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A friend of us lent us a small book about the Shrine and paying pilgrimage in Fatima. After reading it on a summer day in 2006, I felt invited to pay a pilgrimage to Fatima. In November of the same year I went with my wife to Fatima for a week. Fatima in November is quiet as the pilgrimage season ended in October. But for us the quiet atmosphere was very suitable as we would like to do a retreat. The experience proved to be fruitful and memorable for us. I recalled one evening we bought a lot of candles and lit them one after the other while we were praying for all the people we remembered in life: our parents, our brothers and sisters, relatives, classmates, teachers, colleagues, bosses, friends, not so friends, and clients. Our prayers lasted for a few hours.
The trip has made such an impression on me that I felt an urge to learn more about Fatima: the sign of time, the apparitions, the messages and the seers. I was very much impressed by the simplicity of the little seers and their spirituality. I was happy to learn that on 13th May, 2000 John Paul II had beatified both Francisco and Jacinta, two of the three seers. They were brother and sister and were seven and nine years old respectively in 1917. While the third seer, Lucia was still alive in 2000. Our Lady appeared to them six times in 1917. The first apparition was on 13th May and the last one was on 13th October. There were about 70,000 people witnessed the 'sun' miracle on the last apparition. It was in the middle of the First World War. Portugal at the time was governed by Republicans. The leaders pursued anti-religious policies. Everything was secular. The then current government was overthrown in December 1917.
In his homily on that day John Paul II said,"' Father, to you I offer praise, for you have revealed these things to the merest children'. Today Jesus' praise takes the solemn form of the beatification of the little shepherds, Francisco and Jacinta. With this rite the Church wishes to put on the candelabrum these two candles which God lit to illumine humanity in its dark and anxious hours. May they shine on the path of this immense multitude of pilgrims and of all who have accompanied us by radio and television. May Francisco and Jacinta be a friendly light that illumines all Portugal and, in special way, this Diocese of Leiria-F?tima." Indeed these two little seers have illuminated my path.
Here I would like to share some of the things revealed to Francisco.
After the third apparition on 13th July, 1917, Francisco said to Lucia and Jacinta," We were on fire in that light which is God, and yet we were not burnt! What a God? We could never put it into words. Yes, that is something indeed which we could never express!" With this John Paul II commented:" God: a light that burns without consuming. Moses had the same experience when he saw God in the burning bush; he heard God say that he was concerned about the slavery of his people and had decided to deliver them through him: "I will be with you" (cf. Ex 3: 2-12). Those who welcome this presence become the dwelling-place and, consequently, a "burning bush" of the Most High." The three seers were the dwelling-place of God.
The little seer continued to say," But what a pity it is that He is so sad! If only I could console Him!" Francisco was motivated by one desire - to console Jesus. That is to console God. It is the highest purpose of life.
After the September apparition, Lucia told Francisco that they would see Jesus again in October. Francisco could see but could not hear Our Lady during the apparitions. Francisco was lost in joy and exclaimed," Oh! How good He is!" And he used beauty to describe Our Lady. Beauty is a reflection of goodness. Jesus himself said," No one is good but God alone."(cf. Mt19:17) So in the young age of Francisco, he was affirming the divinity of Jesus in this exclamation.
Francisco continued," I've only seen him twice, and I love Him so much!" Francisco referred to the June and July apparitions when he saw Jesus. During September he said a few times," Are there many days left till the 13th? I'm longing for that day to come, because then I will see Our Lord again." The expression of longing shows this young boy had reached the summit of human knowledge. Once summit was reached, love took over from human knowledge.
"But listen! Will He still be sad? I'm so sorry to see Him sad like that! I offer Him all the sacrifices I can think of," said Francisco. As a lover, he was more then willing to offer endless prayers and sacrifices in reparation of the sins which were the causes of Jesus' sadness.
Francisco said after the October apparition," It's is not long now, and Our Lord will take me up close to Him, and then I can look at Him forever." This was in the midst of a spontaneous conversation and at the same time, a prefect prayer! The little seer had no fear about death and indeed very much looked forward to eternity - love forever.
Our Holy Father concluded that, "A transformation takes place in his life, one we could call radical: a transformation certainly uncommon for children of his age. He devotes himself to an intense spiritual life, expressed in assiduous and fervent prayer, and attains a true form of mystical union with the Lord. This spurs him to a progressive purification of the spirit through the renunciation of his own pleasures and even of innocent childhood games."
Francisco bore great sufferings caused by his illness without complaint. He accepted the sufferings with ease and treated it a little thing so far it would console Jesus. He died with a smile on his lips.
"Father, to you I offer praise, for what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest children".
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