With her, you are no longer alone!

With her, you are no longer alone! Whatever amount of loving care a small child might receive from others, he will not follow them if his mother does not accompany him. But with his mother, a child will cross forests and rivers; he will endure fever and hunger. In wartime, it is not uncommon to find a dead mother with her child, still alive, lying by her side. On the road to hope, you hold hands with the Virgin Mary. With her, you are not alone anymore. She is “the source of life—the source of our joy and our hope”. A little child only needs his mother. He will burst into tears if she leaves his side; he can’t stand it without her. You can try giving him some candy, a nice toy—even some gold or a precious gem—he will refuse it. His happiness will only return again when he sees his beloved mother once more. Become a little child yourself. You will understand and love the Virgin Mary better.

François-Xavier NGUYEN VAN THUAN, The Road to Hope, Le Sarment, Fayard, 1991.