MARY, OUR MOTHER

Blessed Jacinta of Fatima

CHAPTER XLV: TWO HEARTS OF WIT & WISDOM

To accept or not to accept--that is the question!

Once upon a time a certain Mr. French had big problems at home: his 'loving' wife wished to take off--go to Europe--just leave--.

He is Catholic, divorce is out. You can imagine how the man felt, with this situation in his home-life. He was distraught in more ways than one. He said, he lived with a black cloud over his head. - - -

About 8 months later, after he had told me about his difficulties, I met him again at one of our Fatima Program meetings--he seemed quite happy, unconcerned. I asked him if everything straightened out in his home-life.

He said: "No, still the same situation at home, but" he exclaimed, "I thought about it all, wondering how I can take it. - - - I came across the story about the children of Fatima, particularly little Jacinta's trials, accepting her sickness, offering it up to Almighty God. The Good Lord took her already at the age of 10 years, as you know.

"So I said to myself, if that little girl could accept it all, offering up her cross--then so can I--. I'll accept my cross and offer it up to God . . . for my past sins. . .

"And--don't you know--all at once that black cloud that hung over me--that depression--that awful inside feeling--just disappeared! It was like a weight lifted itself from me."

As Christ put it so plainly: "My yoke is sweet, my burden is light."

Whenever I go to retirement and nursing homes, showing my Fatima slides, giving the Fatima Message, I usually tell this little true story about Frenchy.

I point out to them--although many here are sick, perhaps incurable, can't walk anymore, can't see--however there are people out in the world, they work, seemingly O.K. in every way, they walk the streets in full health--but they are living with a knife in their hearts.

Yes, there are two kinds of sufferings in the world: Physical--Mental; which is worst only God knows.

The real secret--the bottom line:

Do you accept your cross? (DO YOU OVERCOME?)

Accepting one's cross or not accepting it--is the difference between night and day!

And please, Don't let's forget to OFFER UP your trials, your cross, to Almighty God. Don't forget your MORNING OFFERING:

Here is ELIZABETH'S Morning Offering:

"Oh my God I offer Thee all my thoughts, works, joys, sufferings, and prayers, all Thou givest, and all Thou takest away.

I offer Thee through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your most Holy Mother, in union with the sacrifice of the Holy Mass throughout the whole world, in reparation for my sins, the intentions of the Holy Father, the holy Apostleship of prayer--all my friends and relatives, All the forgotten souls in Purgatory--all the aborted babies--all those who will die today should be in a state of grace and that I might spiritually adopt an unborn child today. Amen."

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