"...his mother, whom he loved so much..." (All Saints Day)

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Feast of All Saints” - let us rejoice and thank God for all His Saints, and especially our Mother Mary, Queen of All Saints! Today we continue to hear St. Louis de Montfort’s words – from his book on “True Devotion to the Virgin Mary”-- on how Jacob and Esau can be seen as “types” – Jacob as a prefigure of Christ in Jacobs’ love and obedience to his mother, and Esau as the sinner who disdains holiness.

1. (4) Sinners sell their birthright, that is, the joys of paradise, for a dish of lentils, that is, the pleasures of this world. They laugh, they drink, they eat, they have a good time, they gamble, they dance and so forth, without taking any more trouble than Esau to make themselves worthy of their heavenly Father’s blessing. Briefly, they think only of this world, love only the world, speak and act only for the world and its pleasures. For a passing moment of pleasure, for a fleeting wisp of honour, for a piece of hard earth, yellow or white, they barter away their baptismal grace, their robe of innocence and their heavenly inheritance.
2. (5) Finally, sinners continually hate and persecute the elect, openly and secretly. The elect are a burden to them. They despise them, criticise them, ridicule them, insult them, rob them, deceive them, impoverish them, hunt them down and trample them into the dust; while they themselves are making fortunes, enjoying themselves, getting good positions for themselves, enriching themselves, rising to power and living in comfort.
3. Jacob, the younger son, was of a frail constitution, gentle and peaceable… usually stayed at home to please his mother, whom he loved so much. If he did go out it was not through any personal desire of his, nor from any confidence in his own ability, but simply out of obedience to his mother.

Come, Holy Spirit, enable us to be true to our Baptismal graces. Open our hearts to the Mass readings today that we may hear Your Truth in the Scriptures, and grow in the holiness to which we are ALL called by Jesus, through Mary our Mother. Amen.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius and Stephie,

Thanks so much for your faithful “hearts” and your continuing appreciation for all that God has given the Church through the writing of St. Louis de Montfort – especially in his treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”

The fact that this little book has been such an influence on such Saintly souls as Mother St. Teresa of Calcutta, Pope St. John Paul II and Servants of God Frank Duff, Alphonsus Lamb and Venerable Edel Quinn should encourage us to see that Clergy, Religious and Lay persons have found Mary to be their sure path in coming closer to Jesus and through Jesus to the Beatific Vision in Heaven.

St. Louis de Montfort lived in the 1700"s but Truth never changes. The Truth Who is Christ continues today to live and teach us by the power of the Holy Spirit, coming to us in every grace through Mary. May we be ever thankful and continue to grow by every grace into that holiness to which we are all called. Please let us pray for one another, for the Church Militant on earth, the Church suffering in Purgatory and for all those in most need of God’s mercy, with Mary and all our brothers and sisters who are among the Church Triumphant in Heaven. Amen.