The first General Congregation of the Second Vatican Council began on Saturday, October 13, 1962, exactly 45 years to the day from the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima. Since the Fatima message is directed at the errors of the modern world (particularly “Russia’s errors” of modernism and communism) and the Third Secret warns of a bad council and a bad Mass, it is only natural to see a connection between the opening date of the Council and an anniversary of Mary’s message. The number 45 is not a common “holy number” and appears only very rarely in Scripture, the most intriguing being chapter 12 in the Book of Daniel where God speaks directly to him. It is worth quoting,
At that time Michael the great prince, who stands watch over the sons of your people, shall stand up; and there shall be a time of tribulation, such as never happened until that time, since there was a nation upon the earth. But at that time your people shall be saved, all found written in the book. Then many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to disgrace and everlasting shame (Dan 12: 1-2).
In the Fatima Third Secret, the children also see a great tribulation and an image of a great angel with a flaming sword about to destroy the earth, but his hand is stayed by the Holy Mother. The angel in the vision can easily be interpreted as the great angel Michael. Daniel continues,
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Although I heard, I did not understand. So, I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall choose to be made white and refined through fire; but the lawless shall act lawlessly. None of the lawless shall understand. From the time the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits and comes to one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. But now go your way and rest, for there are yet days to the fulfillment of the end; and you shall rise to your inheritance at the end of the days” (Daniel 12: 8-13).
Of course, the prophecy primarily refers to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple and the Babylonian exile. Those who are “made white” are clearly the saints and those who act “lawlessly” are those who reject God. In the Old Testament, the “daily sacrifice” always refers to the twice daily atoning Tamid sacrifice of the lamb, bread, and wine at the Temple. The “abomination of desolation” is not only the empty Jerusalem temple after it has been sacked and desecrated, but it also refers to the setting up of false idolatrous gods where the true God was once present. In Daniel chapter 12, the number 45 is the difference between the 1335 and 1290 days and draws our attention to a period of painful waiting. Blessed will be those who endure and pass through it. Why is the Holy Mother calling our attention to the opening of the Council, her Fatima message, and this passage in Daniel?
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