9. She said no to the rejection she must have felt when presented with us as her children. From the cross, her Son entrusted her to the beloved disciple, and in doing so, He entrusted her to all of us. How difficult it must have been to accept this maternity — to be the mother of all of us whose sins caused the death of her Beloved. But again, she said yes, and not with hesitation or mere resignation. She told Juan Diego that it was an honor to be his mother. What love!
10. She said — and says — no to any lapse in loving us and praying for us. Mary didn’t nurse resentment at the disciples who abandoned Jesus on the cross. After the Ascension, she dedicated herself to prayer with and for them. We can imagine how joyfully she must have witnessed them full of the Holy Spirit, going out to preach as her Son had commanded. When she was assumed into heaven, she continued her role as our mother.
She is concerned for our needs and our difficulties and spends her eternity praying for us. She lives in the heavenly kingdom, attentive to the earthly one, still and forever the best of mothers.
Let us ask Our Lady to help us to imitate her in these times she said “no” and let us add three “nevers”: Let us resolve never to forget her, never to stop loving her, and never to fail to turn to her in our needs.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided …