Today’s Gospel scene of the Transfiguration is a special blessing for us as we continue our journey --“seeking true self-knowledge” that we may offer ourselves in total consecration to Jesus through Mary. It is a blessing because we “see” by faith and “hear” with the ears of our hearts our call to holiness. We are called to be “Christ-like”, and be able to say by the power of His Grace as St. Paul said. I live now not I but Christ lives in me.
St. Louis de Montfort encourages us on this journey:
Transformation into the likeness of Jesus
If Mary, the Tree of Life, is well cultivated in our soul by fidelity to this devotion, she will in due time bring forth her fruit which is none other than Jesus. I have seen many devout souls searching for Jesus in one way or another, and so often when they have worked hard throughout the night, all they can say is, “Despite our having worked all night, we have caught nothing.” To them we can say, “You have worked hard and gained little; Jesus can only be recognised faintly in you.” But if we follow the immaculate path of Mary, living the devotion that I teach, we will always work in daylight, we will work in a holy place, and we will work but little. There is no darkness in Mary, not even the slightest shadow since there was never any sin in her. She is a holy place, a holy of holies, in which saints are formed and moulded.
Let us by God’s Grace and Mary’s intercession persevere in the supernatural virtues infused into our souls at Baptism growing in our faith, hope and above all charity, trusting that Jesus and Mary are with us, helping us to grow.
During the first week they should offer up all their prayers and acts of devotion to acquire knowledge of themselves and sorrow for their sins. Let them perform all their actions in a spirit of humility… They will ask our Lord and the Holy Spirit to enlighten them saying, “Lord, that I may see,” or “Lord, let me know myself,” or the “Come, Holy Spirit”. Every day they should say the Litany of the Holy Spirit, with the prayer that follows, as indicated in the first part of this work. They will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge . For this intention they will say each day the Ave Maris Stella and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.
But while in the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she is without spot or wrinkle, the followers of Christ still strive to increase in holiness by conquering sin.(300) And so they turn their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues. Piously meditating on her and contemplating her in the light of the Word made man, the Church with reverence enters more intimately into the great mystery of the Incarnation and becomes more and more like her Spouse. For Mary, who since her entry into salvation history unites in herself and re-echoes the greatest teachings of the faith as she is proclaimed and venerated, calls the faithful to her Son and His sacrifice and to the love of the Father. Seeking after the glory of Christ, the Church becomes more like her exalted Type, and continually progresses in faith, hope and charity, seeking and doing the will of God in all things. Hence the Church, in her apostolic work also, justly looks to her, who, conceived of the Holy Spirit, brought forth Christ, who was born of the Virgin that through the Church He may be born and may increase in the hearts of the faithful also. The Virgin in her own life lived an example of that maternal love, by which it behooves that all should be animated who cooperate in the apostolic mission of the Church for the regeneration of men.
Thanks for your “faithful heart” which lets us know you are still “listening” to Jesus and also to the wisdom Jesus shares with His saints, like St. Louis de Montfort. I hope others who read these threads are “hearing the Good News” of Jesus as He speaks to us through Scripture and His Saints also.
At this particular time in history, perhaps more than any other time since He ascended into heaven, I believe God wants us to Listen – as Mary listened to all Jesus said and did in order to know Him as the Way, the Truth and the Life we were meant to live. Mary is the Mother and Model for the Church. How many Catholics have heard that deeply? Perhaps some give “lip service” to the words “Blessed Mother” but how many take Mary as the Model who followed Jesus most perfectly and is the Mother Jesus gave us from His Cross?
How many priests have the zeal of St. Louis de Montfort and the wisdom to not only “hear” but live the Truth of Jesus’ words:
Let us pray for God’s Grace for one another and for the Universal Church, and for all God’s children who have yet to receive the gift of Mary, especially those in most need of God’s Mercy.
Thanks so much for this quote from “Lumen Gentium”. Allow me to repeat the words and emphasize the particular words I found to be so important for all of us, especially those “seeking true self-knowledge”:
But while in the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she is without spot or wrinkle, the followers of Christ still strive to increase in holiness by conquering sin.(300) And so they turn their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues. Piously meditating on her and contemplating her in the light of the Word made man, the Church with reverence enters more intimately into the great mystery of the Incarnation and becomes more and more like her Spouse. For Mary, who since her entry into salvation history unites in herself and re-echoes the greatest teachings of the faith as she is proclaimed and venerated, calls the faithful to her Son and His sacrifice and to the love of the Father. Seeking after the glory of Christ, the Church becomes more like her exalted Type, and continually progresses in faith, hope and charity, seeking and doing the will of God in all things. Hence the Church, in her apostolic work also, justly looks to her, who, conceived of the Holy Spirit, brought forth Christ, who was born of the Virgin that through the Church He may be born and may increase in the hearts of the faithful also. The Virgin in her own life lived an example of that maternal love, by which it behooves that all should be animated who cooperate in the apostolic mission of the Church for the regeneration of men.
We need to keep beholding our Mother, that we may “see with eyes of faith” how God has worked wonders in her who responded in humility: “Be it done to me according to Your word”. Her “Yes” to God can, by the power of His Grace at work in us, be our “Yes” to His Will in our lives.
St. Louis de Montfort again encourages us:
Rest assured that the more you turn to Mary in your prayers, meditations, actions and sufferings, seeing her if not perhaps clearly and distinctly, at least in a general and indistinct way, the more surely you will discover Jesus. For he is always greater, more powerful, more active, and more mysterious when acting through Mary than he is in any other creature in the universe, or even in heaven. Thus Mary, so divinely-favoured and so lost in God, is far from being an obstacle to good people who are striving for union with him. There has never been and there never will be a creature so ready to help us in achieving that union more effectively, for she will dispense to us all the graces to attain that end. As a saint once remarked, “Only Mary knows how to fill our minds with the thought of God.” Moreover, Mary will safeguard us against the deception and cunning of the evil one.
DISCLAIMER: Catholic Answers has turned over the archive to Catholic-Questions.org and no longer owns, manages, or moderates the forums. For additional apologetics resources please visit www.catholic.com.
