"...saints are moulded in Mary."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

What beautiful and encouraging words God gave St. Louis de Montfort in writing “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”! Let us listen prayerfully as we continue:

1. Please note that I say that saints are moulded in Mary. There is a vast difference between carving a statue by blows of hammer and chisel and making a statue by using a mould. Sculptors and statue-makers work hard and need plenty of time to make statues by the first method. But the second method does not involve much work and takes very little time. St. Augustine speaking to our Blessed Lady says, “You are worthy to be called the mould of God.” Mary is a mould capable of forming people into the image of the God-man. Anyone who is cast into this divine mould is quickly shaped and moulded into Jesus and Jesus into him. At little cost and in a short time he will become Christ-like since he is cast into the very same mould that fashioned a God-man.
2. I think I can very well compare some spiritual directors and devout persons to sculptors who wish to produce Jesus in themselves and in others by methods other than this. Many of them rely on their own skill, ingenuity and art and chip away endlessly with mallet and chisel at hard stone or badly-prepared wood, in an effort to produce a likeness of our Lord. At times, they do not manage to produce a recognisable likeness either because they lack knowledge and experience of the person of Jesus or because a clumsy stroke has spoiled the whole work. But those who accept this little-known secret of grace which I offer them can rightly be compared to smelters and moulders who have discovered the beautiful mould of Mary where Jesus was so divinely and so naturally formed. They do not rely on their own skill but on the perfection of the mould. They cast and lose themselves in Mary where they become true models of her Son.

Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the Fire of Your Love! “O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in Your servants, in the spirit of Your holiness, in the fullness of Your power, in the perfection of Your ways, in the truth of Your virtues, in the communion of Your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen.” - Prayer of Fr. Olier

 

[Chistian-ity]

I ought to read this, I could probably use some more Mary in my life.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Christan-ity,

Thanks so much for your reply. St. Bernard is famously quoted as saying : “Numquam satis de Maria” translated " Never enough of Mary" It has been so in my life, that the more I read Sacred Scripture and the writings of Saints - especially St.Louis de Montfort, the more I appreciate the Gift of Mary from Jesus on Calvary when He said to John, His Beloved Disciple:

Behold your Mother

And John not only took her into his home but into his life. “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” is a small book but it needs to be read slowly and prayerfully. I’ve read it several times, and still keep learning from it, as well as from what is revealed to us in Scripture.

I hope you’ll grow to love Mary more and more – for she is the Mother of God Who is Love! He has filled her with Love for all His children!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Mark, Christian-ity, MagdalenaRita, and Stephie,

Thank you all for your “hearts”, letting us know you read and appreciated St. Louis de Montfort’s words today – Saturday is “Mary’s Day” for many of us Catholics who continue the tradition of honoring Mary every Saturday because of her faithfulness to Jesus on the Saturday after His death on Calvary. Mary truly believed Jesus would rise just as He said.

Many became discouraged or frightened after Jesus’ death, but Mary had listened, and believed everything Jesus said and did, knowing He is The Way, The Truth and The Life (cf. Jn 14:6) for all who believe, and she pondered all in her heart. (cf Lk 2:19 and Lk 2:51).

Mary is both Mother and Model for the Church. How truly St. Louis de Montfort stated:

Mary is a mould capable of forming people into the image of the God-man. Anyone who is cast into this divine mould is quickly shaped and moulded into Jesus and Jesus into him. At little cost and in a short time he will become Christ-like since he is cast into the very same mould that fashioned a God-man.

 

[Jen7]

I know he contrasted being mounded in Mary with “our own work” to chisel out a likeness to Jesus… but what’s about the Little Way of St Therese which emphasizes Jesus’s mercy and is supposedly a quick and easy way to sanctity?

 

[Edwyn]

St Therese of Lisieux wrote this in her autobiography Story of a Soul, recounting her First Communion:

During the afternoon I read the act of consecration to Our Lady, for myself and my companions. I was chosen probably because I had been deprived of my earthly Mother while still so young. With all my heart I consecrated myself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and asked her to watch over me. She seemed to look lovingly on her Little Flower and to smile at her again, and I thought of the visible smile which had once cured me, and of all I owed her. Had she not herself, on the morning of that 8th of May, placed in the garden of my soul her Son Jesus—"the Flower of the field and the Lily of the valleys”?

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jen,

There really is no contradiction between the Little Way of St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Louis de Montfort’s total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. Jesus assures us in His Gospel as recorded by St. Matthew Chapter 18: 1-5:

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

Both St. Therese and St. Louis de Montfort grew in holiness by following Jesus as Mary followed Him. Both of them knew the scriptures so very well and like Mary they pondered all Jesus said and did in their hearts. If you have never read the Poem by St. Therese of Lisieux : “Why I love Thee O Mary” you may want to read it and if you have never read St. Louis de Montfort’s book “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” I encourage you to read both and you will see the similarities.

Thanks for your question. Hopefully, you can read more and see how there are no contradictions. Both saints followed Jesus – Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Both saints found Jesus as the Wise Men found Him, in Bethllhem, with Mary His Mother! (cf Mt 2: 11)

 

[Jen7]

Both saints found Jesus as the Wise Men found Him, in Bethllhem, with Mary His Mother!

That’s a beautiful concept!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jen,

Thanks for your reply. That “beautiful concept” is a gift God gave to all of us in the Gospel of St. Matthew 2:11. It has been there since Matthew by the inspiration of God wrote about the visit of the Magi. I had probably heard it and read it for many, many years before God enabled me to hear His Word with the “ears of my heart”. Then His Word became so “real” for me, as He gave me the deeper meaning I had not heard before He gave me the grace to hear it as He had intended me to hear it.

HERE is a link to Mt 2 and verses 1-12 so you can ponder more in that visit of the Magi. There is much more in the Gospels than most of us really listen to Prayerfully and attentively, but by God’s Grace, we have Jesus’ assurance: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will open.” (Mt 7:7-11)

St. Therese of Lisieux read primarily from her New Testament toward the end of her life and her poem “How I Love thee, O Mary” was the last poem she wrote before she died. In her poem, she reflects on Mary as Therese “heard” God describe Mary in the Gospels. Last night, I didn’t have time to search further for the link I’ve used in the past to share her poem. Perhaps you have found a translation that is good or perhaps you have the same book of her poems that I have (from which I first read her poem) It is an excellent book of her poetry, see HERE/

God is ever at work in the souls of those who are seeking Him, dear Jen. May He grant us all His Truth through the power of His Holy Spirit as we continue to seek Him as the Wise men and all the saints have done.

 

[Jen7]

Thank you for taking the time to write all this. You seem to have a very dear relationship with Mary. I would like to have a better one myself. I’m seeking to understand more & am going through the de Montfort consecration prep right now. I have so many questions, though!!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jen,

I just went back and added a line to my post and then read your reply. As to having a dear relationship with Mary – yes it is a gift God has planted and nurtured and despite my many weaknesses and failures, He continues to urge me on to know Him more perfectly through Mary Who was the one human person who knew Him best of all!

Questions are part of our “Asking to receive, and Seeking to find, and Knocking on the door for God to open to us” that Jesus assures us is a way in which to grow. He would not tell us to ask, seek or knock if it were not good for us to do – yet we need to do so in Faith with no doubting as the letter of James tellls us.

My husband and I had the priviege of making retreats with a holy priest (now deceased) for 45 days each on the Gospels of John and Mattew. He was the one who helped us to listen to Scripture as God speaking to us. He told us on retreat when we were listening to Scripture and a question came to mind, rather than stop to think too much about the question, it was best to keep listening because the answer was in God’s Word. It is true.

As I’ve said many times, the reason I appreciate St. Louis de Montfort so much is his love for God’s Word which I believe led Him to write “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. I’m very happy you are preparing to consecrate yourslef to Jesus through Mary. Stay close to the desciption in St. Louis de Montfort’s words in his book. Sometimes different editions give far more than St. Louis suggests and people can get discouraged by too much material. It seems to me, Saints keep it simple.

Thanks again, Jen, for your desire to grow in your love for Jesus through Mary. As dear St. Therese once said: "Everything is Grace!’

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks Mark and patricius also for “your hearts” in union with St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion to Mary” Ah, the Wisdom of the Saints like St. Louis and St. Therese give us such hope and encouragement!