Making Her Message Known

What happened on that day at La Salette

Mary said to the two children: “Make this known to all my people." For a message to be transmitted it is much better to entrust it to two people. One cannot be a witness or a Christian alone.

In fact, there were two children – Melanie, age 14, and Maximin, age 11 – who had the special privilege of meeting the “Beautiful Lady”. They had only met each other the day before the Apparition. Initially they are afraid of this unknown woman, but then, no longer surprised, they drank in the words of the Beautiful Lady in tears. She was dressed as a peasant woman and she knew the area of Corps. Everything was of interest to her – neither the religious practices nor the daily worries of these inhabitants. She called the children by their first name and she reported accurately specific events such as the event at the “terre de coin (the corner field)."

Similarities with Other Apparitions

In the other French apparitions at Lourdes (1858), Pontmain (1871), Fatima (1917), Beauraing (1932), Banneux (1933)... as at La Salette (1846), Mary entrusts her messages to children who will all be captivated by her beauty and her gentle motherhood. At Lourdes, Bernadette says, "She spoke with me as a person."

In all these apparitions the children will always report what they have seen or heard, and will never be intimidated either by money or by threats. At La Salette as at Lourdes, the children understood that, "She instructed us what to say, not what to believe."

At La Salette she chose two shepherds, one as poor and needy as the other. And it is to them that she comes to tell the “Great News”. A little more than 2000 years ago, it was also to shepherds that “Great News” was announced – at the birth of the Savior. "For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord” (Luke 2:11). Shepherds often have been entrusted with the most beautiful of missions: to pass the "great Good News".

Yet this choice seems somewhat illogical. How can we trust two simple, unschooled children? But God has a special place for the “little ones” of this world. To his disciples who initially wanted to remove them, Jesus noted, "Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Luke 18: 16-17).

Being small

The call to witness or testify is indeed making oneself small; that is, accepting to be a disciple, a follower. One is never a Christian alone any more than one can exist alone. Jesus: reminds us: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

The testimony about the early Christians is their joy: "See how they love each other.” This creates credibility when it comes from couples, families, movements, associations, communities, that is to say, people who join their forces and energies in the service of others, especially the most needy. A Church that is testifying in this way is a living church and not afraid.

Do not be afraid

Christians must always hope! Several years ago, Father Boëdec wrote in the article, "How to believe today?" that we are sometimes very concerned to see that the number of Christians seems to be decreasing. We are sorry to see that our own children and grandchildren no longer practicing the Faith. And many of our friends have similar stories. "One would love to succeed in passing on our Faith to them. But it is certainly not we who give Faith, but fortunately God gives it. We eventually discover that this gift seems to come easily for some and less accessible to others, and still others walk with Christ for many years, not able to recognize his presence and invitation.

But the truth remains that, as St. John of the Cross said: "At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love."

Everyone has to testify without fear about the hope that inhabits us. "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). But in order to testify, we need not go to the end of the world. It is enough to live well our daily life with self-respect, as well as respecting others, being inclusive and supportive.

Note that “doing good” is not quantitative but indeed qualitative. To pray well each day and to pass on her message are the two recommendations from the Beautiful Lady. They are simple yet sufficiently powerful, well within our reach – so basic and doable that two uneducated shepherds knew what they had to do and did it well and faithfully!