15. Only a few rather old women go to Mass in the summer. Everyone else works every Sunday all summer long. And in winter, when they don’t know what else to do, they go Mass only to scoff at religion.

  16. During Lent they go to the butcher shop like dog.

  17. Haven’t you seen spoiled wheat, my children? “No Madame”, they reply. But you my child (Maximin), you must have seen some once near Coin with your Papa. The owner of the field said to your Papa, ‘Come and see my spoiled wheat’. The two of you went. You took two or three ears of wheat, you rubbed them together, and they crumbled to dust.
 

  18. On your way back from Coin, when you only a half-hour away from Crops, your Papa gave you a bit of bread and said: “Here, son, eat some bread, this year anyhow. I don’t know who will be eating any next year if the wheat continuous to spoil like this”. “Oh yes! Madame, now I remember. Until now I didn’t.” and the beautiful Lady concluded in French:

  19. Well, my children, you will make this known to all my people.

  20. Now, my children, you will please make this known to all my people.

  15.  Mary describes how Christians have abandoned the Eucharist, how they are ceased to appreciate the Mass. We have much to do to rediscover the vital needs of gathering together to be nourished by the Word of God, by the Body an Blood offered for the many, by a shared resolution to offer our own live for salvation of the world “through Christ” with him and in him for the glory of the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.”

  16. In the Bible people are compared to dogs when they have lost dignity (Mt 7:6; Phil.3: 2). Every year, on the other hand, Lent brings us that wonderful witness of the Passion of Jesus. We are  urged to remain master of our souls in spite of powerful enticements, to know how to do without and to share more abundantly with those who hunger and thirst, the homeless, the sick, the prisoner. We would see the beginning of new life and the coming of a better world. We will be judged by this (Mt. 25:31).

  17 and 18. Maximin as well as his father had forgotten this episode of the spoiled wheat. Mary had kept it in her heart, however.

Upon first learning of La Salette Mr. Geraud’s immediate reaction was to forbid his Son to speak about it. Maximin ignores the command. The father threatens and Maximin says, “But papa, she spoke of you also!” Giraud senior is stunned. He thought he had liberated himself from God. He now find that God has always present to his hopes and concerns, to his fear of not having bread to feed his son. Giraud did not know was that God is present when bread is share with the hungry children. his yearning recalled a word of the Gospel: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13). The Eucharist is the sharing of the presence and his love. Father, give us this day our daily bread! May we be able to say, as Maximin did, “Oh yes! Madame, now I remember!”

  19 and 20. To make it known: this is our mission. To an unbelieving heckler Maximin one day shot back: “The Lady told me to make it known, not to make you believe it!” We stand confronted: what Mary brings out at La Salette is essential to our faith. The best way to “make it known” is to live it.

For this reason the Lady concludes with the word of insistence and encouragement: “Now, my children you will please make this known to all my people.” Melanie was asked: “What do you mean by the word “my people?” “I really don’t know. I believe it means the whole world,” she replied. Mary concerned for all the brothers and sisters of her son whose journey is not yet ended. Each day the people of God grows anew.