To remain in Mary

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Gospel for Mass today on the Feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle recounts the Lord’s calling to Matthew: “Follow Me”. We hear how Matthew immediately left what he was doing and followed Jesus. Matthew did as Mary did, who “went with haste” following the Lord’s word to her. What about us? How do we follow Jesus?

In yesterday’s post, I quoted St. Louis De Montfort’s words on doing everything “In Mary” and it was a blessing for me to recall several times yesterday, how it is possible, by God’s Grace, to recall this practice, just as we may recall the presence of God and Jesus’ words to remain in Him (cf Jn 15). Today, I’m continuing that section from De Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Louis De Montfort wrote:

1. But how difficult it is for us to have the freedom, the ability and the light to enter such an exalted and holy place. This place is guarded not by a cherub, like the first earthly paradise, but by the Holy Spirit himself who has become its absolute Master. Referring to her, he says: “You are an enclosed garden, my sister, my bride, an enclosed garden and a sealed fountain.” Mary is enclosed. Mary is sealed. The unfortunate children of Adam and Eve driven from the earthly paradise, can enter this new paradise only by a special grace of the Holy Spirit which they have to merit.

1. When we have obtained this remarkable grace by our fidelity, we should be delighted to remain in Mary. We should rest there peacefully, rely on her confidently, hide ourselves there with safety, and abandon ourselves unconditionally to her, so that within her virginal bosom:

1. We may be nourished with the milk of her grace and her motherly compassion.

1. We may be delivered from all anxiety, fear and scruples.

1. We may be safeguarded from all our enemies, the devil, the world and sin which have never gained admittance there. That is why our Lady says that those who work in her will not sin, that is, those who dwell spiritually in our Lady will never commit serious sin.

1. We may be formed in our Lord and our Lord formed in us, because her womb is, as the early Fathers call it, the house of the divine secrets where Jesus and all the elect have been conceived. “This one and that one were born in her.”

Come, Holy Spirit, bring us into the complete Truth of Jesus, living in Mary.
Mary, our Mother intercede for all your children, that we may have the grace to remain faithful to God and thus remain in you, doing His Will.