to our
heavenly homeland.
By looking towards Fatima on this day, Our Lady will point
the way to Jerusalem. Mary our Mother is the image of the Church, for the
Church is also our mother. She reminds us to remain united to the vine, her son Jesus Christ, and
gives us the tools of prayer and penance to help us on our journey towards the
holy city. And, what is more, she accompanies us on every step of the way.
Listening, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and all the saints, we can continue on our pilgrimage to heaven, saying the
words of today’s responsorial psalm: “I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us
go to God’s house.”
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