Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

We can all understand the universal care of our Mother in Heaven for us or, at the very least, the longing for that spiritual motherly care in our lives. The Blessed Mother’s love and care is especially healing for those whose own biological mothers were unwilling or unable to provide authentic self-giving love. Mother Mary loves us all with a pure, selfless, and steadfast motherly love. She tirelessly calls to our hearts and souls. Her utmost aim is to bring us to her Son. Mother Mary’s care is rooted in the Holy Spirit.

The Lord often surprises us in his choice of messenger. He uses the humble, the weak, the small. Often, he chooses children to bear his message of hope and peace. In Fatima, he chose Lucia dos Santos, age ten, and her younger cousins, brother and sister Francisco, nine, and Jacinta Marto, seven. These three simple yet faithful children, all from Catholic farm families, were good children from humble backgrounds. Yet, by God’s grace, their lives—and ours—were forever changed. Because of heaven’s designs on their hearts, they all experienced deeper conversions of heart

Jesus and his mother, Mary, await generous souls who are willing to make reparation for all those who are in danger of losing their souls to hell. Will you be a generous soul? Let us pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for all of the graces that we need to be a brilliant light and a holy comfort to others each and every day in this darkened and sometimes frightening world.

My dear friend and spiritual mother, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, encouraged me to turn to Mary often with this simple prayer: “Mary, Mother of Jesus, be Mother to me now.”  

Mother Teresa often prodded me to “bring others to Jesus through Mary.” In the almost two dozen letters she wrote to me, she frequently mentioned Mother Mary. In one she said, “Pray to Our Lady—pray the rosary very fervently, cling to Our Lady. She will surely lead you to Jesus to know His will for you.”

Was there a time in your life when you turned your back on God? If so, have you asked forgiveness? Can you let go of the past and move forward in God’s love? Can you trust God with your life?

The Blessed Mother tells us that we will receive all of the graces we need to follow God’s holy will in our lives. There is nothing to worry about when we trust God.

We can all understand the universal care of our Mother in Heaven for us or, at the very least, the longing for that spiritual motherly care in our lives. Mother Mary loves us all with a pure, selfless, and steadfast motherly love. She tirelessly calls to our hearts and souls. Her utmost aim is to bring us to her Son.

— from Our Lady of Fatima: 100 Years of Stories, Prayers, and Devotions