Luke 2:19: But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.Luke 2:35: And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart became even more popularized after Mary's appearing to the three young shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal in 1917 (before the Russian Revolution), when she asked that Russia be consecrated to her Immaculate Heart to prevent the spread of "the errors of Russia." Eight years later, in 1925, Mary appeared to one of the visionaries -- Lucia, who'd since become a nun -- and requested reparations for the various ways in which her Immaculate Heart was offended -- such as attacks against her Immaculate Conception, virginity and divine maternity, and for those who teach their children contempt of Mary or who insult her by desecrating her images.
To make these reparations, she asked that we do 5 things, all with the intention of making reparation to her Immaculate Heart:
- recite at least Five Decades of the Rosary every day
- wear the Brown Scapular
- offer our daily duty to God as an act of sacrifice (ie., make the Morning Offering)
- make Five First Saturdays of Reparation to Her Immaculate Heart (see below)
- the Pope, in union with all the bishops of the world, must consecrate Russia to Her Immaculate Heart. Russia would be converted through this means, and a period of peace to be given to the world. If this is not done (and it hasn't been done), Russia will "spread her errors throughout the world." This consecration must be of Russia -- not "the world," but Russia by name.
The "First Saturdays of Reparation" was not a new devotion, but it was even more popularized after Our Lady appeared at Fatima. It consists of, on the first Saturday of each month for five consecutive months:
- going to Confession (may be 8 days before the Saturday as long as one stays in a state of grace)
- receiving the Eucharist
- praying 5 decades of the Rosary, including the Fatima Prayer
- "keeping her company" for 15 minutes while meditating on all of the Mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to her. This can be done by reading Scripture or other writings relevant to the Mysteries, meditating on pictures of the Mysteries, or simple meditation.
The promise given by Mary to those who make the First Saturday devotion is her assistance at the hour of their death.
