July 1999
Mary:
My dear little ones, how good it is for you to gather and praise the Lord together. May His name be blessed forever! Dear children, I lift up your prayers, your sacrifices, your joys, and your sorrows to our Father with the care of a mother. Know that I have interceded on your behalf, and I continue to do so. Know that I who come to guide you, sent by the Father, wish to remind you that you are loved, that you are cared for. For these things, be grateful.
More than any other gift you have been given, be grateful for the gift of faith, for truly this is what makes your life worth living. Without faith there is no hope, without hope, no love. Dear children, praise God each day for this gift He has given to you, for I tell you that faith truly is a gift. It is not something that is learned, nor is it something that can be earned. It is given freely by God, for He loves you tremendously.
You, as disciples of Christ, are called to serve, and yet you cannot teach the faith, you cannot give faith to those with whom you come in contact. You cannot let them share in such delights as God has given to you. Only the Lord can give the gift of faith. You are called not to impart this gift, but to ready the fields for the Father to plant. You are called to be the workers of His fields, the tenders of His vineyards. You are called to make ready the soil, that when the seed of faith is planted, it may not wither but grow strong and tall in the hearts of all men. I have called you to do this as the Father has instructed me, through a life of prayer, through a life of leadership by your Christian example, through a life of charity and obedience. And I tell you that it is not in the great, nor the powerful, that God exists most clearly in this world, but through the ordinary, and the mundane, and the trivial. Many great men have lived and done great things, but oftentimes, it is a small thing- one word, one action from an ordinary man, that makes all the difference.
Dear ones, I tell you that you are essential in our Father’s plan, His plan of salvation for all mankind. He has sent to earth His Son to be the Shepherd, to be the Sower of the seeds, to tend to His lambs, to tend to His fields. The Son, our Lord, gave to you the Word. He gave to you, as to the first disciples, the gift of faith. He has sent you to become as the first disciples were- teachers, healers, ministers, friends. Through these actions you will impart charity, compassion, empathy, love, and all virtues to your fellow man. In this way you ready the fields, so the Father may plant the seed of hope, faith, and love in the hearts of mankind.
Dear children, do not cease to be grateful for this gift you have been given, for truly, truly you do not know what a gift you have! Many of my little ones live without faith in God. Many refuse to turn their face to His grace. How sad this is, and how difficult. It is for this reason that our Father in Heaven sends me, sends many messengers into this world, that it might become illuminated by His love and His light, by His joy and His peace, by His steadfast faithfulness. I ask you to continue in your missions, whatever the Lord has called you to, whatever vocation, whether it is as husband or wife, or priest, or friend, or sister, or brother, or daughter, or son. Continue in these vocations to be teachers of the faith, examples of the faith, for the gift of faith is freely given by God, but the hearts of men must be willing and ready to accept that gift.
Never cease to pray, my little ones, for prayer is so important. It strengthens your own soul and gives to you all graces necessary to endure hardships and rejoice in true joy. Know that the Lord provides for you all things, as He has provided for all creation. Trust completely in Him. He is unfailing. Dear little ones, I give to you, my blessing. I pray that the Lord will bless you with all graces, with all joys, with all wisdom, and all knowledge. I ask you to pray that the wisdom of God would fill your hearts, for it is in this way, through the Holy Spirit, through which you will be great teachers, great healers, great ministers of the truth.
Dear children, be encouraged in your faith. Be encouraged on your journey with God. Know that He is with you always, standing close behind and ever near, guiding you and guarding you, protecting you from harm. Dear little ones, praise His name. May He be glorified forever, and ever.
