We seem to live in a world where the increase in affluence has led to a decreasing spirit of generosity – many people don’t mind helping people so long as it doesn’t impact their own comfortable lifestyle. Mary didn’t worry about what she was giving up to fulfil God’s will; neither should we.

I believe that the things Mary went through herself give her a very real understanding of the difficulties and problems that we go through in our daily lives and that when we pray to her, she can respond to us as someone who knows first-hand the things we are undergoing and how we can sometimes…