The first means to acquire Divine Wisdom: an ARDENT DESIRE

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we begin Chapter 15, in St. Louis de Montfort’s book: “The Love of Eternal Wisdom”:

MEANS TO ACQUIRE DIVINE WISDOM - THE FIRST MEANS: AN ARDENT DESIRE

1. Children of men, how long will your hearts remain heavy and earthbound? How long will you go on loving vain things and seeking what is false? (Ps 4.3) Why do you not turn your eyes and your hearts towards divine Wisdom who is supremely desirable and Who, to attract our love, makes known His origin, shows His beauty, displays His riches, and testifies in a thousand ways how eager He is that we should desire Him and seek Him? “Be desirous, therefore, of hearing My words,”(Wis 6.12) He tells us. “Wisdom anticipates those who want her. (Wis 6.14) The desire of Wisdom leads to the everlasting kingdom.” (Wis 6.21)
2. The desire for divine Wisdom must indeed be a great grace from God because it is the reward for the faithful observance of His commandments. “Son, if you rightly desire wisdom, observe justice and God will give it to you. Reflect on what God requires of you and meditate continually on His commandments and He himself will give you insight, and your desire for wisdom will be granted.” (Sir 1.26; 6.37) “For Wisdom will not enter into a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sin.” (Wis 1.4) This desire for Wisdom must be holy and sincere, and fostered by faithful adherence to the commandments of God. There are indeed an infinite number of fools and sluggards moved to be good by countless desires, or rather would-be desires, which, by not bringing them to renounce sin and do violence to themselves, are but spurious and deceitful desires which are fatal and lead to damnation. (Prov 21.25) The Holy Spirit, who is the teacher of true knowledge, shuns what is deceitful and withdraws himself from thoughts that are without understanding; iniquity banishes him from the soul. (Wis 1.5)

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful; kindle in us the Fire of Your Love.

St. Louis de Montfort encourages praying the Litany of the Holy Spirit when we are preparing to Consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary. In praying that 33 Day Preparation to renew my own Consecration on this coming Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16, I’ve been especially blessed by this Litany. See HERE

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Camehome4john6,

Thanks again for giving your “heart” - you have appreciated other posts also with quotes from St. Louis de Montfort’s book. Perhaps you’d like to share in a reply the reasons “why” you liked what you read. It might help others.

Thanks again for taking time to read and to ponder the words of Saint Louis de Montfort who spent so much time pondering over the Word of God in order to share God’s Eternal Wisdom, Who is Jesus, with the people of his own time and with generations to come. I thank God for His Wonderful work in and through St. Louis de Montfort!

 

[patricius79]

MariaChristi,

It’s wonderful that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit (the Helper) and the Holy Spirit’s Spouse–Our Blessed Mother–so that they can help us to keep the commandments and see that God is the Infinite Good.

Without Our Lady’s help, we can’t begin to desire the Wisdom of the Cross.

In a previous post, you quoted from this book:

all His journeying, all His eagerness, all His pursuits, all His desires were directed towards the Cross and because to die in its embrace was for Him the very height of glory and success. He espoused the Cross at His Incarnation with indescribable love. He sought it out and carried it with the utmost joy, throughout His whole life, which became but one continuous cross

I could never accept this mystery of joyful suffering without Mary’s help. Before I read True Devotion to Mary, suffering was just misery.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear patricius,

Thanks so much for your reply, and for expressing again your “heart” after reading St. Louis de Montfort’s words-- so steeped in the Word of God. I join in your gratitude for the Holy Spirit and Mary His Spouse – helping us to keep the commandments and to see by faith how truly Good God is!

This morning in my preparation for renewing my total consecration to Jesus through Mary, I was reading from St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”:

1. Here I turn to you for a moment, dear Jesus, to complain lovingly to your divine Majesty that the majority of Christians, and even some of the most learned among them, do not recognise the necessary bond that unites you and your Blessed Mother. Lord, you are always with Mary and Mary is always with you. She can never be without you because then she would cease to be what she is. She is so completely transformed into you by grace that she no longer lives, she no longer exists, because you alone, dear Jesus, live and reign in her more perfectly than in all the angels and saints. If we only knew the glory and the love given to you by this wonderful creature, our feelings for you and for her would be far different from those we have now. So intimately is she united to you that it would be easier to separate light from the sun, and heat from the fire. I go further, it would even be easier to separate all the angels and saints from you than Mary; for she loves you ardently, and glorifies you more perfectly than all your other creatures put together.

Mary, standing at the foot of His Cross on Calvary was perfectly united with Jesus in His suffering, and so Mary is our perfect Model for following Him. We have yet to be “completely transformed” as she is, but if we continue by His Grace to receive from His Holy Spirit, that ARDENT DESIRE for Him, that in itself is a great grace. Let us please continue to pray for one another, for the Church, and for all God’s Children that we may persevere in asking with all the supernatural Faith we were given at Baptism to acquire Divine Wisdom which perfects Divine Love in us.

Suffering is a “gift” because it is as if Jesus is giving us a Kiss from His Cross and helping us to become more like Him – as Mother St. Teresa of Calcutta wrote. (That’s not an exact quote, but I’m short on time right now and can’t look it up – I think I already quoted her words somewhere before and maybe you already have the exact quote.)

 

[patricius79]

Thank you for your response, MariaChristi.

I think that whenever we want to draw closer to Jesus, all we have to do is ask Mary, the Mediatrix of All Grace and we are immediately given this grace. It’s good to just ask for the grace to receive every grace which Jesus wishes to give.

Also, I think this is the quotation from St. Teresa of Calcutta to which you refer:

“Suffering has to come because if you look at the cross, he has got his head bending down — he wants to kiss you — and he has both hands open wide — he wants to embrace you. He has his heart opened wide to receive you. Then when you feel miserable inside, look at the cross and you will know what is happening . Suffering, pain, sorrow, humiliation, feelings of loneliness, are nothing but the kiss of Jesus, a sign that you have come so close that he can kiss you. Do you understand, brothers, sisters, or whoever you may be? Suffering, pain, humiliation — this is the kiss of Jesus. At times you come so close to Jesus on the cross that he can kiss you. I once told this to a lady who was suffering very much. She answered, “Tell Jesus not to kiss me — to stop kissing me.” That suffering has to come that came in the life of Our Lady, that came in the life of Jesus — it has to come in our life also. Only never put on a long face. Suffering is a gift from God. It is between you and Jesus alone inside .”
“The Kiss of Jesus” — Mother St. Teresa of Calcutta | SOUL FOOD MINISTRIES

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks patricius, it is a beautiful quote and very similar to words spoken by Mother St. Teresa of Calcutta at another time. The quote I copied and kept was one I found sometime ago and sorry to say I lost the source from which it came, but here it is:

“I wonder what the world would be like if there were not innocent people making reparation for us all…?

Today the passion of Christ is being relived in the lives of those who suffer. To accept that suffering is a gift of God.

Suffering is not a punishment. God does not punish. Suffering is a gift though like all gifts, it depends on how we receive it. And that is why we need a pure heart to see the hand of God, to recognize the gift of God in our suffering.

Suffering is not a punishment. Jesus does not punish. Suffering is a sign: a sign that we have come so close to Jesus on the cross that he can kiss us, and show that He is in love with us, by giving us an opportunity to share in His passion.

Suffering is not a punishment, not a fruit of sin, it is a gift of God. He allows us to share in His suffering and to make up for the sins of the world.” __ Mother St. Teresa of Calcutta

Only God knows the depth of suffering some persons suffer. I believe He reveals our suffering to Mary that He may comfort us through her.

 

[patricius79]

Suffering is not a punishment. Jesus does not punish. Suffering is a sign: a sign that we have come so close to Jesus on the cross that he can kiss us, and show that He is in love with us, by giving us an opportunity to share in His passion.

Thank you, MariaChristi. That quotation really helps me.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Thank you for this marvelous post. I have both books and also made the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary.

The first time I did it, it seemed like the Evil One and all his legions were after me. The suffering I went through during those 33 days I would not wish on my worst enemy. The day I made my consecration, everything became peaceful.

 

[patricius79]

Thank you for this marvelous post. I have both books and also made the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary.

The first time I did it, it seemed like the Evil One and all his legions were after me. The suffering I went through during those 33 days I would not wish on my worst enemy. The day I made my consecration, everything became peaceful.

That’s wonderful Margaret Ann. The consecration helps me so much also. Reading True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis, and the Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori, were a turning point for me and brought me much consolation, as I realized my spiritual mother is with me to unite me to Jesus.

I think that Satan fears the Divine Mercy and Marian devotions more than anything else. Maybe it’s because through them we gain love for the Cross.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Margaret Ann,

Thanks so much for your “heart”, and for appreciating quotes from "The Love of Eternal Wisdom".

Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, is a great Grace God gives! I’m so grateful to the Dominican Nun who introduced our Junior Legion of Mary Group to St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” and invited us to pray the “Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary”. I was a teenager, but by God’s Grace I’ve continued to read St. Luis de Montfort’s works and seek to “LIVE” my Total Consecration better each day.

God willing, Monday, July 15, I’ll conclude 33 Days in preparation to renew my Consecration on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16. It is understandable that the evil one hates anyone seeking to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary – it is as God told the serpent in the Garden after Adam and Eve sinned:

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers… while you strike at their heel. ( Genesis 3:15)

The evil one hates Mary and her offspring : Jesus, her First-born, and us – her children – given to her by Jesus from His Cross. The evil one will continue to wage war until the end of this world but we can have confidence in Mary’s words at Fatima:

In the end my Immaculate Heart will Triumph

Jesus came to us the first time through Mary and He will come again in Glory through her in His Second Coming. Meanwhile, the evil one prowls around, as the Apostle Peter wrote in his letter; Peter denied Christ, but once he had repented and been forgiven, he wrote to warn us all:

“…God opposes the proud, but bestows favor on the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.

Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ [Jesus] will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. To him be dominion forever. Amen. (1 Pet:5)

Jesus warned his disciples before He died. We need to listen, remaining in His Word daily:

"Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave Me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”(Jn 16:33)

Yes, giving ourselves totally to Jesus through Mary brings peace. By God’s Grace, may we remain in Him with Mary,