M
MariaChristi
Guest
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Waiting this Advent with Mary, Mother of the Word, pondering her apparitions to three schoolgirls in Kibeho, Africa, it occurred to me how often God can surprise us. The third girl to whom He sent Mary was not simple, like Alphonsine, nor pious like Anathalie, but a real surprise. Marie-Claire was the chief antagonizer and accuser of the first girl and then both girls. Marie-Claire was a “complicated” girl as presented in the book, and yet, she is the third girl in the three approved apparitions of Our Lady.
God never acts without purpose and His purpose is always to work good. Why Marie-Claire? I think it may be His choice to help us. In Marie Claire’s repentance we can see our own. We can have hope because so many of us have done things we now regret, and we need to see examples of God’s surprising mercy. Marie Claire – like many of us – was too preoccupied with distractions of life to focus on the spiritual needs of the soul. Yet God saw in her the good He wanted to do, and Marie-Claire finally gave herself to Him through Mary.
Marie-Claire later said that life would have been much easier and more spiritually rewarding if instead of channeling her energy and time to discredit Alphonsine and Anathalie, she’d stopped for a moment and really listened to the messages. After one apparition, Marie-Claire commented that one of Our Lady’s sorrows during her many visits to Kibeho was that not enough people truly listened to the loving advice and counsel she offered through her visionaries.
Too many came to the village to witness a miracle and while their eyes and ears searched the heavens for a supernatural event, their hearts failed to hear the messages, Mary repeated again and again:
Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus, Your Word Made Flesh, through Mary. Thank You, Jesus. for giving Mary to us to be our Mother too. Holy Spirit, thank You for so often sanctifying us and for continuing to sanctify us; help us to listen to You as Mary did and live as she did in union with You! Amen.
Waiting this Advent with Mary, Mother of the Word, pondering her apparitions to three schoolgirls in Kibeho, Africa, it occurred to me how often God can surprise us. The third girl to whom He sent Mary was not simple, like Alphonsine, nor pious like Anathalie, but a real surprise. Marie-Claire was the chief antagonizer and accuser of the first girl and then both girls. Marie-Claire was a “complicated” girl as presented in the book, and yet, she is the third girl in the three approved apparitions of Our Lady.
God never acts without purpose and His purpose is always to work good. Why Marie-Claire? I think it may be His choice to help us. In Marie Claire’s repentance we can see our own. We can have hope because so many of us have done things we now regret, and we need to see examples of God’s surprising mercy. Marie Claire – like many of us – was too preoccupied with distractions of life to focus on the spiritual needs of the soul. Yet God saw in her the good He wanted to do, and Marie-Claire finally gave herself to Him through Mary.
Marie-Claire later said that life would have been much easier and more spiritually rewarding if instead of channeling her energy and time to discredit Alphonsine and Anathalie, she’d stopped for a moment and really listened to the messages. After one apparition, Marie-Claire commented that one of Our Lady’s sorrows during her many visits to Kibeho was that not enough people truly listened to the loving advice and counsel she offered through her visionaries.
Too many came to the village to witness a miracle and while their eyes and ears searched the heavens for a supernatural event, their hearts failed to hear the messages, Mary repeated again and again:
It may surprise some, that Mary called Marie-Claire “the cherished of the Blessed Mother”. Mary, however, with all heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents! Mary surprises us in the same way God does – by offering a great good to us when we do not expect it. What a great joy – and a mysterious joy – that in the tears of our repentance we find the joy of God’s merciful forgiveness! Mary holds us closer to her Son and to herself, the weaker we are, and the more we give ourselves to God through her, it seems to me.
Thank You, Father, for sending Jesus, Your Word Made Flesh, through Mary. Thank You, Jesus. for giving Mary to us to be our Mother too. Holy Spirit, thank You for so often sanctifying us and for continuing to sanctify us; help us to listen to You as Mary did and live as she did in union with You! Amen.