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.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Four

The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty three at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty three 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*

Again, today's reading is from True Devotion. The heart and soul of this perfect devotion is found here:

All our perfection consists in being conformed, united, and consecrated to Jesus Christ; and therefore the most perfect of all devotions is, without any doubt, that which the most perfectly conforms, unites, and consecrates us to Jesus Christ. Now, Mary being the most conformed of all creatures to Jesus Christ, it follows that, of all devotions, that which most consecrates and conforms the soul to our Lord is devotion to His holy Mother, and that the more a soul is consecrated to Mary, the more is it consecrated to Jesus.

And this devotion is not novel:

Hence it comes to pass, that the most perfect consecration to Jesus Christ is nothing else but a perfect and entire consecration of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin, and this is the devotion which I teach; or in other words, a perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy Baptism.

And it repeats the promise and concerns I expressed yesterday:

In a word, we must give her all we have in the order of nature and in the order of grace, and all that may become ours in future in the orders of nature, grace, and glory; and this we must do without any reserve of so much as one farthing, one hair, or one least good action; and we must do it also for all eternity, and we must do it further without pretending to, or hoping for, any other recompense for our offering and service, except the honour of belonging to Jesus Christ by Mary and in Mary, even though that sweet Mistress were not, as she always is, the most generous and the most grateful of creatures.

We're to give her all, as if we did not know that she is "the most generous and the most grateful of creatures." I hope to give her all by trusting in her, and yet at the same time, forgetting she has united her will to the divine Will of God, who is merciful and generous to us.

It is a mystery that God has so chosen to give himself completely through the participation of his creatures. His grace comes to us, not only directly from him, but very often through his creatures. And his choice to allow us to participate in the dispensing of his grace is also his gift (grace) to us. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Three

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty two at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty two 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*

The reading today comes from True Devotion. It's interesting that both links at Fish Eaters and at The Catholic Company deviate from the older Preparation for Total Consecration book. The Catholic Company has included longer selections from the paragraphs in True Devotion. And the translation used is slightly different from the publications either by Tan or Montfort Publications. Fish Eaters keeps the same content from the older book, however, they opted for the translation from Montfort Publications. No worries.

The reading today answers the question of what does an authentic perfect devotion to Mary look like? It's interior, tender (trusting), holy, constant, and disinterested.

Of interest to me, is that it is interior. It seems that many Christians miss this, that point is not merely outward acts, but an interior change that should be taking place within the Christian. That interior change is manifested by exterior acts. I've two favorite quotes of scripture that relate to a change of heart.

A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

And almost all of Psalm 51 could be quoted, but I'll limit it to one verse. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

On the other hand, I've the most difficultly in understanding and obtaining disinterest (of course, it's possible I've misjudged with which I'm having most difficulty). Since Mary is the means to Jesus, it seems that in some way, I'm interested in spiritual gain in my devotion to Mary. But at other times, it does seem that I'm in a friendship with her for her alone. It seems that I'm placing my trust in her that my formation will be guided rightly. This is a work in progress in developing an authentic perfect devotion to Mary.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Two

Our Lady of Lourdes, file downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty one at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty one 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 comes from the Secret of Mary by St. Louis de Montfort. The older Preparation for Total Consecration book by Montfort Publications has a few errors and today has one of them. The paragraph numbers from Secret of Mary actually go from 23 to 29 instead of 23 to 24 according to the text used for day 21 in Preparation for Total Consecration. It's obvious that the number 24 is wrong rather than the text used. Both Fish Eaters and The Catholic Company above have copied that minor error.

It's useful to go directly to the source in The Secret of Mary, since it provides a little more information in the footnotes, and provides headings to the paragraphs. The reading starts out with a brief answer why we should do this devotion:

If we would go up to Him and be united with Him, we must use the same means He used to come down to us, to be made man and to impart His graces to us. That means is a true devotion [perfect devotion] to our Blessed Lady.

Then the text compares this perfect devotion with other Marian devotions. I'll provide the missing headings for a summary: 1) Devotion without Special Practices; 2) Devotion with Special Practices; and 3) The Perfect Devotion: The Holy Slavery of Love.

Next the nature of this devotion is given:

It consists in giving oneself entirely and as a slave to Mary, and to Jesus through Mary; and after that to do all that we do, with Mary, in Mary, through Mary and for Mary.

And finally, it gives some specifics of the devotion: "We should choose a special feast day on which we give, consecrate and sacrifice to Mary voluntarily lovingly and without constraint, entirely and without reserve: our body and soul, our exterior property such as house, family and income, and also our interior and spiritual possessions: namely, our merits, graces, virtues, and satisfactions." The heading to this paragraph says "Total Surrender."

Americans and those cultures which are significantly influenced by classical liberal ideas, might have a lot of difficulty with the ideas of "slavery" and "total surrender." I did. These strong words are typically seen in opposition to "freedom." The total surrender is what we offer to God in our detachment from the world, in our placing of trust in Him, and in aligning our wills to His. And we should do it willingly. Regarding slavery: note that it's not a servile slavery but a "holy slavery of love." In many instances, men and women have loved so deeply, that they would do anything for their lover or beloved. And God's courting of His bride is a common image in the Bible, including the union of Christ the bridegroom and the Church, his bride. Jesus went all in—in his passion and crucifixion—and expects us to follow him, in love. Indeed, Jesus in his human nature placed himself in complete dependence of Mary in her womb. The Annunciation and Incarnation is the most fitting feast on which to perform this consecration.

Another objection is the total consecration not to God, but to a human being. While Jesus is the true end of this devotion, our experience with other human beings might cause us to hesitate in our placing of trust in another human being. I overcame this issue of trust, by trusting the Church which in turn is trusted because I trust that Jesus is God (and man) and the true founder of the Church. The Church teaches that Mary was immaculately conceived and did not sin. If I believe that is true, then Mary, full of grace, can be trusted. It's not mere trust in a human being, but a trust in a human being backed by God—and she is a creature who has united her will with the will of God.

Surprising to me, that despite my initial trust issues with Mary, I've found her easier to approach than to Jesus. I don't expect others to feel the same, but I know this is true for me. And this trust has been repaid, especially in bringing me into a closer relationship with the three persons of the Holy Trinity, first with the Holy Spirit, and then with Jesus. "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3). Mary brings us Jesus, and Mary brings us to Jesus, her Son. The slavery to Mary is the means to slavery to her Son.

Knowledge of Mary: Day One

Gerard van Honthorst - Adoration of the Shepherds (1622), downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty 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 readings are taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke which correspond to the third and fifth Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. As reported by Luke in scripture, in both these mysteries, Mary kept these things in her heart. In Luke 2:19, "But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." And in Luke 2:51, "His mother treasured all these things in her heart." The title of this blog partly comes from these verses, the other part comes from the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Pondering with Mary in the Rosary has been an indispensable part of my spiritual journey, connecting my prayer with scripture and with Jesus. In each of the sets of mysteries, Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or Glorious, Mary is explicitly mentioned—in the scripture describing the mystery of the decade—in some or all the mysteries of the set. She was there for important events in the life of her Son. And so it is with confidence that we pray with Mary, and ask Mary for her intercession, that we be united to her Son, and His life.

Knowledge of Self: Day Seven

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day nineteen at Fish Eaters.

Day nineteen at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

1. We must be like children: "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."

2. Jesus is asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

a) Only God is good.

b) We must obey God's commandments.

c) We must not be attached to the things of this world (specifically, for the rich man, it was riches), and follow Jesus.

d) "What is impossible for mortals is possible for God."

 And finally, there is a promise with the sacrifices and giving of self:

Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.

For some people (or maybe most), that sounds easier than it actually is. But our hope rests in God.

Knowledge of Self: Day Six

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day eighteen at Fish Eaters.

Day eighteen at The Catholic Company.

The first half of today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, which is the gospel of mercy. The words of Jesus begin with a warning (which should be heeded) but move to forgiveness:

Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive.

The striking thing about this selection is the revelation that we should not expect praise for following God's commands: "when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'" This is a common pitfall for those who think they are righteous and do the good they do in search of praise (rather than for the sake of the good of others).

The second part from Imitation of Christ is more comforting than previous selections:

My child, do not let the labors which you have taken up for My sake break you, and do not let troubles, from whatever source, cast you down; but in everything let My promise strengthen and console you. I am able to reward you beyond all means and measure. You will not labor here long, nor will you always be oppressed by sorrows. Wait a little while and you will see a speedy end of evils. 

The point of this rigorous self-examination is not to break a person down, but to see the truth about himself and his pride which would have him thinking of himself as God. The sense of self is not to be destroyed but humbled as Christ during his passion. In his passion, Christ was sin for us (but he did not sin himself). When we're carrying our crosses in imitation of Christ and in following Christ, we are bearing the results of our sins and the sins of others. This dying to self is to purify the self, not to destroy it.