Over 50 years before three shepherd children in Fatima saw a beautiful, mysterious Lady, two similarly innocent children beheld the same Lady heartbroken, crying with her face in her hands. Maximin and Melanie might not be as well-known as Lucia, Jacinta, or Francisco, but their message is no less powerful or relevant now.
This vividly detailed, engrossing account from Mary Fabyan Windeatt reveals the depth of Mary’s pain over the sins of ungrateful men, as well as the perfect mother’s love that drove her to appear in tears to these faith-filled children. Mary’s message here, and the story of La Salette, will be familiar to anyone who knows the story of Fatima, reminding us that prayer, hope, and penance will always be the answer to the emptiness of sin and violence.
Maximin and Melanie quickly realize that their journey will not be easy, but instead of giving in to the constant, grating pressures of a harsh and unbelieving public, they win staggering amounts of people over through their virtue, their honesty, and especially their courage. With the law and even a local priest closing in on them from all sides, they refuse to dishonor Our Lady by revealing what she told them in confidence, remaining faithful to what they know is right in God’s eyes.
In their encounter with the heartbroken Lady at La Salette, these two little children have much to teach us about what trust in God really looks like. By casting themselves into Christ’s arms through His mother, they found peace in the midst of some truly unexpected stresses, confusions, and misunderstandings that surrounded their peaceful vision. As they won villager after villager to their side through faith and perseverance, they gave so many tired souls a sign of how much they are loved and sought-after by the Divine Lover–including all of us today.
Let this story of her humble appearance at La Salette encourage us in our own lives as we struggle with our crosses and look forward to the eternal hope of the Resurrection.
