third scene - the great return of humanity to god

The predictions made at Fatima will only be brought to happy conclusion when apostate humanity returns to God. But for that to be possible, it is first necessary that humanity be irrigated with special graces from God. These are symbolised by the blood of the martyrs which the angels sprinkle on the souls that strayed so far from God and now return to Him (since they now “approach”, it implies they had first strayed away).

Therefore, Cardinal Ratzinger, paraphrasing Sr. Lucia’s description, says: “Beneath the arms of the cross angels gather up the blood of the martyrs, and with it they give life to the souls making their way to God. Here, the blood of Christ and the blood of the martyrs are considered as one: the blood of the martyrs runs down from the arms of the cross. The martyrs die in communion with the Passion of Christ, and their death becomes one with His. For the sake of the body of Christ, they complete what is still lacking in His afflictions (cf. Col 1:24).... The blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christians, said Tertullian. As from Christ’s death, from His wounded side, the Church was born, so the death of the witnesses is fruitful for the future life of the Church. Therefore, the vision of the third part of the ‘secret’, so distressing at its outset, concludes with an image of hope: no suffering is in vain, and it is a suffering Church, a Church of martyrs, which becomes a sign-post for man in his search for God…. from the suffering of the witnesses there comes a purifying and renewing power, because their suffering is the actualisation of the suffering of Christ Himself and a communication in the here and now of its saving effect.”

The earth renewed and purified by the blood of authentic martyrs corresponds to the idea of the ‘Reign of Mary’ spoken about by St Louis de Montfort in his famous Treatise on the true devotion to the Blessed Virgin. This great Marian saint says there will come: “…that happy day when God’s Mother is enthroned in men’s hearts as Queen, subjecting them to the dominion of her great and princely Son…. Lord, that your kingdom come, may the reign of Mary come!” (no.217)

This is an idea which ties in admirably with Our Lady’s famous prediction at the end of the second part of the Secret of Fatima: “Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph”. Either this triumph happens above all in the hearts of men, as St Louis de Montfort insists, or the whole third part of the Secret becomes void of meaning. It must be a permanent return of humanity to God, an immense Great Return [Grand Retour, in French, was the motto of a spiritual movement in France which had as its goal the Grand Retour of souls to Jesus through Mary]. So, either this happens or it is not possible for the world to be given that “period of peace” which Our Lady promised at Fatima. (See text of the second part of the Secret)

“This is the day which the Lord has made: let us be glad and rejoice therein. The Lord chastising has chastised me: but he has not delivered me over to death.” (Psalms 117:24,18)

So, the three parts of the Secret known to us today form a united whole. The central themes running through this whole are: the glory of God, the exaltation of Holy Mother Church, and the welfare of souls in this life and the next through the most powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with the Heart of her Divine Son.