Dec. 3 - Day 6 - on our Advent journey

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are mid-way in our 12 day period of Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary – “seeking to empty ourselves of the spirit of the world which is opposed to the Spirit of Jesus”. Actually “emptying ourselves” is the work of a lifetime and can only be accomplished by God’s Grace and our cooperation with His Grace.

St. Louis de Montfort in “True Devotion” shares with us the graces he received from God, not only for himself to grow in the Baptismal graces of Supernatural Faith, Hope and above all Charity, but that all the Baptized would continue learning to be faithful to the promises made by us (or for us by our God-parents) to renounce satan, and all his works and empty promises and believe in God and all the Truth He reveals.

In Chapter 1, St. Louis wrote:

1. The saints have said wonderful things of Mary, the holy City of God, and, as they themselves admit, they were never more eloquent and more pleased than when they spoke of her. And yet they maintain that the height of her merits rising up to the throne of the Godhead cannot be perceived; the breadth of her love which is wider than the earth cannot be measured; the greatness of the power which she wields over one who is God cannot be conceived; and the depths of her profound humility and all her virtues and graces cannot be sounded. What incomprehensible height! What indescribable breadth! What immeasurable greatness! What an impenetrable abyss!

Then he adds, a few paragarphs later:

1. And yet in truth we must still say with the saints: De Maria numquam satis : We have still not praised, exalted, honoured, loved and served Mary adequately. She is worthy of even more praise, respect, love and service.
2. Moreover, we should repeat after the Holy Spirit, “All the glory of the king’s daughter is within”, meaning that all the external glory which heaven and earth vie with each other to give her is nothing compared to what she has received interiorly from her Creator, namely, a glory unknown to insignificant creatures like us, who cannot penetrate into the secrets of the king.
3. Finally, we must say in the words of the apostle Paul, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man understood” the beauty, the grandeur, the excellence of Mary, who is indeed a miracle of miracles of grace, nature and glory. “If you wish to understand the Mother,” says a saint, “then understand the Son. She is a worthy Mother of God.” Hic taceat omnis lingua : Here let every tongue be silent.

Dying on His Cross, Jesus gave Mary to us in the words He spoke to John and all of us: “Behold Your Mother”. Let us obey Him as John did, in hearing those words and take Mary not just into our homes but into our lives as John did.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful with your Love and Your Truth!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Peonies,

Thanks so much for your “heart,” and the love for Jesus through Mary which prompted it. It has been a blessing for me to share St. Louis De Montfort’s “True Devotion” a few paragraphs at a time.

It seems, far better to me, to ponder slowly the Wisdom God gives – first in pondering Holy Scripture and then pondering words from Saints who, like St. Louis de Montfort, asked and received God’s Grace, to hear and do the Truth heard in God’s Word.

St. Louis lived the Truth Who is Jesus, just as Mary our Mother did. St. Louis knew he was writing the Truth in paragraph #12 of “True Devotion” because the same Truth is in Holy Scripture - especially in the Gospel of John 19: 27 - Jesus told His beloved Disciple John and all of us: “Behold, your mother.”

 

[hazcompat]

Imitation of Christ : Book 1, Chapter 18​

On the Example of the Holy Fathers

Look upon the lively examples of the holy Fathers in whom shone real perfection and the religious life, and you will see how little it is, and almost nothing that we do. Alas, what is our life when we compare it with theirs? Saints and friends of Christ, they served our Lord in hunger and in thirst, in cold, in nakedness, in labor and in weariness, in watching, in fasting, prayers and holy meditations, and in frequent persecutions and reproaches. Oh, how many grievous tribulations did the Apostles suffer and the Martyrs and Confessors and Virgins, and all the rest who resolved to follow the steps of Christ! For they hated their lives in this world, that they might keep them in life everlasting. Oh what a strict and self-renouncing life the holy Fathers of the desert led! What long and grievous temptations did they bear! How often were they harassed by the enemy, what frequent and fervent prayers did they offer up to God, what rigorous abstinence did they practice!

What a valiant contest waged they to subdue their imperfections! What purity and straightforwardness of purpose kept they towards God! By day they labored, and much of the night they spent in prayer; though while they labored, they were far from leaving off mental prayer. They spent all their time profitably. Every hour seemed short to spend with God; and even their necessary bodily refreshment was forgotten in the great sweetness of contemplation. They renounced all riches, dignities, honors and kindred; they hardly took what was necessary for life. It grieved them to serve the body even in its necessity. Accordingly, they were poor in earthly things, but very rich in grace and virtues.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks again for another beautiful excerpt from “The Imitation of Christ”. It is true – perhaps even more than it was in the time when the Imitation of Christ was written – today, we can look with shame at the “softness” and I might add the word “cowardess” in the Catholic Church. Consider many countries in the world today, who have “forgotten” or “chose to ignore” God. I am so saddened by my own USA - a country under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception - now too willing to accept abortion and infanticide and willing to accept and tolerate so much disobedience towards God - when we really need to ponder the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross and ask ourselves am I loving the world that continues to crucify Him or am I loving Him who loved me so much? "Today is First Friday - a day of Reparation!

St. Augustine wrote in his classic book “City of God” that in the “city of man” are those who love self to the contempt of God, while in the “City of God” are those who love God to the contempt of self.

St. Louis de Montfort’s motto was: “God Alone” – there was no doubt in his mind or heart that he could not serve God AND mammon. For the saints it has always been clear that we can serve only ONE Master, Jesus Christ - True God and True Man.

Little St. Therese of Lisieux is misunderstood by many because her “little way” of Spiritual Childhood seems too “sweet and sugary” but they misread her as many misread St. Louis de Montfort as being “too hard”. Many continue to misunderstand the Words of Jesus also because we can fail to listen with the ears of our hearts as Mary our Mother did. St. Therese of Lisieux has been called an “exquistie miniature” of Mary and indeed I believe that she is – in her humility and hiddenness and in her willingness to suffer in her love for Jesus. If you have never read the Book “Last Converstations of St. Therese” you may want to read it as well as her poetry. – especially her poem: “Why I love you, O Mary” in her complete book of poetry, linked here.

Since we are in the last half of our 12 days of seeking “to empty ourselves of the spirit of the world which is opposed to the Spirit of Christ”, I hope we are all beginning to experience the depth of St. Louis de Montfort’s 33 day Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary!
His “True Devotion” is one of the many gems God has given to His Church - and which has continued for 3 centuries – The Word of God and His Word spoken through His many saints has continued far longer – and some hearts in every age have listened, thanks to His Merciful Grace!