"...can we explain why Mary's loyal servants are so ill-treated?"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

St. Louis de Montfort shares the Wisdom God gave him in writing “True Devotion”:

1. Why is it then, a servant of Mary might ask, that devoted servants of this good Mother are called upon to suffer much more than those who serve her less generously? They are opposed, persecuted, slandered, and treated with intolerance. They may also have to walk in interior darkness and through spiritual deserts without being given from heaven a single drop of the dew of consolation. If this devotion to the Blessed Virgin makes the path to Jesus smoother, how can we explain why Mary’s loyal servants are so ill-treated?
2. I reply that it is quite true that the most faithful servants of the Blessed Virgin, being her greatest favourites, receive from her the best graces and favours from heaven, which are crosses. But I maintain too that these servants of Mary bear their crosses with greater ease and gain more merit and glory. What could check another’s progress a thousand times over, or possibly bring about his downfall, does not balk them at all, but even helps them on their way. For this good Mother, filled with the grace and unction of the Holy Spirit, dips all the crosses she prepares for them in the honey of her maternal sweetness and the unction of pure love. They then readily swallow them as they would sugared almonds, though the crosses may be very bitter. I believe that anyone who wishes to be devout and live piously in Jesus will suffer persecution and will have a daily cross to carry. But he will never manage to carry a heavy cross, or carry it joyfully and perseveringly, without a trusting devotion to our Lady, who is the very sweetness of the cross. It is obvious that a person could not keep on eating without great effort unripe fruit which has not been sweetened.
3. (b) This devotion is a short way to discover Jesus, either because it is a road we do not wander from, or because, as we have just said, we walk along this road with greater ease and joy, and consequently with greater speed. We advance more in a brief period of submission to Mary and dependence on her than in whole years of self-will and self- reliance. A man who is obedient and submissive to Mary will sing of glorious victories over his enemies It is true, his enemies will try to impede his progress, force him to retreat or try to make him fall. But with Mary’s help, support and guidance, he will go forward towards our Lord. Without falling, retreating and even without being delayed, he will advance with giant strides towards Jesus along the same road which, as it is written, Jesus took to come to us with giant strides and in a short time.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful with Jesus as you filled Mary!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jen7,

Thanks for your “heart” which is always a joy to see when sharing St. Louis de Montfort’s words on “True Devotion” . Your heart lets me know you are truly liking what you read because you love Jesus through Mary!

St. Louis unfortunately is often misunderstood but the more we read his words, slowly listening “with the ears of our hearts”, the more we begin to understand by God’s Grace.

That is what Mary did as recorded in Luke’s Gospel (Lk 2:19 and Lk 2: 51). Mary pondered all in her heart! Please let us pray for one another and for the Church that we continue to listen to all Jesus said and did as Mary and the Saints have done, pondering all in our hearts.

By God’s Grace may we do the Truth we hear as Mary, our Mother and Model for the Church shows us.(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[hazcompat]

Graces abound when we pray the “Memorare”​

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The name Memorare, meaning “remember,” is the first word in the Latin version of the prayer. There are various English translations of the prayer but the following one is the most common:

“ Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen .”

As you can see, the prayer is one of confidence in the power of Mary’s intercession. It is only right to have complete trust in Our Lady. After all, she is the Mother, Daughter and Spouse of God, and God will answer her every request. The one who says this prayer comes before Our Lady with humility admits that he is “ sinful and sorrowful,” and, trusting in her mercy, begs her to grant him favors. It is a good idea when saying the Memorare to have a particular petition in mind.

It is believed that Saint Bernard of Clairvaux composed the Memorare . But we also know that Father Claude Bernard, a French priest, made this prayer famous in the seventeenth century. His devotion to the Virgin Mary under the title “Comforter of the Afflicted” moved him to promote the recourse to Mary’s intercession among the poor as well as prisoners facing execution. Trusting his charges into the care and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Father Bernard used the Memorare extensively in his work of evangelization, with great effect. Many a criminal was reconciled to God through his efforts. At one time he had more than 200,000 leaflets printed with the Memorare in various languages so he could distribute them wherever he felt they would do some good.

Part of the reason Father Claude Bernard held the Memorare in such high regard was that he thought he had been miraculously cured by saying it when he was gravely ill. After saying the prayer, he started to get well again. Feeling himself unworthy of such a miracle, he attributed his cure to natural causes. But then an Augustinian Brother told him that Our Lady had appeared to him and had told him that Father Bernard’s cure was due to her intercession. Farther Bernard then begged God’s forgiveness for his lack of faith and gratitude.

Adapted from an article by Father John Flader for Catholic Weekly, August 27, 2020

Read more on mariedenazareth.com :

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]

Thanks dear hazcompat,

The Memorare Prayer is one I pray often, especially when I am experiencing a special need for our Mother’s help

Thanks also for the article by Fr. John Flader . I hope those who may be unfamiliar with the Memorare prayer will begin to pray it, and experience the intercession of our Mother in their lives.

Special Blessings as we render to God. our heartfelt Thanksgiving tomorrow and every day , and may this Advent and Christmas be truly holy seasons for all of us.