"...If we would possess Wisdom: 1. We must either..."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today, we continue St. Louis de Montfort’s book, “The Love of Eternal Wisdom” and Chapter 16, on the Third Means to acquire Divine Wisdom: Universal Mortification:

1. Wisdom is not satisfied with half-hearted mortification or mortification of a few days, but requires one that is total, continuous, courageous and prudent if He is to give Himself to us. If we would possess Wisdom:
2. 1. We must either give up actually our worldly possessions as did the apostles, the disciples and the first Christians, and as religious do now - this is the quickest, the best and the surest means to possess Wisdom - or at least we must detach our heart from material things, and possess them as though not possessing them, (cf 1 Cor 7.30) not eager to acquire more or being anxious to retain any of them, and not complaining or worrying when they are lost. This is something very difficult to accomplish.
3. 2. We must not follow the showy fashions of the world in our dress, our furniture or our dwellings. Neither must we indulge in sumptuous meals or other worldly habits and ways of living. “Be not conformed to this world.” (Rom 12.2) Putting this into practice is more necessary than is generally thought.

Come Holy Spirit, enlighten our minds and fill our hearts with Jesus, Who is Eternal Wisdom – even as you filled Mary our Mother who brought Him into the world by Your Power. Mary, you who conceived the Word made Flesh in your womb, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and to whom Jesus entrusted us all on Calvary, pray for us. St. Joseph, husband of Mary and Guardian of Christ and His Church pray for us. St. Louis de Montfort, pray for us.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear StephieNorthCo,

Thanks for your “heart” to let me know you read and appreciated the words of St. Louis de Montfort. If you have ever read his book, “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”, and/or made your Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, with the 33 Day Preparation St. Louis describes in chapter 7 of that book beginning with paragraph 227, you’ll recall his words:

1. Those who desire to take up this special devotion … should spend at least twelve days in emptying themselves of the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the spirit of Jesus,… They should then spend three weeks imbuing themselves with the spirit of Jesus through the most Blessed Virgin…

He goes on in the next few paragraphs with more details on the preparation but if you’ve never read the book, you can read it online by clicking on the link in this reply or consider purchasing an inexpensive paperback copy at Amazon - see HERE. Reading both books more than once has been a great blessing for me over the years. Both are online at links I’ve given on this thread and both are available inexpensive paperback editions on amazon. St. Louis de Montfort is a saint whose work needs to be read prayerfully and carefully, and pondered for they are solidly based on God’s Word. Thanks again for your “heart”.