Jan. 5 - Feast of the Epiphany -- "Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the truths ..."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On today’s Feast of the Epiphany, we hear this beautiful sentence in the Gospel, concerning the Magi: “… they saw the Child with Mary His Mother.” I’ve never heard a priest or deacon give a homily on those words, but they are very significant to me. God is speaking to us in His Word and we need to listen, as Mary listened to Jesus and kept all she heard and saw Him do, pondering all in her heart.

Today as we continue the final paragraphs of St. Louis de Montfort’s treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”, let us ponder God’s Wisdom given to St. Louis de Montfort in his writing. Let us prayerfully listen to his words, as the Holy Spirit continues to teach about Mary, Mother and Model for the Church. By God’s Grace let us obey the words of Jesus from His Cross: “Behold your Mother!”

In Mary

1. We must do everything in Mary. To understand this we must realise that the Blessed Virgin is the true earthly paradise of the new Adam and that the ancient paradise was only a symbol of her. There are in this earthly paradise untold riches, beauties, rarities and delights, which the new Adam, Jesus Christ, has left there. It is in this paradise that He “took His delights” for nine months, worked His wonders and displayed His riches with the magnificence of God himself. This most holy place consists of only virgin and immaculate soil from which the new Adam was formed with neither spot nor stain by the operation of the Holy Spirit who dwells there. In this earthly paradise grows the real Tree of Life which bore our Lord, the fruit of Life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which bore the Light of the world.

In this divine place there are trees planted by the hand of God and watered by his divine unction which have borne and continue to bear fruit that is pleasing to him. There are flower-beds studded with a variety of beautiful flowers of virtue, diffusing a fragrance which delights even the angels. Here there are meadows verdant with hope, impregnable towers of fortitude, enchanting mansions of confidence and many other delights.

Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the truths that these material objects symbolise. In this place the air is perfectly pure. There is no night but only the brilliant day of the sacred humanity, the resplendent, spotless sun of the Divinity, the blazing furnace of love, melting all the base metal thrown into it and changing it into gold. There the river of humility gushes forth from the soil, divides into four branches and irrigates the whole of this enchanted place. These branches are the four cardinal virtues.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful and kindle in us the Fire of Your Love! Teach us, Holy Spirit, the fullness of Truth as Jesus promised. Enable us to “see” with the eyes of our hearts, by the Supernatural Faith infused into our souls at Baptism. Enable us to obey Jesus’ words from the Cross: “Behold your Mother” that like the Magi who adored Him in Bethlehem we too may “see Him with Mary, His Mother!”

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Cham,

Thanks for your “heart” to let me know you appreciated the words God gave to St. Louis de Montfort, in his treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin.. Not many have read this little Gem of a book, but the link will take you to the online version if you’d like to read it. Perhaps you already have read it, and if so I’d be ahppy to know your experience. If you have time, your sharing may encourage others to read it.

If you’ve never read this spiritual classic, I encourage you to read it prayerfully and slowly to hear the wisdom God has given His Church through St. Louis de Montfort. It may inslire you to make a Total Consecration of yourself to Jesus through Mary – today would be a wonderful Feast Day on which to begin to read St. Louis’ book with that intention.

May the Holy Spirit inspire you and many others to begin to know the great gift Jesus gave us in giving His Mother to us from the Cross. He knew how much we would need her!

 

[Cham65]

Awe thanks so much for sending this link. I am going to start reading this. I am discerning priesthood and this will enchance me spiritually

 

[MariaChristi]

OH YES!!! Dear Cham,

Indeed, St. Louis was a holy priest who can surely be a great help to you in your discernment. Pope St. John Paul II said that reading De Montfort’s “True Devotion” was a “turning point” in his young life. His Papal Motto “Totus Tuus” ( “ALL Yours” ) came from St. Louis de Montfort’s writing.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I hope others who may be discerning priesthood will likewise be helped as they prayerfully and slowly read what the Holy Spirit gave to St. Louis for the Church. The more we listen prayerfully to the Scripture as St. Louis and so many of the saints have done the more we learn. We begin to understand the writing of the saints more as we recognize God’s working in them, giving them grace to build up the Mystical Body of Christ in love.

St. Louis lived in the 1700’s and his language may seem foreign to modern readers, but the fact that God has permitted this book to continue to “nourish souls for centuries” is a testimony to it’s great value, it seems to me. May God bless you as you continue to ask in order to receive His Grace, seek in order to find His Will for your life, and keep knocking that the door will open for you – just as Jesus promised ( cf Mt. 7: 7-11)

If you prefer to have your own copy, see HERE. It is relatively inexpensive in paperback.

Again, thanks for your reply. It was a joy to read it and please let us coninue to pray for one another that God will raise up His Saints in our time among both Clergy and Laity to honor Him especially through Mary!