A Theological Reflection (Part I)
Yesterday we celebrated the 100th anniversary of when water began to miraculously flow at the Cova da Ira in Fatima, where Our Lady appeared in 1917. In his article, Mr. Cesanek related the circumstances leading up to this marvelous event and the miracles which have followed thereafter. I, in turn, will offer two theological and historical reflections for your consideration. Today we focus on the importance of the date on which the water began to flow: November 9. The next article will focus on the spring of water.
Christ Is Lord of All History
We should accustom ourselves to paying attention to dates. They often provide powerful clues to God’s activity. You see, every great supernatural event is carefully ordained by God and He intentionally selects dates so as to manifest His Providence. (I have also found such meaning in events of personal significance, even though these events are often insignificant blips on the global stage.)
November 9 is the liturgical feast when the Church celebrates the dedication of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. This is Rome’s Cathedral and Papal Archbasilica. It is known as Mater et Caput, or the “Mother and Head [of all Catholic Churches].”
Constantine (Roman emperor from 306 to 337 A.D.) donated his familial land and the palace that was built upon it to the Pope in the years after he legalized Christianity (read more about this from Matthew Plese). Thus, this very basilica represents the proper ordering of Church and State relations. They are meant to work together, both for the good of human persons. The Church focuses on the eternal salvation and sanctification of souls and acts as a moral guide for the State, and the State fosters human flourishing and happiness on earth while enabling the Church to accomplish her noble purpose.
This order was attacked by the revolutionary spirit unleashed upon the earth by freemasonry and the French Revolution. This proper divine order is utterly rejected and turned upside down by the ‘errors of Russia.’ Today, we see the rotten fruits of the false ideology of ‘Separation of Church and State” all around us. How fitting it is that God would therefore choose this feast to perform a miracle which indicates Heaven’s solution to this diabolic revolution.
The Pope’s Cathedra and Fatima
St. John Lateran (as this church is commonly called) is where the Pope’s cathedra is located. This cathedra of Rome is ‘the chair’ [symbolic and physical] in which the Pope sits when he teaches with his full magisterial authority. Hence, it is from this chair that the Pope is to defend and hand on unchanged the perennial tradition of the Catholic Faith – in doctrine, liturgy, morals, etc. The selection of this date for the appearance of the miraculous Fatima Water clearly points to the role of the Pope and his authority.
This should not surprise us. In fact, it is most fitting because the Pope plays a central role in the Message of Fatima. No other heavenly revelation has ever placed such an emphasis on the Vicar of Christ. Our Lady told us that the Pope would have much to suffer and that we must all pray very much for him. It is the Pope who must consecrate Russia.
The Vision of the Third Secret also centers on the Pope (read the text here). There is the mysterious figure, a bishop dressed in white, who gives the seers the impression that he is the Pope. The children saw him as if in a mirror. A mirror only presents an image of reality (two of the same thing can then be seen); it is frequently used in illusory deceptions as it plays tricks on the eye.
Our Lady then showed the Pope suffering greatly in a war-torn city praying for the deceased. At this point the children no longer make any reference to ‘mirrors’ or to an ‘impression that he is the Holy Father,’ but simply state that this person is indeed the Pope. Christ’s Vicar haltingly climbs a hill up to a cross (like Calvary!). The pope is brutally assassinated by soldiers (like Christ!) with guns and arrows. A torrent of martyrdoms follows his death (like the early Christians!).
The Role of Vicar of Christ vs. the Crisis in the Church
The Grave Crisis within the Church today centers about the role of the Pope. Simply and frankly put, for many decades now the Popes have not acted in proper conformity with their role as Vicar of Christ.
⇒ A Vicar must, above all, faithfully obey the one whom he represents. Yet, since June 13, 1929, when Our Lady asked for the Consecration of Russia by the Pope, each Pope has failed to obey Her.
⇒ The Pope is supposed to use his authority for the salvation of souls, the honor of the Church, and the glory of God. Yet, since the Third Secret was intentionally not revealed as it should have been (in 1960), the papal office has systematically been used in ways that go against this divinely-decreed purpose.
⇒ The Pope is to be a visible representation of Christ the King on earth. Christ is king of individual hearts, of families, of private and public institutions, and of all nations. Christ is a temporal and secular ruler; He is also a religious and spiritual ruler. To be an adequate representation, His Vicar must necessarily be the same.
Yet, Pius XI abandoned his temporal rule when he gave up the Papal States via the Lateran Treaty, which went into effect on June 7, 1929. (I wrote about this event’s connection to Fatima in a previous article). Within the week, God requested the Consecration of Russia. This would clearly reassert the authority of the Pope, because one can only truly consecrate what one has authority over. If the Pope has authority over the most powerful atheistic nation in the world promoting the ‘errors or Russia,’ then he obviously has authority over each and every nation.
In the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council, Paul VI commanded Catholic nations to cease being officially Catholic (e.g., Spain and Colombia). What an insult to Christ the King! As national constitutions abandoned God, all public life everywhere became devoid of God and society’s morals plummeted. Prayer was no longer allowed. Ten Commandment monuments were torn down. Abortion became legal all over the world. Unnatural became accepted, even glorified.
By not upholding traditional Catholic doctrine, liturgy and morals, the modern Popes have even misused their spiritual authority. We all know how the Church has entered a terrible winter. Many priests and nuns have abandoned their vocations. Parishes are being closed and church buildings sold. Catholic hospitals have been lost. Nuns no longer teach Catholic children. Monasteries and contemplative life are a rarity. Few young people consider a religious vocation. There are far less baptisms, Confirmations and marriages. People rarely go to Confession on a regular basis. Few know how to even grow in the interior life. Instead, financial and moral scandals have devastated our Church and sacrileges proliferate in our sanctuaries. Again, this is not surprising as the temporal and spiritual authority go hand in hand, like the two swords of Luke 22:38. If the Pope lays one sword down, in time he will necessarily lay the other one down as well.
The Message of Fatima is a call by Our Lady for the Pope to resume his proper role as Christ the King’s Vicar. This is an absolutely necessary part of the solution to the Crisis in the Church! Yet, it is clear to me that it will not be effected until the Pope acknowledges he has the ability, the authority, and the duty to obey Our Lady by consecrating Russia to Her Immaculate Heart – in union with all the Catholic bishops of the world, and specifically mentioning Russia by name, in a public ceremony.
Add Your Own Considerations
We can never exhaust the reasons behind God’s Divine Providence, but we do well to meditate upon them. In this article, we simply reflected on some reasons why November 9th was an eminently appropriate date for this miracle. But surely there are many others. For example, why the year 1921 – what was happening historically on the European and world scene, especially as regards the Message of Fatima? We invite you to add your own reflections on reasons for this date below.
In the next article, we will consider some reasons for Our Lady’s selection of water in this miracle.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
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