TRUE DEVOTION TO OUR LADY
By St. Louis-Marie de Montfort
Mary’s part in the latter times - Part 2
God wishes to make Mary better known in the latter times.
God wishes therefore to reveal Mary, his masterpiece,
and make her more known in these latter times:
(1) Because she kept herself hidden in this world and
in her great humility considered herself lower than dust, having obtained from
God, his apostles and evangelists the favor of being made known.
(2) Because, as Mary is not only God’s masterpiece of
glory in heaven, but also his masterpiece of grace on earth, he wishes to be
glorified and praised because of her by those living upon earth.
(3) Since she is the dawn, which precedes and
discloses the Sun of Justice Jesus Christ, she must be known and acknowledged
so that Jesus may be known and acknowledged.
(4) As she was the way by which Jesus first came to
us, she will again be the way by which he will come to us the second time
though not in the same manner.
(5) Since she is the sure means, the direct and
immaculate way to Jesus and the perfect guide to him, it is through her that
souls who are to shine forth in sanctity must find him. He who finds Mary finds
life, that is, Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. But no one
can find Mary who does not look for her. No one can look for her who does not
know her, for no one seeks or desires something unknown. Mary then must be
better known than ever for the deeper understanding and the greater glory of
the Blessed Trinity.
(6) In these latter times Mary must shine forth more
than ever in mercy, power and grace; in mercy, to bring back and welcome
lovingly the poor sinners and wanderers who are to be converted and return to
the Catholic Church; in power, to combat the enemies of God who will rise up
menacingly to seduce and crush by promises and threats all those who oppose
them; finally, she must shine forth in grace to inspire and support the valiant
soldiers and loyal servants of Jesus Christ who are fighting for his cause.
Lastly, Mary must become as terrible as an army in
battle array to the devil and his followers, especially in these latter times.
For Satan, knowing that he has little time - even less now than ever - to
destroy souls, intensifies his efforts and his onslaughts every day.
He will
not hesitate to stir up savage persecutions and set treacherous snares for
Mary’s faithful servants and children whom he finds more difficult to overcome
than others.
It is
chiefly in reference to these last wicked persecutions of the devil, daily
increasing until the advent of the reign of anti-Christ, that we should
understand that first and well-known prophecy and curse of God uttered against
the serpent in the garden of paradise.
It is opportune to explain it here for
the glory of the Blessed Virgin, the salvation of her children and the
confusion of the devil.
“I will place enmities between you and the woman,
between your race and her race; she will crush your head and you will lie in
wait for her heel” (Gen. 3:15).
God has
established only one enmity - but it is an irreconcilable one - which will last
and even go on increasing to the end of time. That enmity is between Mary, his
worthy Mother, and the devil, between the children and the servants of the
Blessed Virgin and the children and followers of Lucifer.
Thus the most fearful enemy that God has set up
against the devil is Mary, his holy Mother. From the time of the earthly
paradise, although she existed then only in his mind, he gave her such a hatred
for his accursed enemy, such ingenuity in exposing the wickedness of the
ancient serpent and such power to defeat, overthrow and crush this proud rebel,
that Satan fears her not only more than angels and men but in a certain sense
more than God himself. This does not mean that the anger, hatred and power of
God are not infinitely greater than the Blessed Virgin’s, since her attributes
are limited. It simply means that Satan, being so proud, suffers infinitely
more in being vanquished and punished by a lowly and humble servant of God, for
her humility humiliates him more than the power of God. Moreover, God has given
Mary such great power over the evil spirits that, as they have often been
forced unwillingly to admit through the lips of possessed persons, they fear
one of her pleadings for a soul more than the prayers of all the saints, and
one of her threats more than all their other torments.
Day 10 of 33
Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis: Book
3, Chapter 10
That it is sweet to despise the world and to
serve God
Now, will I speak again, O Lord, and will not be
silent, I will say in the hearing of my God and my King Who is on high: Oh, how
great is the abundance of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast hidden for
those that fear Thee! But what art Thou, for those who love Thee? What, to
those who serve Thee with their whole heart? Unspeakable indeed is the sweetness
of Thy contemplation, which Thou bestowest on those who love Thee. In this most
of all hast Thou showed me the sweetness of Thy love, that when I had no being,
Thou didst make me; and when I was straying far from Thee, Thou brought me back
again, that I might serve Thee: and Thou hast commanded me to serve Thee. O
Fountain of everlasting love, what shall I say of Thee? How can I forget Thee,
Who hast vouchsafed to remember me even after I was corrupted and lost? Beyond
all hope Thou showest mercy to Thy servant; and beyond all desert, hast Thou
manifested Thy grace and friendship. What return shall I make to Thee for this
favor? For it is granted to all who forsake these things, to renounce the
world, and to assume the monastic life. Is it much that I should serve Thee,
Whom the whole creation is bound to serve? It ought not to seem much to me to
serve Thee; but this does rather appear great and wonderful to me, that Thou
vouchsafest to receive one so wretched and unworthy as Thy servant. It is a great
honor, a great glory, to serve Thee, and to despise all things for Thee, for
they who willingly subject themselves to Thy holy service, shall have great
grace. They shall experience the most sweet consolation of the Holy Spirit, Who
for the love of Thee, have cast aside all carnal delight.
Veni Creator
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls
take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which
Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God
Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of
God’s hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with
power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts
overflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our
flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy
peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life
aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son
to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit
blest.
Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be
glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and
heaven. Amen.
Ave Maris Stella
Hail, O Star of the ocean, God’s own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin, gate of heav’nly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave, which from Gabriel came, peace
confirm within us, changing Eve’s name.
Break the sinners’ fetters, make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us, for all blessings pray.
Show thyself a Mother, may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant hear our prayers through
thine.
Virgin all excelling, mildest of the mild, free from
guilt preserve us meek and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless, make our way secure till
we find in Jesus, joy for evermore.
Praise to God the Father, honor to the Son, in the
Holy Spirit, be the glory one. Amen.
Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath
rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His
handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is His name.
And His mercy is from generation to generations, to them that fear Him. He hath
showed might in His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their
heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat; and hath exalted the
humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent
empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As
He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. Amen.
Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world
without end. Amen.
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