"The vow we make at baptism is the most important of all vows." But does anyone keep this great vow?

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Powerful words from St. Louis de Montfort, on this First Saturday of October, Month of the Rosary. Let us continue prayerfully listening to his treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”:

1. "Men" says St. Thomas, “vow in baptism to renounce the devil and all his seductions.” “This vow,” says St. Augustine, “is the greatest and the most indispensable of all vows.” Canon Law experts say the same thing: “The vow we make at baptism is the most important of all vows.” But does anyone keep this great vow? Does anyone fulfil the promises of baptism faithfully? Is it not true that nearly all Christians prove unfaithful to the promises made to Jesus in baptism? Where does this universal failure come from, if not from man’s habitual forgetfulness of the promises and responsibilities of baptism and from the fact that scarcely anyone makes a personal ratification of the contract made with God through his sponsors?
2. This is so true that the Council of Sens, convened by order of the Emperor Louis the Debonair to remedy the grave disorders of Christendom, came to the conclusion that the main cause of this moral breakdown was man’s forgetfulness of his baptismal obligations and his disregard for them. It could suggest no better way of remedying this great evil than to encourage all Christians to renew the promises and vows of baptism.
3. The Catechism of the Council of Trent, faithful interpreter of that holy Council, exhorts priests to do the same and to encourage the faithful to remember and hold fast to the belief that they are bound and consecrated as slaves to Jesus, their Redeemer and Lord. "The parish priest shall exhort the faithful never to lose sight of the fact that they are bound in conscience to dedicate and consecrate themselves for ever to their Lord and Redeemer as His slaves."

Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten our minds and hearts to hear with the ears of our hearts, Your Truth. Fill us as you filled Mary with Jesus!

 

[Jen7]

My deep-thinking child just asked me this last week - “mom, why do we make the vows we make at baptism when no one can keep them? Rejecting sin when we ALL sin eventually?” She was really disturbed & I didn’t have a good answer. I just said “we just try our best and go to Confession when we need to.” Neither of us were very satisfied by that answer though. I’m glad this thread is here’s and I look forward to what others may say!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jen,

Thanks so much for your reply. Yes, children are so good at questions!!! Your answer to your daughter was true, in so far as the Scripture tells us:

“…Though the just fall seven times, they rise again…” (Old Testament - Proverbs 24:16)

However – she asked a beautiful and real question as to why we make a vow we can’t keep? What she may be too young to understand is that when we vow to renounce satan, we may because of our weakness (or ignorance) fall into sin without realizing it. God knows our hearts and is always ready to forgive when we are truly sorry for any sin we may knowingly commit or may wonder even if it was a sin. Confession enables us to be cleansed again and ask God’s help not to sin again, and to keep getting up that by His Grace we can overcome whatever holds us back from seeking the Holiness God intends for us to have!

Again she may be too young to understand or perhaps she has yet to learn that although Baptism cleanses us from sin, we have inherited the darkened intellects and weakened wills caused by the original sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. So – none of us can grow into adulthood as Jesus and Mary did: “Perfectly free from ALL sin”. Some of our saints have grown so beautifully in holiness however, because they kept asking God for His Grace, to get up and keep growing more like Jesus and Mary. That is why Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Confession so that we can as God reminds us in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs:

“…Though the just fall seven times, they rise again,…”

We have many young saints who inspire us such as St. Therese of Lisieux, (the “Little Flower”) who died at age 24, St. Dominic Savio a young teen-ager who died around the age of 15, and St. Maria Goretti who died at age 12 a heroic martyr. Not knowing the age of your daughter I chose three young saints of whom I am very fond. Beginning in a Catholic Grade school, I always loved reading lives of the Saints – and still do! Particularly, as I grew older I wanted to read what the Saints wrote so I could learn from them.

Hopefully, you will continue to read the threads on St. Louis de Montfort’s book, “True devotion to the Blessed Virgin”.. I was introduced to St. Louis de Montfort and this little book through my high school Religion teacher, a Dominican nun, who invited us to Consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary. I was only around 15 yrs old but I consider praying St. Louis De Montfort’s Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary to be one of the greatest graces in my life. I renew that Consecration often. Please feel free to ask question at any time on any thread and I’ll do my best to help you and your daughter. Thanks again for your reply.