Prayer and Penance
Maria says: (Maria Mother and Teacher, Vol. 1) “My dear children, I am here with you to help you and instruct you: I am the Immaculate One. Just as, appearing at Fatima, I asked the three shepherd children for prayer and penance, so also today I launch an appeal made out of anxiety and love, out of maternal solicitude and sorrow.
Children, “prayer and penance” is my anguished cry that reaches your heart, the cry of the Mother who sees her children drift away and get lost. I showed hell to the three shepherds and they were horrified of that vision, but I assure you that my horror is even much greater in seeing an endless number of souls getting lost in that horrible precipice which irreparably swallows the souls who freely choose to go there.
Well then, make reparation to this sorrow of mine, run to my help. Bring me the hearts of my children an say to them that the Heavenly Mother weeps over their sad end. Speak to all the mothers of my desire to be accepted by them. Let every mother consecrate her children to me every day: I shall guard them as precious treasures and I will mot permit that they be turned away from me.
Mothers have too much thoughtlessness, nonchalance and carelessness, and they do not realize their responsibility. They worry excessively over too many things, while they neglect the spiritual and moral formation of those creatures that will be for them like a pledge of eternal life or death.
Listen to me, all you children. I also say to you like my Jesus from the top of the cross: “I thirst!”. I thirst for the souls of all the sinners, of all those ungrateful and lapsed children who now and always I call in order to clasp them to my heart and make them mine.
You know how much I love you, and you continually see the signs of my protection and predilection, but I desire to pour out my love over everyone, to embrace, to clasp everyone to my heart, to present everyone to my Jesus so that they may be pardoned by him.
Children, I am always close to you: live in grace, since you do not know neither the day nor the hour in which the Supreme Judge will call you to account. Always forgive one another and render good for evil.
Love one another and banish every trace of selfishness, pride and envy from your heart. Do good only for the glory of God, since self love and pride like woodworms ruin your good works, which in this way no longer bear fruit and which rather will be a cause of pain for you.
Children, I have opened my heart to you not to distress you, but so that your life may decidedly take up a right road and so that you would be able to lead with you, if it were possible, the whole of humanity. I bless you and I thank you for the many prayers that you have offered me. I know your intentions and your needs, I promise to help you.
To whoever has some great sorrow in his heart, I wish to dry his tears and lead his desires to a good end. My little children, my babies, make yourselves very little, humble and trusting: this is the royal road to reach the true good.