Those of us who have been trying to practice “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” for some time now, can appreciate what St. Louis de Montfort wrote in paragraphs 76 -77. To be a love slave of Mary by Consecrating oneself totally to Jesus through her, has been and is a great grace in our lives. Yet, we know that without Grace we can do nothing and so we continue to pray for more grace to love Jesus through Mary even more!
Moreover, if, as I have said, the Blessed Virgin is the Queen and Sovereign of heaven and earth, does she not then have as many subjects and slaves as there are creatures? “All things, including Mary herself, are subject to the power of God. All things, God included, are subject to the Virgin’s power”, so we are told by St. Anselm, St. Bernard, St. Bernardine and St. Bonaventure. Is it not reasonable to find that among so many slaves there should be some slaves of love, who freely choose Mary as their Queen? Should men and demons have willing slaves, and Mary have none? A king makes it a point of honour that the queen, his consort, should have her own slaves, over whom she has right of life and death, for honour and power given to the queen is honour and power given to the king. Could we possibly believe that Jesus, the best of all sons, who shared His power with His Blessed Mother, would resent her having her own slaves? Has He less esteem and love for His Mother than Ahasuerus had for Esther, or Solomon for Bathsheba? Who could say or even think such a thing?
But where is my pen leading me? Why am I wasting my time proving something so obvious? If people are unwilling to call themselves slaves of Mary, what does it matter? Let them become and call themselves slaves of Jesus Christ, for this is the same as being slaves of Mary, since Jesus is the fruit and glory of Mary. This is what we do perfectly in the devotion we shall discuss later.
Today is the “birthday of the Legion of Mary” founded on Sept. 7, 1921 in Dublin Ireland. It was on this evening that the Servant of God, Frank Duff, the Legion’s founder who had made his Act of Consecration met with his parish priest and a small group who also consecrated themselves praying St. Louis De Montfort’s Act of Consecration. They sought guidance on how to LIVE the words they prayed. They knelt before a statue of Mary, prayed to the Holy Spirit and then prayed the Rosary - and the Legion was born! You can read more at: https://www.legionofmary.ie
Thanks so much for sharing your Auxiliary Membership in the Legion of Mary. Servant of God Frank Duff, after beginning the Legion was given the wisdom to see the need for 2 kinds of Membership, i.e. Active Members to work in a physical way: visiting homes and hospitals to share Jesus with others as Mary did; Auxiliary Members whom he called the “Prayer Wing of the Legion” pray their daily Rosary and the small leaflet of Legion Prayers called a “Tessera”. He was right! No army travels without the supporting host of workers who furnish it with munitions, food clothing, and medical help. What that supporting host is to the regiment, the Auxiliaries are to the Legion.
The Name “Legion of Mary” signifies that it was patterned on the Roman Legion, who conquered the world of its time for power – but the Legion seeks humbly, yet just as bravely to conquer the world for Christ in every age by the power of God . Perhaps God wanted the Legion to be an example of how to “LIVE” St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion to Mary” and Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. I was so happy to renew my Act of Consecration after Holy Communion at today’s Mass. I hope you’ve read St. Louis de Montfort’s “Supplement” in which he wrote about asking Mary to give you her heart to receive Jesus. I just wish there were more time after we receive – often the Mass seems to move too quickly. I knew a holy Priest who used to say: “Slow is beautiful”. I learned much from his example and trust he is in heaven now.
If you’ve not read the “Supplement” in “True Devotion”, you can read it online HERE
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.
