6th Wonderful Effect of "True Devotion" to Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing from St. Louis De Montfort’s treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”, in Chapter 6, this saint wrote:

6. Transformation into the likeness of Jesus

1. If Mary, the Tree of Life, is well cultivated in our soul by fidelity to this devotion, she will in due time bring forth her fruit which is none other than Jesus. I have seen many devout souls searching for Jesus in one way or another, and so often when they have worked hard throughout the night, all they can say is, “Despite our having worked all night, we have caught nothing.” To them we can say, “You have worked hard and gained little; Jesus can only be recognised faintly in you.” But if we follow the immaculate path of Mary, living the devotion that I teach, we will always work in daylight, we will work in a holy place, and we will work but little. There is no darkness in Mary, not even the slightest shadow since there was never any sin in her. She is a holy place, a holy of holies, in which saints are formed and moulded.
2. Please note that I say that saints are moulded in Mary. There is a vast difference between carving a statue by blows of hammer and chisel and making a statue by using a mould. Sculptors and statue-makers work hard and need plenty of time to make statues by the first method. But the second method does not involve much work and takes very little time. St. Augustine speaking to our Blessed Lady says, “You are worthy to be called the mould of God.” Mary is a mould capable of forming people into the image of the God-man. Anyone who is cast into this divine mould is quickly shaped and moulded into Jesus and Jesus into him. At little cost and in a short time he will become Christ-like since he is cast into the very same mould that fashioned a God-man.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful; fill us as you filled Mary. Mould us that we become Christ-Like. Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart, make our hearts like Yours. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

 

[Justin_Mary]

Continuing from St. Louis De Montfort’s treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”

Speaking of, what is meant by “doing everything through Mary”?

How do I drive to work “through” Mary?

& how is doing it that way doing it more perfectly through Jesus?

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Justin_Mary,

Thanks for your reply and questions.
St. Louis explains the phrase "To do everthing through Mary ":

Through Mary

1. We must do everything through Mary, that is, we must obey her always and be led in all things by her spirit, which is the Holy Spirit of God. “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God,” says St. Paul. Those who are led by the spirit of Mary are children of Mary, and, consequently children of God, as we have already shown. Among the many servants of Mary only those who are truly and faithfully devoted to her are led by her spirit.

I have said that the spirit of Mary is the spirit of God because she was never led by her own spirit, but always by the spirit of God, who made himself master of her to such an extent that he became her very spirit. That is why St. Ambrose says, “May the soul of Mary be in each one of us to glorify the Lord. May the spirit of Mary be in each one of us to rejoice in God.” Happy is the man who follows the example of the good Jesuit Brother Rodriguez, who died a holy death, because he will be completely possessed and governed by the spirit of Mary, a spirit which is gentle yet strong, zealous yet prudent, humble yet courageous, pure yet fruitful.

1. The person who wishes to be led by this spirit of Mary:

1) Should renounce his own spirit, his own views and his own will before doing anything, for example, before making meditation, celebrating or attending Mass, before Communion. For the darkness of our own spirit and the evil tendencies of our own will and actions, good as they may seem to us, would hinder the holy spirit of Mary were we to follow them.

2) We should give ourselves up to the spirit of Mary to be moved and directed as she wishes. We should place and leave ourselves in her virginal hands, like a tool in the hands of a craftsman or a lute in the hands of a good musician. We should cast ourselves into her like a stone thrown into the sea. This is done easily and quickly by a mere thought, a slight movement of the will or just a few words as, “I renounce myself and give myself to you, my dear Mother.” And even if we do not experience any emotional fervour in this spiritual encounter it is none the less real. It is just as if a person with equal sincerity were to say - which God forbid! - “I give myself to the devil.” Even though this were said without feeling any emotion, he would no less really belong to the devil.

3) From time to time during an action and after it, we should renew this same act of offering and of union. The more we do so, the quicker we shall grow in holiness and the sooner we shall reach union with Christ, which necessarily follows upon union with Mary, since the spirit of Mary is the spirit of Jesus. (True Devotion, Chap.7)

Hope this helps.

 

[Justin_Mary]

This is done easily and quickly by a mere thought, a slight movement of the will or just a few words as, “I renounce myself and give myself to you, my dear Mother.”

I often repeat, “I am yours, you are mine.” In moments of anxiety, calling to mind Jesus’ words from the cross, “…behold your son. … behold your mother.”

Are those words close enough or should I invoke her name?

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Justin Mary,

God knows your heart. When you pray "I am all Yours and You are mine, God knows that you are choosing to honor Him through Mary. You honor Him because you are choosing to go to Him as He sent Jesus to us all: Through Mary!

If you wish you may, of course, say also: My Queen, my Mother, I am all yours and all that I have is yours – knowing that Mary never keeps anything for herself.

St. Pope John Paul II took for his papal motte: “Totus Tuus” - Latin for “All Yours”. He knew as we know how intimate the union is between Jesus and Mary, and St. JPII lived his Total Consecration as a witness to the world.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Vanitas Vanitatis,

Thanks for your “heart”, letting me know you liked the original post. Hope you have read the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Mother – if not, just click on the link and read the online version. It can be a “life changer”.

St. Pope JPII wrote that reading De montfort’s “True Devotion” was a “turning point” in his young life … and we know how well he turned out!