Letters to Young Girls

Dear Friend,

Mathilda, her parents, Sophie’s parents and Colombe and Xavier with their little Esther are all seated around a table in a restaurant not far from the airport where they agreed to meet. Sophie, for her part, is already several meters in the air, between heaven and earth, headed for France. After the recommendations each one generously lavished on her, they said goodbye with much emotion which each one tried to hide.

Moreover, in recent weeks, Mathilda had tried very hard not to cast a shadow over her friend’s joy and excitement as Sophie prepared for her stay. However, in the depths of her heart, she still had a heavy feeling of sadness to see her go away for all the summer holidays.

The atmosphere in the restaurant helps take one’s mind off things. Nonetheless, it is impossible not to talk about Sophie and wonder if the boarding went well, if she is seated next to pleasant persons and whether she will quickly get over the jet lag, etc.

Then the conversation turns to Sophie’s parents’ next trip, since they want to go and visit their daughter at the end of July. Then they will be able to attend the concert at the end of her workshop, as well as take advantage of their stay to visit a few touristic and religious places in Europe. Hoping that her parents will agree with her suggestion, Mathilda says: “When you come back with Sophie, we could go and meet you at the airport.”

Sophie’s mother then pulls a copy of their flight schedule out of her handbag and hands it to Mathilda, pointing out something to her: “Yes, look! We leave on July 28 and return at 4:10 p.m. on August 17. You see here the seat reservations for the flight from Quebec City to Paris.”

Mathilda looks at it and tries to understand. All kinds of thoughts are jostling about in her head. She notices that her name is written under the passenger’s name, but… Looking up, she sees that all eyes are intently fixed on her, a smile on their lips, in a sort of expectancy. Mathilda, in disbelief, has a big question mark written all over her face, which makes everyone burst out laughing.

Before her bewildered look, Sophie’s mother says to her joyfully: “You saw your name? How would you like to accompany us? We talked about this with your parents and we are paying for your trip.” Complete surprise! Mathilda doesn’t know what to say and, under the effect of all the emotion, her heart skips a beat and she is on the verge of tears. This happens at times when we are faced with a joy that is too great and unexpected.

To consecrate oneself to the Immaculate is accepting to let oneself be led by God, believing in His divine wisdom, loving Him and adoring Him by abandoning ourselves to events, be they pleasant or unpleasant.

On the way home, Mathilda, alone with her parents, still has the impression she is dreaming. She can’t get over what is happening to her. At the restaurant, Sophie’s parents talked about the itinerary of the trip they were planning. Is it really true that she will be going to Europe?

Her mother says to her: “See, Mathilda, if Sophie hadn’t followed events for her workshop, you wouldn’t have had the possibility of making this trip. Your sorrow and suffering are now being transformed into joy and gratitude. This doesn’t mean that God immediately gives us a consolation every time we accept a painful situation, or even that everything will work out as we’d like it to, as though by miracle, because we accepted well a vexation or a disappointment. But I think that, through these circumstances, Marie-Paule wanted to teach you holy abandonment. If you let the good God act, He will always guide your way. It is so wonderful with God!”

The Daughters of Mary