Wk 2 - Day 1- "to acquire an understanding of Mary"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we begin Week 2 in our 33 Day Preparation as outlined by St. Louis de Montfort for Consecrating ourselves totally to Jesus through Mary or renewing our Consecration. He wrote:

1. Each day of the second week they should endeavour in all their prayers and works to acquire an understanding of the Blessed Virgin and ask the Holy Spirit for this grace. They may read and meditate upon what we have already said about her. They should recite daily the Litany of the Holy Spirit and the Ave Maris Stella as during the first week. In addition they will say at least five decades of the Rosary for greater understanding of Mary.

St. Louis de Montfort himself learned from God an “understanding of Mary” which God wanted His Church to acquire from the same Holy Spirit who inspired St. Louis with His Truth. He speaks of her through the little treatise on True Devotion so it is difficult to choose which paragraphs to suggest, but let me begin with these few from Chapter 2:

1. After having explained and condemned false devotions to the Blessed Virgin we shall now briefly describe what true devotion is. It is interior, trustful, holy, constant and disinterested.
2. First, true devotion to our Lady is interior, that is, it comes from within the mind and the heart and follows from the esteem in which we hold her, the high regard we have for her greatness, and the love we bear her.
3. Second, it is trustful, that is to say, it fills us with confidence in the Blessed Virgin, the confidence that a child has for its loving Mother. It prompts us to go to her in every need of body and soul with great simplicity, trust and affection. We implore our Mother’s help always, everywhere, and for everything. We pray to her to be enlightened in our doubts, to be put back on the right path when we go astray, to be protected when we are tempted, to be strengthened when we are weakening, to be lifted up when we fall into sin, to be encouraged when we are losing heart, to be rid of our scruples, to be consoled in the trials, crosses and disappointments of life. Finally, in all our afflictions of body and soul, we naturally turn to Mary for help, with never a fear of importuning her or displeasing our Lord.
4. Third, true devotion to our Lady is holy, that is, it leads us to avoid sin and to imitate the virtues of Mary. Her ten principal virtues are: deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom.

Today is Saturday – a good day to begin Wk 2! Traditionally “Mary’s Day” is every Saturday for Catholics, because Mary alone believed with unmatched faith in Christ’s Resurrection during the first Holy Saturday after His death. May we ponder within our hearts as Mary our Mother did, all the marvellous things God has done for her. I linked the prayers for this week in the beginning of today’s thread.

 

[Katie777]

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[hazcompat]

Jesus Christ Is Our Fathers’ Simple Plan for Salvation Since Before Time Began

In 1991 Mary appeared to a Frenchman, the purpose was to declare the importance of Fidelity to the teachings of the church. She announced Herself as the “Divine Maternity the Purpose of My Being”.

In spite of reluctant prophets and rebellious children Our Father will be with us, and in us! Each of us longs for “the purpose of our being”. She who is first in the order of grace , the perfect refuge of sinners, is the metric. If you wonder if you are a prophet, royal priest, or mystic? Find first your relationship with OUR MOTHER FROM THE CROSS!

In Christ
Peace
Patrick

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Katie,

Thank you so much for this beautiful reply.

Yes, Pope St. John Paul II wrote that his own reading St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion” was a turning point in his young life. How faithful a son, dear St. John Paul II was to God and to our Mother Mary while he journeyed on this earth. Now, I believe he is praying with Jesus and Mary for all of us!!!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

So good to hear from you again! Yes, a million times “Yes” to your post. Jesus told us from His Cross, “Behold Your Mother”. In her we “see” by faith all we are called to become in our following of Jesus!

Thanks so muc for your reply!