A girl of five years of age had her hand dreadfully bruised by a door; the mother at once took her to a skillful surgeon, but, notwithstanding every care and remedy the wound became rapidly worse, so that every hope of cure was at an end, and nothing remained but to amputate the hand in order to save the life of the child. The poor girl’s mother was distraught and could not bring herself to agree to such a permanent and tragic solution. The physician told her that the operation need not take place for three days, but after that time there could not be further delay.

Returning home full of sadness at the decision she was facing, the mother met a pious woman to whom she related her sad story.

"Why do you abandon yourself to despair?" said this holy soul. "Go to the Blessed Virgin; throw yourself at Her feet; pray to Her with faith, confidence, and perseverance, and you shall certainly obtain the cure you wish for."

Reassured by these words, the mother and child took courage; they hastened to an altar of our Blessed Lady. There they prostrated themselves in prayer, beseeching and conjuring Her with tears to hear their prayers and grant their petition. At the end of half an hour, the child suddenly exclaimed,

"Mother, I think I am cured!"

The mother quickly arose, took the child, and at the door of the church removed the bandages. Can you imagine the wonderful shock of the loving mother when she discovered that she had not appealed to Our Heavenly Mother in vain? The hand was perfectly restored, and as well as if the accident had never happened! Beside herself with joy, she related to everyone she met the miracle which the Blessed Virgin had performed.

On the day appointed, she took her child to the physician.

"Well, my good woman," he said, "I see you have decided on having the operation performed."

With a joyful countenance she showed him her child's hand. The doctor was incredulous for there was no method of cure known to man that could have produced the obvious healing that had come upon the hand of the young girl. Then, the jubilant mother related to him what had happened.

"Ah," said the doctor, who was a man of strong faith, "I am no longer astonished at your daughter's cure, for the Blessed Virgin is a better physician than all of the medical profession put together."

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, and so very many other Saints assure us that no one invokes the aid of the Blessed Virgin in vain. She hears and answers every single prayer that is addressed to her - by anyone. If She delays in answering us, it is either we are lacking in confidence or She wants to give us something more and better than what we are asking for and so She tests our Faith by seeing if we will persevere in our petitions.

So let us form the sweet resolution to honor, love, and serve the Blessed Virgin, not only today, but also during our whole life. If we do, we can be sure that we will thereby come to love, praise, and bless Her in heaven, together with all the Holy Angels and Saints, forever, without limit or end.