How to prepare for the coming chastisement

At Fatima, Our Lady gave a basic message to the world: conversion or chastisement. Conversion is not happening, and we are living in a moral crisis that is a real chastisement.

Moreover, in 1917 Our Lady showed the three shepherd children a vision of Hell, which is the ultimate chastisement, a place of eternal torment.

In this vision, the children saw souls that were falling into Hell like snowflakes fall in a snowstorm. 

If all those souls were going to Hell in 1917 when things were not as bad as they are today, imagine how many souls are falling into Hell today in 2011.

But there’s also the part of Our Lady’s Fatima message that refers to a physical chastisement where “many nations will be annihilated…” if mankind persisted in offending God with more sins.

This statement has a political meaning, signifying that many nations will lose their sovereignty and cease to exist as independent nations; a physical, material meaning, as a result of cataclysms of great magnitude such as a giant tsunami that destroys a whole coastal area; or a succession of earthquakes, seaquakes and fires; or still, a nuclear hecatomb that sweeps entire nations, leaving them totally depopulated, destroyed, “annihilated”; and a psychological and cultural meaning: as occurred, for example, with the Roman Empire of the West as a consequence of the barbarian invasions.

Well, as I said, mankind as a whole has not converted despite Our Lady’s maternal warning. 

Many Fatima groups have been repeating Our Lady’s urgent call for conversion.  But few people have heard this call and converted.

Instead, things are getting worse. 

God is being offended with more sins than before.  Our Lady is being blasphemed.  Homosexual “marriage” is becoming accepted. 

Therefore, it is logical to expect that while some of the chastisements announced at Fatima have already been fulfilled, others are still to come.

Yet, however painful and gloomy the outlook may be, we should not become discouraged, as we are also animated by the confidence of victory.

How to prepare for the coming chastisement

One way to prepare for the coming chastisement is to pray the Rosary and do penance as did the three little shepherds of Fatima nearly a century ago.  The maternal call to conversion that Our Lady gave to them, is also addressed to us.

The work and struggle to oppose sins such as abortion and homosexual “marriage, can also be an excellent form of prayer and penance, when engaged in for the love of God.

To oppose today’s neo-pagan ambience.  To combat the errors of our day that are at times subtle, and to face the risk of being disliked for not following fashions, both in dressing and thinking, is often much more difficult than fasting or spending a night in prayer.

By the way, one thing does not exclude the other: To pray in public, thus combating human respect and proclaiming the Faith, is one of the most excellent forms of penance nowadays.

Yes, penance and prayer for the conversion of sinners is what the Blessed Mother is asking of us. However, she expects us to do even more: To combat the “errors of Russia” that continue to triumph right before our eyes destroying families, corrupting our youths, and blaspheming God.

Let us do our part, fighting, praying and do penance, while also confiding in the fulfillment of her promise, “Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!”

That’s a great way to get prepared for the coming chastisement.