Fatima

Chapter 53: Pray and Sacrifice

August 1917

Fatima, Ourém, Beira Litoral Province, Portugal

The phrase that deeply implanted on the minds of the three shepherd children are the last words which the Lady of Heaven spoke to them, "Pray! Pray a great deal and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them." This phrase awakened the eyes, minds, and hearts of children as they have a stronger desire for praying and suffering. One day, while tending the sheep in Cabeço where the Angel of Peace appeared, the three shepherds alone spend hour after hour in prayer and sacrifice.

"My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love Thee. I ask pardon for all those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love Thee... 

"Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly and I offer Thee the most Precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of the same Son Jesus Christ, present in the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for all the sacrileges, outrages and indifferences by which He Himself is offended. And by the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners," the three shepherd children prayed together. They repeat the Angel's prayer again and again. When this confined position became unendurable, the three shepherd children change positions and pray the Holy Rosary.

"Let's add the prayer which the Lady from Heaven taught us," Lucia said.

"What prayer, Lucia?" Francisco asked Lucia.

"'O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell. lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need,'" Lucia replied as she tells Francisco the prayer that the Lady from Heaven taught them.

"In the Rosary prayer, where are we going to put it?" Francisco asked Lucia.

"According to the Lady from Heaven, She told us that we must say it after each mystery. We'll say it after we say the 'Glory Be' prayer in each mystery," Lucia replied. The three shepherd children pray and pray as they deeply sacrifice themselves for the conversion of sinners

August 1917 12 noon

Pond of Carreira, Fatima, Ourém, Beira Litoral Province, Portugal

During the summer of Portugal, the three shepherd children pray and pray as they deeply sacrifice themselves for the conversion of sinners. They even try to think or discover new ways to suffer for the conversion of sinners. There is one time that the three shepherd children spent the whole month of August 1917 without drinking water while they were alone in the fields of Fatima. This kind of suffering is one of the most difficult sacrifices. While tending the sheep in a hot-barren hill, the three shepherd children endure their thirst during the summer as they offer this sacrifice or suffering to God and to the Lady from Heaven. 

One day, while the three shepherd children walk on their way home from Cova da Iria, they walk pass by a pond of Carreira. 

"Look, I'm very thirsty and my head aches so much. I'm going to drink a little water in this pond," Jacinta forced to speak out as she continuously endures her thirst.

"Jacinta, don't drink this water," Francisco said as he tries to stop his younger sister from drinking water in the pond. 

"You may drink water but not in this pond," Lucia said as she also tries to stop her younger cousin from drinking water in the pond. 

"But, why?" Jacinta asked Lucia as she turns her face at her.

"My mother told us not to touch nor drink in this water. Many people in or outside of our village used this pond for their washing and their animals' thirst. We'll get sick if we drink water in this pond because it may be hazardous. I suggest that we'll go back to Fatima and ask my sister, Maria dos Anjos, to give us little water."