Why?

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Perhaps some new members at CAF or some “visitors” to this Forum my wonder “Why?”
– a baptized Catholic, may ask, “Why make an Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary – and why spend 33 days preparing for it?”
– a non Catholic might ask, “Why is devotion to Mary so important?”

St. Louis De Montfort wrote a small book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin which explains truthful answers.

It is a small book but it is not a “quick read”. It is a book (like Scripture) which needs to be read prayerfully and pondered slowly. Servant of God Frank Duff read this book several times before he realized, as he shares in an article HERE, what St. Louis de Montfort wrote is TRUE! Frank Duff began by God’s grace, to LIVE his total Consecration, as did St. John Paul II who also called reading “True Devotion” by St. de Montfort, a turning point in his life.

In his Introduction to this small book, St. Luis De Montfort wrote:

1. My heart has dictated with special joy all that I have written to show that Mary has been unknown up till now, and that that is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is not known as he should be.

If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in the world.

An online version of this book can be read HERE

 

[petra22]

Great question. and when I think of all the Marian visitations it makes me wonder (with joy) even more about this part of your quote…

“If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in the world.”

 

[MariaChristi]

Great question. and when I think of all the Marian visitations it makes me wonder (with joy) even more about this part of your quote…

“If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in the world.”

Dear petra,

I believe St. Louis de Montfort, whom I quoted, was inspired by Divine Wisdom in the writing of his little book on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. What I so appreciate about St. Louis de Montfort is that he is steeped in Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium. Another of his books, is: “The Love of Divine Wisdom”. Here are his opening words from this book:

O divine Wisdom, Lord of heaven and earth, I humbly beg pardon for my audacity in attempting to speak of your perfections, ignorant and sinful as I am. I beg you not to consider the darkness of my mind or the uncleanness of my lips unless it be to take them away with a glance of your eyes and a breath of your mouth.

In this book, Chapter 17 is entitled: “The Fourth Means to Obtain Divine Wisdom: A tender and true devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. This chapter may well have been the impetus for his more well known book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Both books are true classics of Catholic Spirituality . I hope those who have read both these books (as I have), also continue going back and re-reading them. Any classic deserves a re-reading because I believe we come to the book (hopefully) having grown in grace and better able to plumb the depths of truth that saints and holy men and women of the Church have shared with us.

Thanks for your reply, petra. Hope you have read or will re-read both books.

 

[petra22]

Dear petra,

I believe St. Louis de Montfort, whom I quoted, was inspired by Divine Wisdom in the writing of his little book on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. What I so appreciate about St. Louis de Montfort is that he is steeped in Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium. Another of his books, is: “The Love of Divine Wisdom”. Here are his opening words from this book:

In this book, Chapter 17 is entitled: “The Fourth Means to Obtain Divine Wisdom: A tender and true devotion to the Blessed Virgin”. This chapter may well have been the impetus for his more well known book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Both books are true classics of Catholic Spirituality . I hope those who have read both these books (as I have), also continue going back and re-reading them. Any classic deserves a re-reading because I believe we come to the book (hopefully) having grown in grace and better able to plumb the depths of truth that saints and holy men and women of the Church have shared with us.

Thanks for your reply, petra. Hope you have read or will re-read both books.

Strangely, I have never read any of his books. I think I will adopt him for Lent and get started reading. Maybe the HS is trying to tell me something. Thank you!

 

[MariaChristi]

Strangely, I have never read any of his books. I think I will adopt him for Lent and get started reading. Maybe the HS is trying to tell me something. Thank you!

Dear Petra,

Thanks again for your reply and your willingness to “adopt” St. Louis de Montfort for Lent. He comes well-recommeded. St. John Paul II’s Papal motto was “Totus Tuus” (All Yours) taken directly from De Montfort.

May your Lenten reading be blessed and enable you to grow as all the saints grew in their lives on this earth in greater and greater love for Jesus through Mary.