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In her appearance to Lucy at Fatima, Mary revealed to the child that “God wants devotion to her Immaculate Heart established in the world”. It is interesting to note two facts in this message: first, Mary did not say that she wanted this devotion established, but rather is something legislated by God Himself. Second, He wants (or demands) it to be realized, and not an option He wishes or would like to see happen. It is a Divine order and command for humanity. At Medjugorje, in one her messages, Our Lady asked us to love one another as she herself loves us. The words of Mary at Fatima and at Medjugorje complement each other. Two questions now arise: what is meant by “devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary”? Why did God choose this devotion for the world and not another?
We all know by common experience that lovers are people who devote themselves to the love of their beloved. The heart is the universally known and accepted symbol of one’s love. “I give you my whole heart” is an expression indicating that a person will hand over his life, talents and everything he has to the one he loves. He does this to receive from and share with that person the happiness and joy that result from such a friendship and sacrifice. Outside of Jesus’ Heart, no other human one possesses such crystal pure transparency, innocence, tenderness, compassion, love, sensibility, deep dedication and wholesome generosity as that of Mary’s. There is no heart that God delights in more than that of Mary’s and in whose sanctuary He formed that of His own Divine Son. No human heart has shown such love, compassion and sacrifice for the good of humanity as did that of Mary. Now God wants to see Mary in each one of us, so that we too, can reflect her virtues and love in our lives.
St. Francis de Sales says that the lover, through his love for the loved one, ends up becoming the thing he loves. A Buddhist monk, looks like Buddha because of his devotion to him. A Moslem, devoted to Mohammed, takes on his characteristics. An Evangelical practically looks like the pastor he admires and listens to all the time. People of a Catholic parish show the same attitudes as their pastor has (whether happy, melancholic or irritated). All socialists wear the beard and frowning expression of Karl Marx. There are some people who look like the dogs they have a passion for. You become the thing you love. God, on the other hand, wants us all to become “Marys” and manifest in our minds, hearts and will her virtues and attitudes. By our devotion to Mary, we are to think, act and feel like she does. What does that mean in practice?
By abandoning ourselves to her, and allowing her to act spiritually in us, we will be transformed into her Son by the powerful graces she transmits through the Holy Spirit. If we give our minds, wills and hearts to her, she replaces our earthly mentality with her own spirit. Soon we will be “Mary” herself once again in society bringing Her Son to everyone. We will not waste our time with material things, but will become occupied with the salvation of souls and our sanctification. We will be busy with works of charity instead of filling bank accounts with green bills. Our hearts will be filled with Mary’s spirit and we will feel compassion and sorrow for the less fortunate, those in spiritual danger or with sickness and poverty. We will, once again, realize the miracles that Mary herself performed. With Mary in everyone’s heart, the world will be transformed and her heart triumphant through the hearts of all her children. A new society of justice, love, goodness and prosperity will be established and realized by those who obeyed God’s command to be devoted to this wonderful Immaculate Heart of Mary!”
Father Anthony Mellace