"Presumtuous devotees"...4th type of "false devotion"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

St. Louis de Montfort continues describing 7 “false devotions” to Mary in writing his treatise on "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin". Today we ponder his words for # 4 - “Presumptuous devotees” – hard words, but words we need to hear and repent if we’ve been presumptuous ourselves.

1. Presumptuous devotees are sinners who give full rein to their passions or their love of the world, and who, under the fair name of Christian and servant of our Lady, conceal pride, avarice, lust, drunkenness, anger, swearing, slandering, injustice and other vices. They sleep peacefully in their wicked habits, without making any great effort to correct them, believing that their devotion to our Lady gives them this sort of liberty. They convince themselves that God will forgive them, that they will not die without confession, that they will not be lost for all eternity. They take all this for granted because they say the Rosary, fast on Saturdays, are enrolled in the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary or the Scapular, or a sodality of our Lady, wear the medal or the little chain of our Lady.

When you tell them that such a devotion is only an illusion of the devil and a dangerous presumption which may well ruin them, they refuse to believe you. God is good and merciful, they reply, and he has not made us to damn us. No man is without sin. We will not die without confession, and a good act of contrition at death is all that is needed. Moreover, they say they have devotion to our Lady; that they wear the scapular; that they recite faithfully and humbly every day the seven Our Fathers and seven Hail Marys in her honour; that sometimes they even say the Rosary and the Office of our Lady, as well as fasting and performing other good works…

St. Louis spent his priestly life giving missions to lay people, preaching and teaching them what he learned through prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, writings of Saints, Doctors of the Church and the Magisterium of the Church in his time. He heard confessions and gave spiritual direction to those who sought to grow in holiness. Now a canonized Saint of the Catholic Church he helps us in our day to grow in our own call to holiness through Mary.

Also please be mindful of the Crusade of Prayer and Fasting for the Church which begins today. Prayer: include at least 1 decade of the Rosary; Fasting: one day a week having 1 full meal and 2 lighter meals to maintain strength. It is not much, but if done in love through the intercession of Mary, it can be powerful.

Come Holy Spirit, renew the face of the Earth! Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love!

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, patricius, for your “heart” letting us know you continue to read and ponder the words of St. Louis De Montfort in his treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”

God willing, I plan to continue tomorrow’s post with St. Louis’ words in describing “Presumptuous devotees” further. In trying to include too many of his words, I went over the limit set by CAF and so I needed to revise the post – you’ll notice the three dots (…) indicating there is still more to come. I’ve been so blessed in pondering these smaller excerpts from his treatise – I hope all who have been reading and pondering with us, have been blessed as well. Thanks for your faithful companionship on our “journey” along the “narrow way”.

 

[patricius79]

Presumptuous devotees are sinners who give full rein to their passions or their love of the world, and who, under the fair name of Christian and servant of our Lady, conceal pride, avarice, lust, drunkenness, anger, swearing, slandering, injustice and other vices. They sleep peacefully in their wicked habits, without making any great effort to correct them

That would be so sad, because our Mother is most willing to help us overcome all our vices.

Whether we are lax or scrupulous, Mary will help us if we invoke her.

Here again is St. Bonaventure:

Save me, O Mother of fair love: fount of clemency and sweetness of piety.
Thou alone makest the circuit of the earth: that thou mayst help those that call upon thee.
Beautiful are thy ways: and thy paths are peaceful.
In thee shine forth the beauty of chastity, the light of justice, and the splendor of truth.
Thou art clothed with the sunrays as with a vesture: resplendent with a shining twelve-starred crown.
Glory be to the Father, etc.
https://d2wldr9tsuuj1b.cloudfront.n...re-The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary.pdf

 

[hazcompat]

CCC

Hope

**[2090] When God reveals Himself and calls him, man cannot fully respond to the divine love by his own powers. He must hope that God will give him the capacity to love Him in return and to act in conformity with the commandments of charity. Hope is the confident expectation of divine blessing and the beatific vision of God; it is also the fear of offending God’s love and of incurring punishment.

**[2091 The first commandment is also concerned with sins against hope, namely, despair and presumption:

By despair , man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins. Despair is contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice - for the Lord is faithful to his promises - and to his mercy.

**[2092] There are two kinds of presumption . Either man presumes upon his own capacities, (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God’s almighty power or his mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit).

Peace

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks for your reply, patricius, and I certainly agree with both you and St. Bonaventure! Mary does help those who call on her! It is so sad when those who need her do not call on her.

Let us pray, please, for one another, for the Church and for all those in most need of God’s Mercy given through Mary.

 

[patricius79]

Mary does help those who call on her! It is so sad when those who need her do not call on her.

I was so miserable before I understood Mary’s love, which is from Jesus Christ, and how to depend on her. It is so sad if there is even one person that doesn’t know her on a personal level.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks for the quotes from The Catechism of the Catholic Church. How important it is for us to know our Catholic Faith! What a gift we have in the CCC! Your quotes help to emphasize the imporatnce of what St. Louis de Montfort is teaching in his treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” and how serious it is to “presume” either upon our own capacities (hoping to save ourselves without help from on high) or we “presume” upon God’s almighty power or HIs Mercy (hoping to obtain His Forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit)

May God help all of us to pay attention to what God has revealed through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. We need to listen as Mary did to all Jesus said and did, and ponder all in our hearts. I’m reminded of the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians:

Eph 5:14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”
Eph 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
Eph 5:16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius,

You are not alone, dear brother – so many of us would have been lost had Mary not been interceding for us.

By God’s Grace, let us encourage anyone we can, to turn to Mary in order to come closer to Jesus and through Jesus to the Father. May the Holy Spirit inspire us as He did prompting Mary to go “with haste” to visit Elizabeth. By God’s Grace, may we go with haste to our whomever the Spirit inspires us to go – and help – however we can. It may be just to let them know we care – The Holy Spirit will enable us if we ask Him to help us to be like Mary – bringing others closer to Jesus.

Sometimes even a smile can be a way for God’s light to enter a discouraged heart, or one close to despair. Every person is precious – Jesus died for all. He gave Mary as Mother for all from His Cross.