Aug. 19 - Wk. 1 begins - "seeking a true knowledge of ourselves"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

What an appropriate day to begin - the Memorial of St. John Eudes:

He shared with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque the honor of initiating devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; he composed the Mass for the Sacred Heart in 1668 and the Holy Heart of Mary, popularizing the devotions with his “The Devotion to the Adorable Heart of Jesus” (1670) and “The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God”, which he finished a month before his death at Caen on August 19th. He was canonized in 1925. His feast day is August 19th.

St. Louis de Montfort describes “Week 1” in “True Devotion”:

1. During the first week they should offer up all their prayers and acts of devotion to acquire knowledge of themselves and sorrow for their sins.

Let them perform all their actions in a spirit of humility. With this end in view they may, if they wish, meditate on what I have said concerning our corrupted nature, and consider themselves during six days of the week as nothing but sails, slugs, toads, swine, snakes and goats. Or else they may meditate on the following three considerations of St. Bernard: “Remember what you were - corrupted seed; what you are - a body destined for decay; what you will be -food for worms.”

They will ask our Lord and the Holy Spirit to enlighten them saying, “Lord, that I may see,” or “Lord, let me know myself,” or the “Come, Holy Spirit”. Every day they should say the Litany of the Holy Spirit, with the prayer that follows, as indicated in the first part of this work. They will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge. For this intention they will say each day the Ave Maris Stella and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.

To pray these prayers, ciick on the following links:
Litany of the Holy Spirit
Ave Maris Stella
Litany of the Blessed Virgin

As St. Louis points out: “turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain , that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge. Having spent 12 days “emptying ourselves of the spirit of the world which opposes the Spirit of Christ” we need now to see how we have many times at least compromised with what the world loves. But by God’s Grace and Mary’s intercession we ask to “Truly” know ouselves as God knows us.”

Come Holy Spirit! Mary Mother of the Church pray for us. Jesus we trust in You!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear GioG12,

Thanks so much for your “heart” which is a sure indicator of your love for Jesus through Mary!

This first week “used to be the hardest one” for me, but after so many years of reading St. Louis de Montfort’s treatise on “True Devotion” and his other works – but most of all by God’s Grace and our Mother’s intercession, I can see more clearly the absolute Truth of God working through St. Louis de Montfort, particulary when I re-read those words for Wk 1:

… They will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge. For this intention they will say each day the Ave Maris Stella and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.**

From my childhood in Catholic grade school I had been taught to pray to the Holy Spirit, in fact, we opened every school year with Mass in honor of the Holy Spirit, before we we went to our classrooms on the first day of school. However not until High school did I learn about St. Louis de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. I remain ever grateful to the Dominican Nun who was also the Spiritual Directress of the Legion of Mary who introduced us to “True Devotion” and invited us teenagers to Consecrate ourselves Totally.

Now I begin this week with a far better approach to facing more “self-knowledge” and thanking Mary for teaching me how a simple human person can learn from Jesus to be like Him even as she learned, by LISTENING to every word and deed of Jesus recorded for us in Sacred Scripture. I begin again and again to learn from Jesus as Mary and the saints learned from Him, hearing Him tell us:

…"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,[ and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt. 11: 28-30)

Jesus wants us to look at Him as Mary did all her life – from His Birth to His Death and Resurrection and Ascension in order to see how God did wonderful things in her! He said to John, and through John to all of us:

Behold your Mother

She is our Mother and Model for the Church. So, now when I begin this Week I want to beg Mary to help me gain that grace which is the foundation of all others: the grace of true self knowledge which brings with it true humility! Hopefully you and others are hearing the beautiful truth God has given us through Mary and his saints. Hopefully, you and others reading these threads have read or are reading St. Louis De Montfort’s True Devotion.

Hopefully you are praying the beautiful prayers St. Louis asks us to pray to the Holy Spirit and to Mary especially for the grace of true self knowledge this week.

 

[hazcompat]

Her holy prayers obtain pardon for the guilty​

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Your mercy tastes sweeter to the miserable, and we embrace your mercy with more affection, reflect on it more often, and invoke it more frequently. For it is your mercy that gained a cure for the whole world and obtained salvation for all.

Who then can search out the length and breadth of your mercy, O blessed woman, or its height or depth? Its length is such that it comes to the aid of all who call upon it up until the last day. Its breadth fills the terrestrial sphere, so that the whole earth is full of your mercy. Its height is such that it contrives to bring about the renewal of the heavenly city. And its depth gains redemption for those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

May your piety, you who found favor with God, be known to the world; may it through your holy prayers obtain pardon for the guilty, health for the sick, strength for the fainthearted, consolation for the afflicted, and help and deliverance in danger. On this day of solemnity and joy, O merciful Queen, may your Son our Lord shower the gifts of his grace on your servants who call upon the most sweet name of Mary with praise.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Marian Doctor , On the Solemnity of the Assumption, Sermon 4

Read more on mariedenazareth.com:​

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks so much for your reply. I’m not able to post in the regular way due to the new notice from CAF letting me know that I need to turn off my ad blocker. It seems that they are asking members to donate as “Patrons” but it is not clear to me how or why I cannot post as a member if I don’t donate. Maybe they have received other persons like myself asking questions and are having a hard time catching up — they asked me to send my e-mail address and they would send me a new password almost two hours ago, but I haven’t received it yet — !! ???

I’m answering your reply via e-mail, and hoping you receive it. I’m sorry I cannot tell others on the Forum, I may not be posting again - That is, if members actually can’t contribute then they can’t post. At least I did post many times, a link to "True Devotion” so even if I can’t post on CAF anymore, people know where to go to find out how to finish the 33 Day Preparation and Consecrate themselves totally to Jesus through Mary. I hope others like yourself who are still posting will continue to honor Jesus through Mary, always. Maybe I’m misunderstanding the CAF announcement about donating but …we’ll see.

Prayerfully and gratefully.
MariaChristi

PS Blessings on this Memorial of St. Bernard! “Nunc satis de Maria” - “Never enough of Mary!"