In a world that hides in shadows, learn what it means to live in the light

Here are the very words of Lucia dos Santos—one of three children who saw Our Lady— describing how Our Lady looked when she appeared to Lucia and her two companions at Fatima:

“We saw a Lady dressed entirely in white, brighter than the sun, shedding a light that was clearer and more intense than that of a crystal glass filled with pure water and illuminated by the fiery rays of the sun. Her face—indescribably beautiful—was neither sad nor happy, but serious, with an air of mild reproach.

“Her hands, joined together as if in prayer, rested on her breast and pointed upward. A rosary hung from her right hand. Her clothing seemed to be made of light. The tunic was white, and the veil, also white and edged with gold, covered the head of the Virgin and extended down to her feet. Neither her hair nor her ears could be seen.”

When Our Lady appears, everything is white, clean, and pure. She is, after all, the Virgin of virgins—entirely pure.

The traditional Catholic hymn “Ave Maris Stella” reminds us that Mary became “the happy gate of heaven” while remaining a virgin. This signifies that it was through her that Christ Our Lord came into the world, without her surrendering anything of her virginity. Always entirely pure, she attracts us with her purity.

We also learn the proper way to evangelise through the example of Our Lady. When she appeared, she drew us to the beauty of purity.

Let us never compromise purity in order to gain acceptance from others. No! We must reveal to them the beauty of purity. Impurity seeks darkness to hide its evil deeds, while purity loves daylight and thrives in the open air.

At Fatima, Our Lady spoke to an impure world using all the symbols of purity. She was dressed in white and bathed in light. This reminds us of when Our Lord spoke of the wild lilies of the fields: “Amen, I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these!” (Matt. 6:29)