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Section 17: "Only She Can Help You Bring Peace"
The Word Of God Vs. The Lady Of Fatima's Words

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Before the birth of Jesus, Zacharius prophesied that the baby in Mary's womb would "guide our feet in the way of peace" (Luke 1:79, NAB). Two thousands years later, it would seem that Jesus has failed to fulfill these prophecies. As we look at the warring world around us, and the divisions within us, it becomes obvious to the Church that men are far from walking in the way of peace.

Some say that Jesus has now sent His mother to bring about peace on earth. They quote the Lady of Fatima, who gave instructions concerning peace:

"Pray the Rosary every day, in order to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war"(1).

Again two months later, the Lady reminded the children:

". . . continue to pray the Rosary every day in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you"(2).

The True Path To Peace

In order to examine these words in their proper light, we must look to another word, the Bible. The nation of Israel was formed by God to bring the Messiah into the world, but when He came, they rejected Him. In this rejection, Israel lost the peace for which it hoped. Before going to the cross, Jesus wept over Jerusalem because He knew what they'd lost:

"If only you had known the path peace this day; but you have completely lost if from view!Days will come upon you when your enemies encircle you with a rampart, hem you in, and press you hard from every side. They will wipe you out, you and your children within your walls, and leave not a stone on a stone within you, because you failed to recognize the time of your visitation" (Luke 19:42-44, NAB).

In the very midst of this rejection by the Jews, Jesus was anticipating the next phase of His Father's plan. He told the first members of His Church,

"I have come to light a fire on the earth. How I wish the blaze were ignited! I have a baptism to receive. What anguish I feel till it's over! Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? I assure you, the contrary is true; I have come for division" (Luke 12:49-51).

The beginning of this division was already apparent. Israel had rejected Him and would hang His body on a cross, cutting off any immediate opportunity for their own peace. God's chosen nation had missed Jesus for who He was, but through this rejection the world would be saved and offered the peace which God desired to give all men.

Jesus was aware that Israel would reject and crucify Him, but with knowledge of God's whole plan He could reassure His disciples: "'Peace' is my farewell to you, my peace is my gift to you; I do not give it to you as the world gives peace. Do not be distressed or fearful" (John 14:27, NAB).

Israel would temporarily be thrown down as a nation, but in Him, Jesus' disciples would have peace during the early years of His Church, the future fall of Jerusalem, and the persecutions of the ages, all the way through to His second coming. He was about to bring to fulfillment the words of Zacharius and open the path to peace, but He warned again that this peace was not in the world: 'I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33, RSV).

Paul, looking back to the cross, proclaimed this way of peace to the Church:

"You men of Galilee stock . . . remember that, in former times, you had no part in Christ and were excluded from the community of Israel. You were strangers to the covenant and its promise; you were without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ. It is he who is our peace, and who made the two of us one by breaking down the barrier of hostility that kept us apart. In his own flesh he abolished the law with its commands and precepts, to create in himself one new man from us who had been two and to make peace, reconciling both of us to God in one body through his cross, which put that enmity to death, He came and 'announced the good news of peace to you who were far off, and to those who were near;' through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:11-18, NAB).

Jesus is our peace; He announced that peace and He brought it about. After His resurrection, Jesus entered the locked room which held the fearful apostles:

Jesus came and stood before them. 'Peace be with you,' he said. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. At the sight of the Lord the disciples rejoiced. 'Peace be with you,' he said again. 'As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' Then he breathed on them and said: 'Receive the Holy Spirit'" (John 20:19-22, NAB).

His great commission to go and preach the gospel to the world soon followed, and Jesus' words, "I came for division," would be fulfilled in the proclamation of the gospel. Believers were to be saved and experience peace in themselves; unbelievers would not. Here, too, was the fulfillment of the prophecies of Zacharius and the angels: Christians would walk in "the way of peace," for they would be the ones "on whom his favor rests" because of their faith in Jesus.