"...we may call her, as the saints do, Queen of our hearts

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing in Chapter 1 of St. Louis de Montfort’s treatise on "True Devotion to the Virgin Mary":

1. We must obviously conclude from what I have just said:

First, that Mary received from God a far-reaching dominion over the souls of the elect. Otherwise she could not make her dwelling-place in them as God the Father has ordered her to do, and she could not conceive them, nourish them, and bring them forth to eternal life as their mother. She could not have them for her inheritance and her possession and form them in Jesus and Jesus in them. She could not implant in their heart the roots of her virtues, nor be the inseparable associate of the Holy Spirit in all these works of grace. None of these things, I repeat, could she do unless she had received from the Almighty rights and authority over their souls. For God, having given her power over his only-begotten and natural Son, also gave her power over his adopted children - not only in what concerns their body - which would be of little account - but also in what concerns their soul.

1. Mary is the Queen of heaven and earth by grace as Jesus is king by nature and by conquest. But as the kingdom of Jesus Christ exists primarily in the heart or interior of man, according to the words of the Gospel, “The kingdom of God is within you”, so the kingdom of the Blessed Virgin is principally in the interior of man, that is, in his soul. It is principally in souls that she is glorified with her Son more than in any visible creature. So we may call her, as the saints do, Queen of our hearts.

How beautifully St. Louis de Montfort has shared with us, the insight God has given him to “see” by Supernatural Faith the kingdom of God within us, where Jesus is King and Mary is Queen Mother. By God’s Grace let us ponder the Truth we hear today, along with the Sacred Scriptures we hear at Mass.

God reveals Himself through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. Let us be attentive to these three sources as we prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit for the Gift of His Wisdom in discerning Truth.
God warns us through his Apostle John’s First Letter:

Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. – 1 Jn 4: 1

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

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear OScarlett,

Thanks for your “heart” letting us know you read the words of St. Louis de Montfort and appreciated what he learned and shared. Maybe after you ponder these paragraphs alongside the Mass Readings for today, you may want to share more.

If you’ve never read St. Louis de Montfort’s “Supplement” at the end of his treatise on True Devotion, on practicing this devotion at Holy Communion, you may want to see HERE

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear adgloriam,

Thanks for your “heart” which lets us know you read and appreciated St. Louis de Montfort’s words today. Hopefully you will continue to ponder them along with today’s Mass Readings.

The Holy Spirit continues to bring the Church into all Truth, but it seems often that so few are really listening and pondering all Jesus said and did, as Mary listened and pondered all while she was on earth. I’ve posted this picutre often because it “says” so much to me about Mary as Mother and Model for the Church:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[patricius79]

But as the kingdom of Jesus Christ exists primarily in the heart or interior of man, according to the words of the Gospel, “The kingdom of God is within you”, so the kingdom of the Blessed Virgin is principally in the interior of man, that is, in his soul.

Praise be to God for giving us such a merciful Queen Mother! She is so quick to help us whenever we invoke her, and even when we don’t.

Here is a passage from “The Glories of Mary” that helped me so much several years ago:

Kings should, then, occupy themselves principally in works of mercy, but not so as to forget the just punishments that are to be inflicted on the guilty. It is, however, not thus with Mary, who, although a Queen, is not a queen of justice, intent on the punishment of the wicked, but a queen of mercy, intent only on commiserating and pardoning sinners. And this is the reason for which the Church requires that we should expressly call her “the Queen of Mercy.” The great Chancellor of Paris, John Gerson, in his commentary on the words of David, These two things have I heard, that power belongeth to God, and mercy to thee, O Lord (Ps . lxi. 12), says that the kingdom of God, consisting in justice and mercy, was divided by our Lord: the kingdom of justice he reserved for himself, and that of mercy he yielded to Mary, ordaining at the same time that all mercies that are dispensed to men should pass through the hands of Mary, and be disposed of by her at will. These are Gerson’s own words: “The kingdom of God consists in power and mercy; reserving power to himself, he, in some way, yielded the empire of mercy to his Mother” (Super Magn . tr. 4). This is confirmed by St. Thomas, in his preface to the Canonical Epistles, saying, “that when the Blessed Virgin conceived the Eternal Word in her womb, and brought him forth, she obtained half the kingdom of God; so that she is Queen of Mercy, as Jesus is King of Justice”.
Chapter I

 

[MariaChristi]

a queen of mercy, intent only on commiserating and pardoning sinners .

Thanks for your reply, patricius, and for the quote above from St. Alphonsus’ “The Glories of Mary”. How sweet an image for us “poor banished children of Eve” who continue the interior battles against the enemy of “self-love” as well as all the other temptations we face in this world. Let us remember God’s encouragement to St. Paul in 2 Cor 12: 9

“My grace is sufficient for you , for power is made perfect in weakness”.

and Paul’s reply:

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Mary our Mother and Queen has been filled with God’s Love for us and she willingly gives His Grace to all Who cry out to Him. Even when a soul does not know her, she has God’s Mercy to share with sinners. As St. Thomas is quoted :

so that she is Queen of Mercy, as Jesus is King of Justice ”.