In the Many apparitions of our Lady to her children on earth, She has given us words of comfort, hope, and joy, even as she reminds us that our home is not in this world. The Blessed Virgin Mary as the new Eve was granted a part in our redemption and she exemplifies purity, humility, and submission to the will of God, as well as the good union with Christ that we all must seek. From the love in her look, her continuous attention as Our Heavenly Mother, and her ever vigilant presence on earth, we are brought toward Our Lord without reluctance, without fear. Let her words be the truth that protects us.
“I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done according to thy will”. Annunciation.
These words gives light in the Blessed Mother’s utter trust and submission to the will of the Lord. By saying this humble ‘yes’ we see the miracle of Incarnation made possible. Highly, we are presented with a way of life centered around peace and joy made possible through a deep trust in God. These will all be very good, but without trust and submission to what the Lord gives to us day to day, without Mary’s humble and joyful exclamation ‘let it be ‘ we may simply come to live in sadness and dissatisfaction. In this case, Mary gives in herself joyfully without knowing all that will come to pass because she puts her trust in the Lord, his care for her and the wishes of her heart. Her submission is not resentful. With confidence in God she says “let it be done to me according to your word”. In our everyday struggle we too should echo her words, confidently honoring the will of God through trusting in his goodness.
“My daughter, behold my Heart which is surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men strike it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, try to console me, and say that I promise to help at the hour of death, with all the graces needed for salvation, all those who go to confession on the first Saturday of every month and receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary and be with me for a quarter of an hour while meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me.” —Our Lady of Fatima.
Our Lady of Fatima shows her deep love for each of us by revealing the sorrow of her Immaculate Heart, and its vulnerability to human offenses against it. While Our Lady actually is ‘blessed among women’, this does not remove her from being touched by us. With her compassionate heart she therefore instituted this First Saturday devotion and promises all the graces needed to bring us to the salvation of her Son.
I am so happy to be able to help the children who beg me for protection. But so many never come to me”. —Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Our Lady is willing to help us, but we must open the doors of our hearts to her. Putting our trust in her great motherly protection and love, let us become devoted to coming to her with our needs and our gratitude. She wants to be our intercessor in all things if we will only remember to approach her.
“Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)
Mary says these words to the servants with regards to Christ leading up to the miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana. She intercedes on behalf of the smallest concerns of the hearts of the bride and groom and through this reveals the deeply loving relationship she has with Christ. We see Jesus honor his Mother in the miracle at Cana, but in addition, we see Mary entrust the situation totally to her Son after simply stating the fact that there is no more wine. She directs the men to Jesus with complete confidence in the goodness of his Sacred Heart and in her relationship with Him, she does not need say anything but “do whatever he tells you.
“I do not promise to give you happiness in this world, but in the next.” —Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes knows deeply our wish for happiness and freedom from sorrows. She makes Bernadette know that the world cannot offer us this happiness and freedom that we truly seek. This is an important reflection to make as we go through the hardships and temptations of this world. The Blessed Mother’s words are meant not to be discouraging, but they are meant to direct our hearts to the place where they may find fulfillment. We are right to be thankful for and delight in the goods that the Lord sends to us in this world, however we remember them as a reflection of God’s supreme Goodness and the eternal kingdom that he beckons us to. Further, it is the state of this world that suffering must surely be a part of our pilgrimage. We are called to acknowledge this as our lot without losing heart, fully alive, to follow faithfully in Christ’s footsteps to true happiness.
“In order to save the souls of poor sinners, God wishes to establish the devotion to my Immaculate Heart throughout the world”.—Our Lady of Fatima
At Fatima, Our Lady showed God’s desire to be merciful to souls calling them to honor her through devotion to her Immaculate Heart. This devotion was given to the three children at Fatima that it may be spread all over the world.
