If ever we do come across a spiritual crisis in life, do we have a GPRS in place to guide us through? To the best of my knowledge, science has not seriously delved into inventing a device to measure a spiritual crisis. One has to therefore simply rely on faith. But what if one faces a crisis of faith?
I have just returned after a personal pilgrimage to Fatima (Portugal), where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in a series of apparitions exactly a hundred years ago. The purpose of my pilgrimage was to express my gratitude to God, who I believe, through Mother Mary, guided me to overcome a spiritual crisis I faced more than 20 years ago. Then at a western university, doing my doctoral research, surrounded by rationalists of all shades on one side and the worldly attractions on the other, I was plagued by doubts not only about the whole relevance of my priesthood but struggled with serious uncertainties regarding God’s existence.
I attribute the saving grace and the GPRS function to Mother Mary who guided me to find the right path.
No wonder then that millions of people throng to Fatima to either thank Mother Mary for the wonder God has worked in their lives through her, or to ask for favours from God through her or indeed to get their GPRS properly working. Do we all not require a GPRS to correct us from our faulty paths?
