Knowledge of Mary: Day Five

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty four at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty four at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading again comes from True Devotion. St. Louis de Montfort claims that, "This devotion is an easy [or smooth], short, perfect, and secure [or secure] way of arriving at union with our Lord, in which the perfection of a Christian consists."

I'm not sure if I've never oversold this devotion. In my own case, I've seen the effects of this devotion within myself. Most people would say that I've had an easy life, without many crosses and burdens. And so, in way, I've not been tested in any external way which people can see. But, my journey toward Jesus is far beyond my earlier expectations. This does not mean that I'm holy in an exceptional way—I've had bumps along the road—but rather, if I were able to speak to my younger self, he would not be able to comprehend what this devotion has done for me. And as far as I know, this journey is not near completion, and by that, I understand that I'm in need of a lot more formation.

But for others, whom I know have practiced this devotion, it does not seem to achieved immediate results, or a secure union with Jesus. Recently, I've been noodling over the causes for the hardening of hearts, and while I cannot know if it's really a hardening of hearts that's involved in any or some of the cases, it seems to me the answer is somehow related. In myself, I recognize a weakness of ingratitude. And I see within myself the tendency to focus on the bad, and lose perspective of the larger picture, which would obviously show all that I could be grateful for. Somehow, the disposition of one's heart is an important factor in formation. Not even God can change a person, if he is not willing.

But I don't know. I can't know why the claim isn't met. The devotion is not a magic charm or spell, it's a developing relationship which I recognize requires change on my part (I'm not asking Mary or Jesus to change to accommodate me).

De Montfort adds a caution which may be the best explanation this side of heaven, "if it is not common, it is because it is too precious to be relished and practised by all the world." It is precious for me.