As they passed Lucia’s house, her mother and sister were at the door with some neighbors. “Aunt Maria Rosa,” Jacinta cried out with joy, “we saw Our Lady again! It was at Valinhos!”
“My, what little liars you turned out to be! As if Our Lady would appear to you wherever you go!”
“But we did see Her,” Jacinta insisted. “See here, Our Lady had one foot on this twig and the other on that one.”
“Give it to me. Let me see.” Jacinta gave the branch to Lucia’s mother. The mother’s face showed great surprise as she put the branch to her nose. “What does this smell of?” she said, continuing to smell it. “It is not perfume, it’s not incense nor perfumed soap; it’s not the smell of roses nor anything I know but it is a good smell.” The whole family gathered and each wanted to hold the branch and smell the beautiful odor. “Leave it here, Jacinta. Someone will come along who will be able to tell what kind of an odor it is...."
As she came in I sensed a magnificent fragrance which I could not explain, [explained Ti Marto.] I stretched out my hands towards the branch saying, ‘What are you bringing in, Jacinta?’
“It is the little branch on which Our Lady placed Her feet." I smelled it but the odor had gone.” Our Lady did not have to perform a miracle to prove Her case to him.
[From The True Story of Fatima, http://www.fatimacrusader.com/truestory/pdf/tspg34.pdf]I've recently committed to weekly Eucharistic Adoration. I stopped in this past Wednesday. As I was approaching the chapel door, I smelled a tremendous fragrance of flowers. It made me pause and look around. To my right about 30 feet away, was some kind of bush in full bloom. To my left, was our St. Bernadette Grotto. The statue of Our Lady was adorned by a wreath of flowers upon her head. I stood there a few more minutes gazing the grotto. I then turned and went into the chapel.
After I was finished, I left the chapel. As I was walking past the grotto, now to my right, I suddenly remembered the passages above from The True Story of Fatima. The fragrance was gone.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
