“…My Love for Them is Strong.”

A few weeks ago, I had the gift of giving a talk on Our Lady to 300 young people gathered in Dallas, Texas for a Eucharist-centered weekend retreat called “Ablaze”. Evangelization, traveling, youth, adoration, retreats, speaking, proclaiming, Eucharistic and Marian… all of these are part-and-parcel of the life a CFR Sister. All of these are aspects of the great gift of this vocation. All are on the list of “my favorite things”. Yet, I am still (and I pray I always will be) in awe at experiencing the Lord’s presence and work through these experiences. He always works in the lives of the youth who seek Him. I have countless times heard a young person share how they encountered Him, heard His voice, experienced Him in the sacraments. He, to my (grateful) amazement, leads me and gives me the words to share with His beloved youth. And in the process, He always is in turn speaking to me too…

This Ablaze retreat was no different.

I began to prepare for the talk on Our Blessed Mother a few weeks beforehand and as I did, three points developed in my mind: 

1) Our Lady is real.

2) She is alive!

3) She is Our Mother. 

As you could imagine, I was soon developing these three points with stories, quotes, and teachings so as to compile a half-hour talk. Then, a thought crossed my mind: “If I am sharing with these young people that Mary is a real person – one who is alive, was given to us by Christ as a gift, loves us and desires a personal relationship with us so as to lead us closer to her Son – then should I not ask her what she desires to say to her children who will be right in front of me?”

So, I paused for a moment on my walk and in my heart said: “Mary, what do you desire to say to these young people?” I waited. No audible voice came, no sign from heaven, no vision. But a clear, gentle and tender response came to my mind and heart:

“Sister, tell them that my love for them is strong.”

            As I said, I simply perceived that this was our Blessed Mother’s response to my question – and I knew that this was what she desired me to say… and for me to personally know. As I continued to prepare this talk, I was more and more moved by this truth. Mary’s love for us is strong. The enemy flees at her presence. She defends us, guides us, remains with us in our sufferings. Just as she stood at the foot of the cross… just as she has made her love and presence known in dozens of apparitions throughout the centuries… just as she has won battles and stopped wars… just as she has consoled and guided all who turn to

her… just as she has shown us her motherly love all through history since her “yes” to Gabriel’s message…she desired me to know of the strength of her love that morning merely a few weeks ago.

She desires me to know that “her love is strong” every morning.

 She desires to speak this truth to each of her children.

-Sr. Rosa Ines, CFR