Feb. 25 - Day 5 - continuing our journey

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Perhaps it saddens you as it does me to see how “Mardi Gras” has become a “celebration” even in some Churches. The French words meaning “Fat Tuesday” indicate this is the last day to eat rich, fatty foods before the Lenten season. Lent is for prayer, fasting and almsgiving which begins tomorrow, on Ash Wednesday. Today’s “Mardi Gras” seems to me an indication of how the “spirit of the world opposes the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” St. Louis de Montfort wrote in True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin paragraph 80 about the corruption that we are capable of:

1. Is it any wonder then that our Lord laid down that anyone who aspires to be his follower must deny himself and hate his very life? He makes it clear that anyone who loves his life shall lose it and anyone who hates his life shall save it. Now, our Lord, who is infinite Wisdom, and does not give commandments without a reason, bids us hate ourselves only because we richly deserve to be hated. Nothing is more worthy of love than God and nothing is more deserving of hatred than self.

God did not create us to be seeking to love ourselves to the contempt of God, but rather to seek God to the contempt (hatred) of the self which believes the lies of satan. St, Augustine in his classic book “The City of God” wrote that there are two cities and those who love self to the contempt of God are building the city of man. Those who love God to the contempt of self are building the City of God.

"Shrove Tuesday"is another name for the day before Ash Wednesday and the Dictionary definition includes the fact that “though named for its religious significance” it is now chiefly marked by feasting and celebration. What was “Shrove Tuesday’s” religious significandce? The first known use of “Shrove Tuesday” was in the 15th century. The word “shrove is the past tense” of the verb “shrive” which refers to the priest’s hearing of people’s confessions.

Let us pray on this day before the penitential season of Lent begins. If we cannot receive the Sacrament of Penance today, let us by God’s Grace confess in our hearts that we have sinned and ask God’s forgiveness and His grace to make this Lenten season one of great Love for Him through Mary, – even if our sacrifices seem small, let us remember that God looks to the Heart for Great Love!

 

[patricius79]

These are some paragraphs which help me, from St. Louis De Montfort’s “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”.

1. If we knew the value of the Cross, we would, like St. Peter of Alcantara, have novenas made in order to acquire such a delightful morsel of paradise… Like blessed John of the Cross we would ask only for the grace to suffer and be despised. Heaven esteems nothing in this world except the Cross, he said after his death to a saintly person. And our Lord said to one of his servants, “I have crosses of such great value that my Mother, most powerful as she is, can procure from me nothing more precious for her faithful servants.”
2. Wise and honest people living in this world, you do not understand the mysterious language of the Cross. You are too fond of sensual pleasures and you seek your comforts too much. You have too much regard for the things of this world and you are too afraid to be held up to scorn or looked down upon. In short, you are too opposed to the Cross of Jesus. True, you speak well of the Cross in general, but not of the one that comes your way. You shun this as much as you can or else you drag it along reluctantly, grumbling, impatient and protesting. I seem to see in you the oxen that drew the Ark of the Covenant against their will, bellowing as they went, unaware that what they were drawing contained the most precious treasure upon earth. (1 Kgs 6.12)

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius,

Thanks so very much for those quotes from St. Louis de Montfort’s book, “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”.

This sentince from paragraph 177 really blessed me this morning:

"…our Lord said to one of His servants, “I have crosses of such great value that My Mother, most powerful as she is, can procure from Me nothing more precious for her faithful servants.”

and also this part of paragraph 178 in his book “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”

…people living in this world, you do not understand the mysterious language of the Cross. You are too fond of sensual pleasures and you seek your comforts too much . You have too much regard for the things of this world and you are too afraid to be held up to scorn or looked down upon. In short, you are too opposed to the Cross of Jesus. True, you speak well of the Cross in general, but not of the one that comes your way …

Yes, how wise St. Louis de Montfort was in writing his 33 Days of Preparation for Total Consecration of ourselves to Jesus through Mary! How very imporatnat it is to ask for God’s Grace to “empty ourselves of the spirit of the world which opposes the Spirit of Jesus Christ”! Of course we cannot do it completely in 12 days, but the number 12 is significant in Scripture. It can be for us the “good beginning” of our perfection and our answer to God’s call to all to be Holy as He is Holy.

 

[hazcompat]

LETTER TO THE FRIENDS OF THE CROSS by St.Louis de Montfort

A. Greatness of Your Title
3. You call yourselves “Friends of the Cross.” What a glorious title! I must confess that I am charmed and captivated by it. It is brighter than the sun, higher than the heavens, more magnificent and resplendent than all the titles given to kings and emperors. It is the glorious title of Jesus Christ, true God and true man. It is the genuine title of a Christian.

Peace

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius and KBS,

Thank you both for your "hearts"which lets us know your desire to continue on this journey, to grow closer to Jesus through Mary. Please let us continue to pray for all our brothers and sisters making this journey and for those especially in most need of God’s Mercy who may not yet have even heard about it. Nothing is impossible with God – He can reaveal in an instant His Love as He did to the thief on the cross when the thief asked Him: “Remember me…”

God knows each heart.

 

[hazcompat]

Lumen Gentium
CHAPTER VIII
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
I. Introduction
52. Wishing in His supreme goodness and wisdom to effect the redemption of the world, “when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman…that we might receive the adoption of sons”.(283) “He for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit from the Virgin Mary.”(1*) This divine mystery of salvation is revealed to us and continued in the Church, which the Lord established as His body. Joined to Christ the Head and in the unity of fellowship with all His saints, the faithful must in the first place reverence the memory “of the glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ”.(2*)

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks so much for your quote from another one of my “favorites” written by St. Louis de Montfort: Letter to the Friends of the Cross.

What a gift EWTN is, in making available online, these classics! Years ago I made a copy of this letter because it is not long and I still have it in a folder to read again as needed. Yes, God shared much wisdom with St. Louis de Montfort because he asked God with the supernatural Faith he was given in Baptism, and God gave St. Louis the Wisdom he needed not only to be a holy priest but to share that Wisdom with the Church – for all of us are called to holiness!

St. Louis de Montfort was, by God’s Grace, made a “Friend of the Cross of Christ” through Mary, with Mary, in Mary and for Mary who was standing at the foot of the Cross on Calvary. St. Louis de Montfort heard with John those precious words form Jesus:

“Behold Your Mother”

As all the saints learned to do, St. Louis de Montfort did the Truth Joh the Beloved Disciple did in hearing those words, taking Mary into his life.