The Five First Saturdays Devotion
Then God 
said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth.
(Genesis 1:26-28)
It is enough to look around in order to see the glory and magnificence of God. Look at the sky and moving clouds during the day, and the stars at night. Look at the beauty of nature; seas, lakes, streams, forests, groups or individual creatures. They are both beautiful and functional. It is enough to spend a few minutes admiring the complexity and sophistication of the human body to recognize the majesty of God’s work.
Everything is like a well-oiled machine. Days are divided between times of work and rest, a year is divided into seasons creating an optimal environment for man. Summer with longer, warmer days, a time of intense work, while the winter creates an opportunity for spiritual growth. God decided that Christmas is in the winter, and Easter in spring and created the optimal environment necessary for our survival on earth and the salvation of our soul.
Mankind was God’s final creation and everything was created for humans. “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion…” For thousands of years everything worked flawlessly, arranged perfectly to meet the needs of man in order to fulfill his role in God’s plan.
God in His boundless mercy and goodness is constantly helping and guiding man. He gave him Guardian Angel. When Adam and Eve committed the original sin He promised the coming of a redeemer to the world; “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; they will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel.”(Genesis 3:15)
He called the best ones to guide a man; Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses and the prophets.
Then God brought to the world the most magnificent creature, free of original sin and any other sin, our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary and She gave birth to the Son of God, Jesus Christ who died on the Cross for our salvation. How great God’s love must be that He sacrificed His only, beloved son to give us a new start, new beginning.
The Catholic Church was born, built on the sacrifice of our Lord and His Holy Mother, with the Apostles, Fathers and Doctors of the Church, Saints, church filled with gifts, miracles and sacraments, the Eucharist and sacrament of penance being on the top of the list. Then God put us in our time and place. Through Baptism He brought us into the Holy Catholic Church, and made us free from the burden of original sin. God gives us everything that we need to know Him well, love Him more and serve Him better. Scientific and technical progress reveals to us the brilliance of our creator, and gives us opportunities that were not available to previous generations. We have quick and easy access to sources of information that help us recognize the will of God better. Thanks to the internet, messages from our Lord and our Heavenly Mother, the Virgin Mary passed through chosen souls are available to everyone.
On December 10, 1925, the Virgin Mary appeared to Sister Lucia (Lúcia Santos, one of the purported visionaries of Our Lady of Fátima) at the convent in Pontevedra, Spain, and by Her side, elevated on a luminous cloud, was the Child Jesus. According to Lucia, Mary requested the institution of the Devotion of the Five First Saturdays in reparation to Her Immaculate Heart.
Look, my daughter, at my Heart encircled by these thorns with which men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, strive to console me, and so I announce: I promise to assist at the hour of death with the grace necessary for salvation all those who, with the intention of making reparation to me, will, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the beads, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.
These requirement don’t have to be completed at once and at the same place, but in order to encourage others, and to create environment of comradery in pious practices, is recommended to complete them in church.
This devotion also obtains the conversion of sinners. “So numerous are the souls which the justice of God condemns for sins committed against me that I come to ask for reparation. Sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray.” (Our Lady to Sr. Lucia at Tuy, June 13, 1929)
And in His Providence, God decided that the peace in the world will depend on this devotion too.
“Whether the world has war or peace depends on the practice of this devotion, along with the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This is why I desire its propagation so ardently, especially because this is also the will of our dear Mother in Heaven.” (Sr. Lucia, March 19, 1939)
Five First Saturdays devotion is nothing new in the Catholic Church, but sadly it has become less and less popular.
For those who understand the magnitude of God’s love, mercy and kindness (He gave us everything and we owe Him everything), it is clear that a one time performance may help to escape hell but it is far from fulfilling the commandment of love. By extending this devotion to every first Saturday, and further promoting it, we can show our gratitude and love to our Heavenly Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and certainly shorten our time in Purgatory.
“As I was returning from Savigneux, the little birds were singing in the woods. I began to weep. Poor little creatures, I thought within myself, the good God has made you to sing, and you sing. And man who was created that he might love God, loves Him not.” (St. John Vianney)