I often think about the fact that although it is our job as parents to teach our children how to act in this world, they can so often and without knowing it, teach us how to be with God. It has become all too common that as adults, we have lost the natural capacity to be with God. Responsibility gets the better of us and before we know it, independence, to-do lists; ‘adulting’ takes over. I truly believe that this is the reason Our Lady so often selects children to be the recipients of her apparitions.
Between 13th May and 13th October, 1917, Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children, Lucia Dos Santos, Francesco Marto, and Jacinta Marto in Fatima, Portugal 6 times. During her first 5 appearances, Our Lady shared prayers as well as truths about Heaven, hell, sacraments, the final judgement and a consecration of Russia to Mary’s Immaculate Heart.Our Lady’s last visit ended in a ‘Miracle of the Sun’ where an estimated crowd of 70,000 witnessed the sun ‘dancing’ and ‘zig-zagging’ across the sky.
Between the months of May and October, the children were met with much doubt from adults around them about the appearances of Our Lady. For some, it took witnessing the ‘Miracle of the Sun’ to believe the children’s accounts.
We, as adults, have so much to learn from the children who opened their hearts to Our Lady on those special days in Fatima. I read once that whom Our Lady appeared to in Fatima is just as integral as the messages she shared with them.
Here are 5 of the integral principles I believe those Fatima children, and children everywhere can teach us about how better to be with God:
1. PRESENCE: Children don’t worry about the past, nor what is going to happen in the future – they are free (and I mean free) to live totally in the present moment. Yes, this can be extremely frustrating when trying to get out the door in the morning… But, it is the same presence keeping Johnny glued to his Lego, and preventing him from putting on his shoes that can teach us to experience God.
In truth, to be present, is to be present with God. God resides in the present moment and to enter the present moment is to invite God into whatever is happening at that time. In that moment, we meet with God and He is able to speak to us, guide us and support us. In that present moment, we feel that ‘nudge’ by The Holy Spirit, we recognise that we are actually ok and we are at peace. On the other hand, when we turn to the past or future, we exit that interaction with God and this very departure naturally leaves us with a lack of peace, forcing us to either worry or problem solve; both coping strategies and signs we have reverted to a place of relying on ourselves.
“God's will is manifested to us in the duties and experiences of the Present Moment.”- Mother Angelica.
Present moment prayer: Mother Mary, help me to live with peace in the present moment, resting secure in the sacred heart of Jesus.
2.RELIANCE: Children, in such a beautifully naive and faithful way, can so easily rely on others. As they are not able to care for themselves, they are built to look to us parents or other adults (sometimes any adult) for help. This faithful reliance is exactly how we adults are called to look to God. As adults, we are taught to be independent, and to stand on our own two feet, but this can often skew our perception of how things ought to be. Yes, we are absolutely called to take care of our families, yes, we are absolutely called to be responsible contributing members of society but never has God instructed us to stop relying on him. Never has God said, “you are old enough to take care of yourselves now”. In fact, there are countless occasions where we are instructed the very opposite: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5); and “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (Psalm 28:7), to cite just a couple.
To rely on God requires us to surrender our control, our will, and our ideas; but relying on God will always produce more fruit and peace in our lives than the pushing and resistance that comes from striving to control.
Reliance prayer: Mother Mary, help me to surrender my thoughts, words, actions, will and intentions so that I may rely on Our Lord.
3.OBEDIENCE: Although not always obedient, children know that they should be. Our children know that as parents, we generally know what is best for them and that they should follow our suggestions and instructions. These instructions, if the child is regulated, are then usually carried out. They carry these instructions out because they trust us and trust that what we tell them as parents is true and best for them. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood (I wonder which years those are!), we learn to rebel, to push the boundaries. Although healthy, transition into adulthood and independence can also come with the idea that we no longer have anyone to answer to… unfortunately, this too often can include God. We become the rulers of our own lives and too easily forget that just as our parents knew what was best for us when we were reliant on them, so too does God – no matter what our age.
Obedience prayer: Mother Mary, help me to have a humble heart so that I may willing follow God’s will and plan for my life.
4.JOY: If you’re a parent, you know how easily joy can take over a child. One minute they can be crying because their brother took their toy and the next, they can be laughing because that same toy made a funny sound. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, it resides in us and is not dependent on external circumstances. Because of this, it is not necessarily the moment itself that is ‘creating’ joy within our children, but rather, the open state they are in that allows them to express the joy already in their hearts. Children trust so implicitly that they are taken care of, that they are mentally free from worry and therefore have an open heart to joy.
Adults, on the other hand, are full- full of worry, responsibility, and pressures. We fill our minds and hearts with so much clutter that even when that toy makes a funny noise, we are not present or open enough to hear it. This openness that allows us to feel and express the joy available within us is the same openness that allows us to experience God and deepen our relationship with Him. As Christians, we are called to be joyful and we have the ability to open up to this gift of joy by relying more on He who provides for us.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
Prayer for Joy: Mother Mary, help me to be open to the joy God has available to me.
5.FAITH: Children dream. They dream big. A child can have the idea to build a working car with cardboard alone and truly believe they will achieve it. This belief is grounded in faith – faith that all is possible. In truth, with God, it is. However, as Catholic adults, we can so easily believe the incredible mysteries of Christ and His Church but somehow fail to believe that God can grant miracles on a daily basis. So often, our Catholic faith is based solely on mental belief alone and lacks the trust, hope and wholehearted commitment to the idea that God can truly do anything, at any time. We take our logical, realistic mind and apply it to our faith, deducing things like: “God won’t help me” or “God won’t guide me”. But He can, and does.So often, we miss His guidance, miracles and answered prayers because we are closed off to the idea. We are called to more, called to believe and dream beyond our logic so we can strengthen our relationship with God and truly experience His miracles in our lives.
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will. (Mark 11:22-24)
Prayer for Faith: Mother Mary, help me to grow in faith so that I may draw nearer to God and experience His miraculous workings in my life.
On this Feast of Our Lady of Fatima (and beyond), may we be reminded of how much children have to teach us about drawing nearer to God; “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” (Matthew 19:14)
Jess Crino