Letters to Young Girls

Dear Friend,

— “Ah, Mathilda! Come on in! We were waiting for you. I am happy to see you.”
Colombe kisses her cousin and Xavier, the new proud father, comes up in his turn to greet her. Speaking in hushed tones, the new parents say: “The baby is asleep. Come into the living room, we’ll show it to you.” So they go over to the cradle.

Colombe gently pulls back the blanket and Mathilda is deeply moved when she discovers the little pink face so peaceful, the tiny perfectly shaped fingers, the cute little button nose. She is struck by the beauty, the purity and the innocence of this little being, fast asleep and dreaming of angels, and without knowing why or being able to hold them back, tears well up in her eyes. Colombe and Xavier understand her emotion. The birth of a baby is a miracle that tugs at the heartstrings, for they themselves are very deeply touched by the greatness of the gift God gave them in this child.

As they gaze at their treasure, the couple then talks about the event to take place the next day which makes them extremely happy. Their little Esther will be baptized and consecrated to Mary. This is a joy experienced by the parents as they advance in life under the gaze of God and the Immaculate. They want what is best for this soul which God has entrusted to their care so that, some day, they may all be together in His Kingdom.

Colombe shows Mathilda the baptismal gown Esther will wear tomorrow. “It was mine,” she says, “and now my daughter will wear it when her spiritual soul will be adorned with the marvelous grace of baptism and God will have left an indelible mark on it.”

As Christians and Paulians, conscious of the realities of Heaven and of the life of the soul, your parents wanted to pass on to you, as soon as you were born, the heritage of their faith, and so you were baptized. What a grace and what a privilege! The channel of grace was opened for you, as was the path of light which leads more directly to the God of love.

We would really like it if, with this letter, you were to appreciate a little bit these “gifts” from Providence which were given to you, so that a deep sense of gratitude springs forth from your heart.

Many years later in speaking about this to a group of Knights of Mary, our Mother also said that the child’s soul received, through the sacrament of baptism, “a seed of divine love and divine life”. (Spiritual talks, July 2003)  Do not all these wonderful words make you think of the blessed grain you are and of your mission of becoming a little light for those around you, a little light whose radiance the angels and elect in Heaven can see? For this to be so, it is important to make sure not to tarnish your “baptismal gown”, and not allow your “radiant light” to be snuffed out.

That night, as Mathilda was getting ready for bed, she looked out her bedroom window and noticed that the sky was spangled with stars. How beautiful! Then she thought of the little Esther who, through her baptism, will be as though “radiant with light”. Moreover, “star” is the meaning of her name. Mathilda also wants to shine before God’s eyes like a luminous star.

Tomorrow, before the celebration, she will go to confession because she has a little fault on her conscience. As she thinks about this, she also decides not to participate in an outing for young people for which her parents hesitated to give her permission. Deep down, she knows that there will be things there which won’t be in line with her values and she doesn’t want to be imprudent. At that very moment, a wonderful star shoots through the sky, leaving behind a golden trail, the sign that Heaven is pleased with her good will, giving her the strength and encouraging her to shine through her virtues.

The Daughters of Mary