“As Pope John Paul II said
when he made the Consecration in 1984,
‘Fatima is more important
now than it was in 1917’.
Fr. Apostoli added his own
insights, “It’s even more important now [2014]
than when [John Paul II]
said that in 1984”.”
Queen Esther and Our Lady of Fatima –
Homily for Thursday of the First Week
of Lent
Queen Esther had been chosen
Queen after King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) dismissed his wife Queen Vashti for not
coming to him when she was summoned.
Now
Queen Esther is in anguish because Haman, the wicked aide ... has convinced the
King to issue an order to kill all the Jews in his Empire. Haman did this
because Mordecai, Esther’s cousin who raised her as a daughter, would not bow
down and prostrate himself as Haman passed as the King had ordered. The King is
unaware that Esther his wife is Jewish.
The
date set for destruction was the 13th of the month of Adar which
corresponds to either our month of February. It is also the very day that the
Maccabees liberated Israel after a four-year battle with the Seleucid Empire.
Sister
Lucia to whom Our Lady of Fatima
appeared died on this date. Our Lady of Fatima’s first appearance to the three
shepherd children was May 13, 1917. Her last appearance was October 13, 1917.
On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II survived an assassination attempt. He
credits Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life.
Queen
Esther clothed herself in sackcloth and ashes. She fasted from food and
water for three days and asks the Jews to do the same. After the three
days, she approached the King without being summoned. She did this even
though she was aware that the King could have sentenced her to death for doing
so.
When
the Queen enters into the King’s presence he extends his scepter thus sparing
her life. He was so impressed by her courage and beauty that he promised her up
to half of his kingdom. Instead, she invites him to two banquets and invites
Haman – the man responsible for the order of the genocide of her people. At the
second banquet she pleads for her life and the life of her people. The
King is horrified by what Haman has done and orders him to be hung on the same
gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Persian law did not permit the King
to reverse his decree, but he issued another decree that the Jews could defend
themselves. Instead of being destroyed, the Jewish people were saved and
defeated their enemies in battle. The Jews celebrate this triumph each year as
their Feast of Purim. It doesn’t always fall on the same day. In
2013, the Feast falls on February 24th.
Many
see Queen Esther as a type of Mary and the Book of Esther as a type of the
Apocalypse. A figure type is a person, place, thing or event foreshadowing
a New Testament archetype (a perfect model or type). The New Testament
archetype is always greater than its Old Testament figure type. For example,
Jonah’s time in the belly of the great fish is a type of Jesus in the tomb.
Moses is a type of Jesus.
The
Jewish people were saved through the intercession of Queen Esther, so Mary
intercedes for her people today. The Apocalypse foretells a great
persecution of Christians ... but the Book of Revelation speak[s] about the Ark
of the Covenant appearing in the sky and the Woman crushing the head of the
dragon. (Revelation 12)
When
the Blessed Mother appeared at Fatima she wore the Star of Esther. In the Old
Testament of the Hebrew text, her name was Hádássah - meaning myrtle, a white,
five-pointed, star-shaped flower. ....
Like
Esther, Mary came at Fatima to spare her children from destruction. She asked
people to repent of sin, pray the rosary, go to confession, and receive the
Eucharist worthily. On July 13, 1917, Our Lady said to the child Lucia: “…I
shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, and
the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded,
Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her
errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The
good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various
nations will be annihilated. ... In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph.
The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and an
era of peace will be granted to the world.”
Had her
requests been heeded the world would have been spared the horrors of World War
II in which over 50 million people died and countless other wars and
persecutions provoked by Communists throughout the world. In 1920, Russia was
also the first country to legalize abortion. In 1913, Communist leader Vladimir
Lenin demanded “the unconditional annulment of all laws against abortions or
against the distribution of medical literature on contraceptive measures.”
Great
evils threaten our world. Sin increases. So many hearts are hardened. We need
to call on Our Lady in prayer. Heed her requests at Fatima and Lourdes.
Do penance, do the Five
First Saturday devotion by going to confession,
receiving the Eucharist, praying the rosary and meditating 15 minutes on the
mysteries for five first Saturdays of the month in a row.
Queen
Esther asked her people to ... pray and do penance with her. We must listen to
the Blessed Mother today and ask her to intercede with her Son that he might
spare us, our nation and our world.
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