"The person who wishes to be led by this spirit of Mary"

  • Thread starter Thread starter MariaChristi
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

MariaChristi

Guest
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We’re continuing to ponder St. Louis de Montfort’s treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. Yesterday we considered paragargraphs 257 and 258 in whch he shared - " some very sanctifying interior practices for those souls who feel called by the Holy Spirit to a high degree of perfection. They may be expressed in four words, doing everything through Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary, in order to do it more perfectly through Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus, and for Jesus.

Today we look at the words of wisdom, God gave St. Louis de Montfort in paragraph 259:
  1. The person who wishes to be led by this spirit of Mary:
1) Should renounce his own spirit, his own views and his own will before doing anything, for example, before making meditation, celebrating or attending Mass, before Communion. For the darkness of our own spirit and the evil tendencies of our own will and actions, good as they may seem to us, would hinder the holy spirit of Mary were we to follow them.

2) We should give ourselves up to the spirit of Mary to be moved and directed as she wishes. We should place and leave ourselves in her virginal hands, like a tool in the hands of a craftsman or a lute in the hands of a good musician. We should cast ourselves into her like a stone thrown into the sea. This is done easily and quickly by a mere thought, a slight movement of the will or just a few words as, “I renounce myself and give myself to you, my dear Mother.” And even if we do not experience any emotional fervour in this spiritual encounter it is none the less real. It is just as if a person with equal sincerity were to say - which God forbid! - “I give myself to the devil.” Even though this were said without feeling any emotion, he would no less really belong to the devil.

3) From time to time during an action and after it, we should renew this same act of offering and of union. The more we do so, the quicker we shall grow in holiness and the sooner we shall reach union with Christ, which necessarily follows upon union with Mary, since the spirit of Mary is the spirit of Jesus.
Click to expand...
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful; 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)
Mary, Mother of the Church, St. Joseph, Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.
 
Last edited:
MariaChristi said:
This is done easily and quickly by a mere thought, a slight movement of the will or just a few words as, “I renounce myself and give myself to you, my dear Mother.”… The more we do so, the quicker we shall grow in holiness and the sooner we shall reach union with Christ, which necessarily follows upon union with Mary, since the spirit of Mary is the spirit of Jesus.
Click to expand...
Beautiful. We can’t thank God the Son enough for having given us His own perfect Mother to gently guide us in His ways.

Pope Leo XIII:
Thus do those whose actions have disturbed their consciences need an intercessor mighty in favour with God, merciful enough not to reject the cause of the desperate, merciful enough to lift up again towards hope in the divine mercy the afflicted and the broken down. Mary is this glorious intermediary; she is the mighty Mother of the Almighty; but-what is still sweeter - she is gentle, extreme in tenderness, of a limitless loving-kindness. As such God gave her to us. Having chosen her for the Mother of His only begotten Son, He taught her all a mother’s feeling that breathes nothing but pardon and love. Such Christ desired she should be, for He consented to be subject to Mary and to obey her as a son a mother.… The truth and the sweetness of these thoughts bring to the soul an unspeakable comfort; but they inspire all the more compassion for those who, being without Divine faith, honour not Mary and have her not for their mother; for those also who, holding Christian faith, dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby sorely wounding filial piety.
http://www.vatican.va/content/leo-x...nts/hf_l-xiii_enc_22091891_octobri-mense.html
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
MariaChristi said:
since the spirit of Mary is the spirit of Jesus.
Click to expand...
Whew! So glad he clarified with this statement. The same Holy Spirit that brought forth such holiness in our mother is Gods gift to all of us who will receive it. She surely had Christ and the Holy Spirit within her in a very special way.

As a revert, wording like “spirit of Mary” and “doing everything through Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary” raises loud alarm bells (perhaps false alarms) in my head. It is this sort of wording that mistakenly causes our separated brethren (non-Catholic Christians) to conclude that we have elevated Mary to a God-like status, or else, reassigned the functions of the Holy Spirit to her. I understand that de Montfort is not saying that, but I also see how easily that brief segments of his writings might be quoted to make it look as if Catholicism does treat Mary as if she were God.
 
patricius79 said:
…The truth and the sweetness of these thoughts bring to the soul an unspeakable comfort; but they inspire all the more compassion for those who, being without Divine faith, honour not Mary and have her not for their mother; for those also who, holding Christian faith, dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby sorely wounding filial piety.
Click to expand...
Dear patricius,

Thanks so much for this reply and for the quote from Pope Leo XIII – from which I copied his words above. How we need to pray to Jesus through Mary for all our brothers and sisters who are without Divine faith, and thus do not believe supernaturally in the Truth Jesus spoke from His Cross: “Behold your Mother”!

Leo Pope exhorts us to pray that them, since they are lacking in Love for their Mother, and some even, as the Pope knew in his day “dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby wounding filial piety.” Let us ask for this gift of Devotion to Mary for them – if they have no knowledge of what Jesus is saying to them through the Gospel of John, and repeated by the wisdom of the saints. In Love, let us pray for an increase in True Devotion to Mary for all, that all my honor Jesus more, through her intercession.
 
Last edited:
Dear Very Blessed,

Thanks so much for your reply! Thanks for reading the post with “eyes and ears searching for God’s Truth”. 🙂

Some (Catholics as well as non Catholic Christians) read but do not really “Listen”
to the Words of Jesus. How truly blessed your ears are to have heard His Truth coming through the words of St. Louis de Montfort in his treatise on "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin"! The link will take you to the online version of his treatise, and if you have never read the whole of it, I encourage you to make time to read it this year.

It can also be purchased in paperback see HERE inexpensively. It is a short treatise but it needs to be read slowly and prayerfully. Some who have read only a part of it can easily find fault because they have not read all that is contained in this little gem of a book. The fact that it was written centuries ago and is still being read and leading others to love Jesus through Mary, is significant!

God has given you the grace to "see’ and to “hear” with the eyes and ears of Supernatural Faith the gift Mary is to us from Jesus. May you continue to grow in your love for her and find how truly she leads us closer to Jesus her Son. Please let us pray for one another with Mary, for one another, for the Church and for all those in most need of God’s Mercy.
Thanks again for your reply!
 
Last edited:
VeryBlessed said:
As a revert, wording like “spirit of Mary” and “doing everything through Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary” raises loud alarm bells (perhaps false alarms) in my head.
Click to expand...
IKR! Revert here, too. I think it took a lot of mental and spiritual gymnastics for me to come to terms with things like this mainly since l had been so poorly catechised. It took me four attempts to make a consecration to Jesus through Mary because of this…and I had to use Father Gaitley’s 33 Days to Morning Glory to do it because St. Louis De Montfort’s language, being older and more poetic, seemed a bit over the top for me. Thanks to @MariaChristi 's posts and exposition I’m understanding more and may use True Devotion for my renewal.
 
MariaChristi said:
Leo Pope exhorts us to pray that them, since they are lacking in Love for their Mother, and some even, as the Pope knew in his day “dare to accuse of excess the devotion to Mary, thereby wounding filial piety.” Let us ask for this gift of Devotion to Mary for them – if they have no knowledge of what Jesus is saying to them through the Gospel of John, and repeated by the wisdom of the saints. In Love, let us pray for an increase in True Devotion to Mary for all, that all my honor Jesus more, through her intercession.
Click to expand...
Yes. Such prayers will console our Blessed Mother, who loves each human person more than we can imagine.
 
Dear Camehome4john6

So happy to read that you are understanding more of what St. Louis de Montfort has written for the Church. Granted some of the language can seem “very foreign to the modern ear” but the more we listen carefully and prayerfully to both Scripture and the Wisdom of the Saints, the more we understand God’s beautiful Plan for us.

One of the reasons I so appreciate St. Louis de Montfort is his love for Holy Scripture. I hope you will continue to read his words slowly and prayerfully and follow his words in renewing your Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. Thanks so much for your reply to Very Blessed. God is always at work and His Work is always GOOD. 🙂
 
Dear Torolf,

Thanks so much for your “heart” and your appreciation of St. Louis de Montfort’s words. Please let us pray for one another and for the Church and all those in most need of God’s Mercy. May God give His grace to all who wish to be led by this spirit of Mary!
 
Not sure about your question - dear annad,

To my knowledge, I didn’t change the title I gave this particular thread. Can you explain what other title you may be referring to in your question? Thanks 🙂
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top