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1. It
was through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus came into the world,
and it is also through her that he must reign in the world.
2. Because
Mary remained hidden during her life she is called by the Holy
Spirit and the Church "Alma Mater", Mother hidden and
unknown. So great was her humility that she desired nothing more
upon earth than to remain unknown to herself and to others, and
to be known only to God.
3. In
answer to her prayers to remain hidden, poor and lowly, God was
pleased to conceal her from nearly every other human creature
in her conception, her birth, her life, her mysteries, her resurrection
and assumption. Her own parents did not really know her; and the
angels would often ask one another, "Who can she possibly
be?", for God had hidden her from them, or if he did reveal
anything to them, it was nothing compared with what he withheld.
4. God
the Father willed that she should perform no miracle during her
life, at least no public one, although he had given her the power
to do so. God the Son willed that she should speak very little
although he had imparted his wisdom to her.
Even though Mary was his
faithful spouse, God the Holy Spirit willed that his apostles
and evangelists should say very little about her and then only
as much as was necessary to make Jesus known.
5. Mary is the supreme
masterpiece of Almighty God and he has reserved the knowledge
and possession of her for himself. She is the glorious Mother
of God the Son who chose to humble and conceal her during her
lifetime in order to foster her humility. He called her "Woman"
as if she were a stranger, although in his heart he esteemed and
loved her above all men and angels. Mary is the sealed fountain
and the faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit where only he may enter.
She is the sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity
where God dwells in greater and more divine splendour than anywhere
else in the universe, not excluding his dwelling above the cherubim
and seraphim. No creature, however pure, may enter there without
being specially privileged.
6. I
declare with the saints: Mary is the earthly paradise of Jesus
Christ the new Adam, where he became man by the power of the Holy
Spirit, in order to accomplish in her wonders beyond our understanding.
She is the vast and divine world of God where unutterable marvels
and beauties are to be found. She is the magnificence of the Almighty
where he hid his only Son, as in his own bosom, and with him everything
that is most excellent and precious. What great and hidden things
the all- powerful God has done for this wonderful creature, as
she herself had to confess in spite of her great humility, "The
Almighty has done great things for me." The world does not
know these things because it is incapable and unworthy of knowing
them.
7. The
saints have said wonderful things of Mary, the holy City of God,
and, as they themselves admit, they were never more eloquent and
more pleased than when they spoke of her. And yet they maintain
that the height of her merits rising up to the throne of the Godhead
cannot be perceived; the breadth of her love which is wider than
the earth cannot be measured; the greatness of the power which
she wields over one who is God cannot be conceived; and the depths
of her profound humility and all her virtues and graces cannot
be sounded. What incomprehensible height! What indescribable breadth!
What immeasurable greatness! What an impenetrable abyss!
8. Every
day, from one end of the earth to the other, in the highest heaven
and in the lowest abyss, all things preach, all things proclaim
the wondrous Virgin Mary. The nine choirs of angels, men and women
of every age, rank and religion, both good and evil, even the
very devils themselves are compelled by the force of truth, willingly
or unwillingly, to call her blessed.
According to St. Bonaventure,
all the angels in heaven unceasingly call out to her: "Holy,
holy, holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God." They greet her countless
times each day with the angelic greeting, "Hail, Mary",
while prostrating themselves before her, begging her as a favour
to honour them with one of her requests. According to St. Augustine,
even St. Michael, though prince of all the heavenly court, is
the most eager of all the angels to honour her and lead others
to honour her. At all times he awaits the privilege of going at
her word to the aid of one of her servants.
9. The whole world is
filled with her glory, and this is especially true of Christian
peoples, who have chosen her as guardian and protectress of kingdoms,
provinces, dioceses, and towns. Many cathedrals are consecrated
to God in her name. There is no church without an altar dedicated
to her, no country or region without at least one of her miraculous
images where all kinds of afflictions are cured and all sorts
of benefits received. Many are the confraternities and associations
honouring her as patron; many are the orders under her name and
protection; many are the members of sodalities and religious of
all congregations who voice her praises and make known her compassion.
There is not a child who does not praise her by lisping a Hail
Mary. There is scarcely a sinner, however hardened, who does not
possess some spark of confidence in her. The very devils in hell,
while fearing her, show her respect.
10. And
yet in truth we must still say with the saints: De Maria numquam
satis : We have still not praised, exalted, honoured, loved
and served Mary adequately. She is worthy of even more praise,
respect, love and service.
11. Moreover,
we should repeat after the Holy Spirit, "All the glory of
the king's daughter is within", meaning that all the external
glory which heaven and earth vie with each other to give her is
nothing compared to what she has received interiorly from her
Creator, namely, a glory unknown to insignificant creatures like
us, who cannot penetrate into the secrets of the king.
12. Finally,
we must say in the words of the apostle Paul, "Eye has not
seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man understood"
the beauty, the grandeur, the excellence of Mary, who is indeed
a miracle of miracles of grace, nature and glory. "If you
wish to understand the Mother," says a saint, "then
understand the Son. She is a worthy Mother of God." Hic taceat
omnis lingua : Here let every tongue be silent.
13. 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.
14. With the whole Church
I acknowledge that Mary, being a mere creature fashioned by the
hands of God is, compared to his infinite majesty, less than an
atom, or rather is simply nothing, since he alone can say, "I
am he who is". Consequently, this great Lord, who is ever
independent and self-sufficient, never had and does not now have
any absolute need of the Blessed Virgin for the accomplishment
of his will and the manifestation of his glory. To do all things
he has only to will them.
15. However,
I declare that, considering things as they are, because God has
decided to begin and accomplish his greatest works through the
Blessed Virgin ever since he created her, we can safely believe
that he will not change his plan in the time to come, for he is
God and therefore does not change in his thoughts or his way of
acting.
16. God
the Father gave his only Son to the world only through Mary. Whatever
desires the patriarchs may have cherished, whatever entreaties
the prophets and saints of the Old Law may have had for 4,000
years to obtain that treasure, it was Mary alone who merited it
and found grace before God by the power of her prayers and the
perfection of her virtues. "The world being unworthy,"
said Saint Augustine, "to receive the Son of God directly
from the hands of the Father, he gave his Son to Mary for the
world to receive him from her."
The Son of God became man
for our salvation but only in Mary and through Mary.
God the Holy Spirit formed
Jesus Christ in Mary but only after having asked her consent through
one of the chief ministers of his court.
17. God the Father imparted
to Mary his fruitfulness as far as a mere creature was capable
of receiving it, to enable her to bring forth his Son and all
the members of his mystical body.
18. God
the Son came into her virginal womb as a new Adam into his earthly
paradise, to take his delight there and produce hidden wonders
of grace.
God-made-man found freedom
in imprisoning himself in her womb. He displayed power in allowing
himself to be borne by this young maiden. He found his glory and
that of his Father in hiding his splendours from all creatures
here below and revealing them only to Mary. He glorified his independence
and his majesty in depending upon this loveable virgin in his
conception, his birth, his presentation in the temple, and in
the thirty years of his hidden life. Even at his death she had
to be present so that he might be united with her in one sacrifice
and be immolated with her consent to the eternal Father, just
as formerly Isaac was offered in sacrifice by Abraham when he
accepted the will of God. It was Mary who nursed him, fed him,
cared for him, reared him, and sacrificed him for us.
The Holy Spirit could not
leave such wonderful and inconceivable dependence of God unmentioned
in the Gospel, though he concealed almost all the wonderful things
that Wisdom Incarnate did during his hidden life in order to bring
home to us its infinite value and glory. Jesus gave more glory
to God his Father by submitting to his Mother for thirty years
than he would have given him had he converted the whole world
by working the greatest miracles. How highly then do we glorify
God when to please him we submit ourselves to Mary, taking Jesus
as our sole model.
19. If we examine closely
the remainder of the life of Jesus Christ, we see that he chose
to begin his miracles through Mary. It was by her word that he
sanctified Saint John the Baptist in the womb of his mother, Saint
Elizabeth; no sooner had Mary spoken than John was sanctified.
This was his first and greatest miracle of grace. At the wedding
in Cana he changed water into wine at her humble prayer, and this
was his first miracle in the order of nature. He began and continued
his miracles through Mary and he will continue them through her
until the end of time.
20. God
the Holy Spirit, who does not produce any divine person, became
fruitful through Mary whom he espoused. It was with her, in her
and of her that he produced his masterpiece, God-made-man, and
that he produces every day until the end of the world the members
of the body of this adorable Head. For this reason the more he
finds Mary his dear and inseparable spouse in a soul the more
powerful and effective he becomes in producing Jesus Christ in
that soul and that soul in Jesus Christ.
21. This does not mean
that the Blessed Virgin confers on the Holy Spirit a fruitfulness
which he does not already possess. Being God, he has the ability
to produce just like the Father and the Son, although he does
not use this power and so does not produce another divine person.
But it does mean that the Holy Spirit chose to make use of our
Blessed Lady, although he had no absolute need of her, in order
to become actively fruitful in producing Jesus Christ and his
members in her and by her. This is a mystery of grace unknown
even to many of the most learned and spiritual of Christians.
22. The plan adopted
by the three persons of the Blessed Trinity in the Incarnation,
the first coming of Jesus Christ, is adhered to each day in an
invisible manner throughout the Church and they will pursue it
to the end of time until the last coming of Jesus Christ.
23. God
the Father gathered all the waters together and called them the
seas (maria). He gathered all his graces together and called them
Mary (Maria). The great God has a treasury or storehouse full
of riches in which he has enclosed all that is beautiful, resplendent,
rare, and precious, even his own Son. This immense treasury is
none other than Mary whom the saints call the "treasury of
the Lord". From her fullness all men are made rich.
24. God
the Son imparted to his mother all that he gained by his life
and death, namely, his infinite merits and his eminent virtues.
He made her the treasurer of all his Father had given him as heritage.
Through her he applies his merits to his members and through her
he transmits his virtues and distributes his graces. She is his
mystical channel, his aqueduct, through which he causes his mercies
to flow gently and abundantly.
25. God
the Holy Spirit entrusted his wondrous gifts to Mary, his faithful
spouse, and chose her as the dispenser of all he possesses, so
that she distributes all his gifts and graces to whom she wills,
as much as she wills, how she wills and when she wills. No heavenly
gift is given to men which does not pass through her virginal
hands. Such indeed is the will of God, who has decreed that we
should have all things through Mary, so that, making herself poor
and lowly,, and hiding herself in the depths of nothingness during
her whole life, she might be enriched, exalted and honoured by
almighty God. Such are the views of the Church and the early Fathers.
26. Were
I speaking to the so-called intellectuals of today, I would prove
at great length by quoting Latin texts taken from Scripture and
the Fathers of the Church all that I am now stating so simply.
I could also instance solid proofs which can be read in full in
Fr. Poiré's book "The Triple Crown of the Blessed
Virgin". But I am speaking mainly for the poor and simple
who have more good will and faith than the common run of scholars.
As they believe more simply and more meritoriously, let me merely
state the truth to them quite plainly without bothering to quote
Latin passages which they would not understand. Nevertheless,
I shall quote some texts as they occur to my mind as I go along.
27. Since
grace enhances our human nature and glory adds a still greater
perfection to grace, it is certain that our Lord remains in heaven
just as much the Son of Mary as he was on earth. Consequently
he has retained the submissiveness and obedience of the most perfect
of all children towards the best of all mothers.
We must take care, however,
not to consider this dependence as an abasement or imperfection
in Jesus Christ. For Mary, infinitely inferior to her Son, who
is God, does not command him in the same way as an earthly mother
would command her child who is beneath her. Since she is completely
transformed in God by that grace and glory which transforms all
the saints in him, she does not ask or wish or do anything which
is contrary to the eternal and changeless will of God. When therefore
we read in the writings of Saint Bernard, Saint Bernardine, Saint
Bonaventure, and others that all in heaven and on earth, even
God himself, is subject to the Blessed Virgin, they mean that
the authority which God was pleased to give her is so great that
she seems to have the same power as God. Her prayers and requests
are so powerful with him that he accepts them as commands in the
sense that he never resists his dear mother's prayer because it
is always humble and conformed to his will.
Moses by the power of his
prayer curbed God's anger against the Israelites so effectively
that the infinitely great and merciful Lord was unable to withstand
him and asked Moses to let him be angry and punish that rebellious
people. How much greater, then, will be the prayer of the humble
Virgin Mary, worthy Mother of God, which is more powerful with
the King of heaven than the prayers and intercession of all the
angels and saints in heaven and on earth.
28. Mary
has authority over the angels and the blessed in heaven. As a
reward for her great humility, God gave her the power and the
mission of assigning to saints the thrones made vacant by the
apostate angels who fell away through pride.
Such is the will of almighty
God who exalts the humble, that the powers of heaven, earth and
hell, willingly or unwillingly, must obey the commands of the
humble Virgin Mary. For God has made her queen of heaven and earth,
leader of his armies, keeper of his treasures, dispenser of his
graces, worker of his wonders, restorer of the human race, mediatrix
on behalf of men, destroyer of his enemies, and faithful associate
in his great works and triumphs.
29. God
the Father wishes Mary to be the mother of his children until
the end of time and so he says to her, "Dwell in Jacob",
that is to say, take up your abode permanently in my children,
in my holy ones represented by Jacob, and not in the children
of the devil and sinners represented by Esau.
30. Just
as in natural and bodily generation there is a father and a mother,
so in the supernatural and spiritual generation there is a father
who is God and a mother who is Mary. All true children of God
have God for their father and Mary for their mother; anyone who
does not have Mary for his mother, does not have God for his father.
This is why the reprobate, such as heretics and schismatics, who
hate, despise or ignore the Blessed Virgin, do not have God for
their father though they arrogantly claim they have, because they
do not have Mary for their mother. Indeed if they had her for
their mother they would love and honour her as good and true children
naturally love and honour the mother who gave them life.
An infallible and unmistakable
sign by which we can distinguish a heretic, a man of false doctrine,
an enemy of God, from one of God's true friends is that the heretic
and the hardened sinner show nothing but contempt and indifference
for our Lady. He endeavours by word and example, openly or insidiously
- sometimes under specious pretexts - to belittle the love and
veneration shown to her. God the Father has not told Mary to dwell
in them because they are, alas, other Esaus.
31. God
the Son wishes to form himself, and, in a manner of speaking,
become incarnate every day in his members through his dear Mother.
To her he said: "Take Israel for your inheritance."
It is as if he said, God the Father has given me as heritage all
the nations of the earth, all men good and evil, predestinate
and reprobate. To the good I shall be father and advocate, to
the bad a just avenger, but to all I shall be a judge. But you,
my dear Mother, will have for your heritage and possession only
the predestinate represented by Israel. As their loving mother,
you will give them birth, feed them and rear them. As their queen,
you will lead, govern and defend them.
32. "This
one and that one were born in her." According to the explanation
of some of the Fathers, the first man born of Mary is the God-man,
Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ, the head of mankind, is born of
her, the predestinate, who are members of this head, must also
as a necessary consequence be born of her. One and the same mother
does not give birth to the head without the members nor to the
members without the head, for these would be monsters in the order
of nature. In the order of grace likewise the head and the members
are born of the same mother. If a member of the mystical body
of Christ, that is, one of the predestinate, were born of a mother
other than Mary who gave birth to the head, he would not be one
of the predestinate, nor a member of Jesus Christ, but a monster
in the order of grace.
33. Moreover,
Jesus is still as much as ever the fruit of Mary, as heaven and
earth repeat thousands of times a day: "Blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus." It is therefore certain that Jesus is
the fruit and gift of Mary for every single man who possesses
him, just as truly as he is for all mankind. Consequently, if
any of the faithful have Jesus formed in their heart they can
boldly say, "It is thanks to Mary that what I possess is
Jesus her fruit, and without her I would not have him." We
can attribute more truly to her what Saint Paul said of himself,
"I am in labour again with all the children of God until
Jesus Christ, my Son, is formed in them to the fullness of his
age." Saint Augustine, surpassing himself as well as all
that I have said so far, affirms that in order to be conformed
to the image of the Son of God all the predestinate, while in
the world, are hidden in the womb of the Blessed Virgin where
they are protected, nourished, cared for and developed by this
good Mother, until the day she brings them forth to a life of
glory after death, which the Church calls the birthday of the
just. This is indeed a mystery of grace unknown to the reprobate
and little known even to the predestinate!
34. God
the Holy Spirit wishes to fashion his chosen ones in and through
Mary. He tells her, "My well-beloved, my spouse, let all
your virtues take root in my chosen ones that they may grow from
strength to strength and from grace to grace. When you were living
on earth, practising the most sublime virtues, I was so pleased
with you that I still desire to find you on earth without your
ceasing to be in heaven. Reproduce yourself then in my chosen
ones, so that I may have the joy of seeing in them the roots of
your invincible faith, profound humility, total mortification,
sublime prayer, ardent charity, your firm hope and all your virtues.
You are always my spouse, as faithful, pure, and fruitful as ever.
May your faith give me believers; your purity, virgins; your fruitfulness,
elect and living temples."
35. When
Mary has taken root in a soul she produces in it wonders of grace
which only she can produce; for she alone is the fruitful virgin
who never had and never will have her equal in purity and fruitfulness.
Together with the Holy Spirit Mary produced the greatest thing
that ever was or ever will be: a God-man. She will consequently
produce the marvels which will be seen in the latter times. The
formation and the education of the great saints who will come
at the end of the world are reserved to her, for only this singular
and wondrous virgin can produce in union with the Holy Spirit
singular and wondrous things.
36. When
the Holy Spirit, her spouse, finds Mary in a soul, he hastens
there and enters fully into it. He gives himself generously to
that soul according to the place it has given to his spouse. One
of the main reasons why the Holy Spirit does not work striking
wonders in souls is that he fails to find in them a sufficiently
close union with his faithful and inseparable spouse. I say "inseparable
spouse", for from the moment the substantial love of the
Father and the Son espoused Mary to form Jesus, the head of the
elect, and Jesus in the elect, he has never disowned her, for
she has always been faithful and fruitful.
37. We
must obviously conclude from what I have just said:
First, that Mary received
from God a far-reaching dominion over the souls of the elect.
Otherwise she could not make her dwelling-place in them as God
the Father has ordered her to do, and she could not conceive them,
nourish them, and bring them forth to eternal life as their mother.
She could not have them for her inheritance and her possession
and form them in Jesus and Jesus in them. She could not implant
in their heart the roots of her virtues, nor be the inseparable
associate of the Holy Spirit in all these works of grace. None
of these things, I repeat, could she do unless she had received
from the Almighty rights and authority over their souls. For God,
having given her power over his only-begotten and natural Son,
also gave her power over his adopted children - not only in what
concerns their body - which would be of little account - but also
in what concerns their soul.
38. Mary
is the Queen of heaven and earth by grace as Jesus is king by
nature and by conquest. But as the kingdom of Jesus Christ exists
primarily in the heart or interior of man, according to the words
of the Gospel, "The kingdom of God is within you", so
the kingdom of the Blessed Virgin is principally in the interior
of man, that is, in his soul. It is principally in souls that
she is glorified with her Son more than in any visible creature.
So we may call her, as the saints do, Queen of our hearts.
39. Secondly,
we must conclude that, being necessary to God by a necessity which
is called "hypothetical", (that is, because God so willed
it), the Blessed Virgin is all the more necessary for men to attain
their final end. Consequently we must not place devotion to her
on the same level as devotion to the other saints as if it were
merely something optional.
40. The
pious and learned Jesuit, Suarez, Justus Lipsius, a devout and
erudite theologian of Louvain, and many others have proved incontestably
that devotion to our Blessed Lady is necessary to attain salvation.
This they show from the teaching of the Fathers, notably St. Augustine,
St. Ephrem, deacon of Edessa, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Germanus
of Constantinople, St. John Demascene, St. Anselm, St. Bernard,
St. Bernardine, St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure. Even according
to Oecolampadius and other heretics, lack of esteem and love for
the Virgin Mary is an infallible sign of God's disapproval. On
the other hand, to be entirely and genuinely devoted to her is
a sure sign of God's approval.
41. The
types and texts of the Old and New Testaments prove the truth
of this, the opinions and examples of the saints confirm it, and
reason and experience teach and demonstrate it. Even the devil
and his followers, forced by the evidence of the truth, were frequently
obliged against their will to admit it. For brevity's sake, I
shall quote one only of the many passages which I have collected
from the Fathers and Doctors of the Church to support this truth.
"Devotion to you, O Blessed Virgin, is a means of salvation
which God gives to those whom he wishes to save" (St. John
Damascene).
42. I
could tell many stories in evidence of what I have just said.
(1) One is recorded in the
chronicles of St. Francis. The saint saw in ecstasy an immense
ladder reaching to heaven, at the top of which stood the Blessed
Virgin. This is the ladder, he was told, by which we must all
go to heaven.
(2) There is another related
in the Chronicles of St. Dominic. Near Carcassonne, where St.
Dominic was preaching the Rosary, there was an unfortunate heretic
who was possessed by a multitude of devils. These evil spirits
to their confusion were compelled at the command of our Lady to
confess many great and consoling truths concerning devotion to
her. They did this so clearly and forcibly that, however weak
our devotion to our Lady may be, we cannot read this authentic
story containing such an unwilling tribute paid by the devils
to devotion to our Lady without shedding tears of joy.
43. If
devotion to the Blessed Virgin is necessary for all men simply
to work out their salvation, it is even more necessary for those
who are called to a special perfection. I do not believe that
anyone can acquire intimate union with our Lord and perfect fidelity
to the Holy Spirit without a very close union with the most Blessed
Virgin and an absolute dependence on her support.
44. Mary
alone found grace before God without the help of any other creature.
All those who have since found grace before God have found it
only through her. She was full of grace when she was greeted by
the Archangel Gabriel and was filled with grace to overflowing
by the Holy Spirit when he so mysteriously overshadowed her. From
day to day, from moment to moment, she increased so much this
twofold plenitude that she attained an immense and inconceivable
degree of grace. So much so, that the Almighty made her the sole
custodian of his treasures and the sole dispenser of his graces.
She can now ennoble, exalt and enrich all she chooses. She can
lead them along the narrow path to heaven and guide them through
the narrow gate to life. She can give a royal throne, sceptre
and crown to whom she wishes. Jesus is always and everywhere the
fruit and Son of Mary and Mary is everywhere the genuine tree
that bears that Fruit of life, the true Mother who bears that
Son.
45. To
Mary alone God gave the keys of the cellars of divine love and
the ability to enter the most sublime and secret ways of perfection,
and lead others along them. Mary alone gives to the unfortunate
children of unfaithful Eve entry into that earthly paradise where
they may walk pleasantly with God and be safely hidden from their
enemies. There they can feed without fear of death on the delicious
fruit of the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil. They can drink copiously the heavenly waters of that
beauteous fountain which gushes forth in such abundance. As she
is herself the earthly paradise, that virgin and blessed land
from which sinful Adam and Eve were expelled she lets only those
whom she chooses enter her domain in order to make them saints.
46. All
the rich among the people, to use an expression of the Holy Spirit
as explained by St. Bernard, all the rich among the people will
look pleadingly upon her countenance throughout all ages and particularly
as the world draws to its end. This means that the greatest saints,
those richest in grace and virtue will be the most assiduous in
praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as the perfect
model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them.
47. I
said that this will happen especially towards the end of the world,
and indeed soon, because Almighty God and his holy Mother are
to raise up great saints who will surpass in holiness most other
saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs.
This has been revealed to a holy soul whose life has been written
by M. de Renty.
48. These
great souls filled with grace and zeal will be chosen to oppose
the enemies of God who are raging on all sides. They will be exceptionally
devoted to the Blessed Virgin. Illumined by her light, strengthened
by her food, guided by her spirit, supported by her arm, sheltered
under her protection, they will fight with one hand and build
with the other. With one hand they will give battle, overthrowing
and crushing heretics and their heresies, schismatics and their
schisms, idolaters and their idolatries, sinners and their wickedness.
With the other hand they will build the temple of the true Solomon
and the mystical city of God, namely, the Blessed Virgin, who
is called by the Fathers of the Church the Temple of Solomon and
the City of God . By word and example they will draw all men to
a true devotion to her and though this will make many enemies,
it will also bring about many victories and much glory to God
alone. This is what God revealed to St. Vincent Ferrer, that outstanding
apostle of his day, as he has amply shown in one of his works.
This seems to have been
foretold by the Holy Spirit in Psalm 58: "The Lord will reign
in Jacob and all the ends of the earth. They will be converted
towards evening and they will be as hungry as dogs and they will
go around the city to find something to eat." This city around
which men will roam at the end of the world seeking conversion
and the appeasement of the hunger they have for justice is the
most Blessed Virgin, who is called by the Holy Spirit the City
of God .
49. The
salvation of the world began through Mary and through her it must
be accomplished. Mary scarcely appeared in the first coming of
Jesus Christ so that men, as yet insufficiently instructed and
enlightened concerning the person of her Son, might not wander
from the truth by becoming too strongly attached to her. This
would apparently have happened if she had been known, on account
of the wondrous charms with which Almighty God had endowed even
her outward appearance. So true is this that St. Denis the Areopagite
tells us in his writings that when he saw her he would have taken
her for a goddess, because of her incomparable beauty, had not
his well-grounded faith taught him otherwise. But in the second
coming of Jesus Christ, Mary must be known and openly revealed
by the Holy Spirit so that Jesus may be known, loved and served
through her. The reasons which moved the Holy Spirit to hide his
spouse during her life and to reveal but very little of her since
the first preaching of the gospel exist no longer.
50. 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 favour 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.
(7) 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.
51. 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).
52. 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.
53. What Lucifer lost by pride
Mary won by humility. What Eve ruined and lost by disobedience
Mary saved by obedience. By obeying the serpent, Eve ruined her
children as well as herself and delivered them up to him. Mary
by her perfect fidelity to God saved her children with herself
and consecrated them to his divine majesty.
54. God has established not just
one enmity but "enmities", and not only between Mary
and Satan but between her race and his race. That is, God has
put enmities, antipathies and hatreds between the true children
and servants of the Blessed Virgin and the children and slaves
of the devil. They have no love and no sympathy for each other.
The children of Belial, the slaves of Satan, the friends of the
world, - for they are all one and the same - have always persecuted
and will persecute more than ever in the future those who belong
to the Blessed Virgin, just as Cain of old persecuted his brother
Abel, and Esau his brother Jacob. These are the types of the wicked
and of the just. But the humble Mary will always triumph over
Satan, the proud one, and so great will be her victory that she
will crush his head, the very seat of his pride. She will unmask
his serpent's cunning and expose his wicked plots. She will scatter
to the winds his devilish plans and to the end of time will keep
her faithful servants safe from his cruel claws.
But Mary's power over the evil spirits
will especially shine forth in the latter times, when Satan will
lie in wait for her heel, that is, for her humble servants and
her poor children whom she will rouse to fight against him. In
the eyes of the world they will be little and poor and, like the
heel, lowly in the eyes of all, down-trodden and crushed as is
the heel by the other parts of the body. But in compensation for
this they will be rich in God's graces, which will be abundantly
bestowed on them by Mary. They will be great and exalted before
God in holiness. They will be superior to all creatures by their
great zeal and so strongly will they be supported by divine assistance
that, in union with Mary, they will crush the head of Satan with
their heel, that is, their humility, and bring victory to Jesus
Christ.
55. Finally, God in these times
wishes his Blessed Mother to be more known, loved and honoured
than she has ever been. This will certainly come about if the
elect, by the grace and light of the Holy Spirit, adopt the interior
and perfect practice of the devotion which I shall later unfold.
Then they will clearly see that beautiful Star of the Sea, as
much as faith allows. Under her guidance they will perceive the
splendours of this Queen and will consecrate themselves entirely
to her service as subjects and slaves of love. They will experience
her motherly kindness and affection for her children. They will
love her tenderly and will appreciate how full of compassion she
is and how much they stand in need of her help. In all circumstances
they will have recourse to her as their advocate and mediatrix
with Jesus Christ. They will see clearly that she is the safest,
easiest, shortest and most perfect way of approaching Jesus and
will surrender themselves to her, body and soul, without reserve
in order to belong entirely to Jesus.
56. But what will they be like,
these servants, these slaves, these children of Mary?
They will be ministers of the Lord who,
like a flaming fire, will enkindle everywhere the fires of divine
love. They will become, in Mary's powerful hands, like sharp arrows,
with which she will transfix her enemies.
They will be as the children of Levi,
thoroughly purified by the fire of great tribulations and closely
joined to God. They will carry the gold of love in their heart,
the frankincense of prayer in their mind and the myrrh of mortification
in their body. They will bring to the poor and lowly everywhere
the sweet fragrance of Jesus, but they will bring the odour of
death to the great, the rich and the proud of this world.
57. They will be like thunder-clouds
flying through the air at the slightest breath of the Holy Spirit.
Attached to nothing, surprised at nothing, troubled at nothing,
they will shower down the rain of God's word and of eternal life.
They will thunder against sin, they will storm against the world,
they will strike down the devil and his followers and for life
and for death, they will pierce through and through with the two-edged
sword of God's word all those against whom they are sent by Almighty
God.
58. They will be true apostles
of the latter times to whom the Lord of Hosts will give eloquence
and strength to work wonders and carry off glorious spoils from
his enemies. They will sleep without gold or silver and, more
important still, without concern in the midst of other priests,
ecclesiastics and clerics. Yet they will have the silver wings
of the dove enabling them to go wherever the Holy Spirit calls
them, filled as they are with the resolve to seek the glory of
God and the salvation of souls. Wherever they preach, they will
leave behind them nothing but the gold of love, which is the fulfilment
of the whole law.
59. Lastly, we know they will
be true disciples of Jesus Christ, imitating his poverty, his
humility, his contempt of the world and his love. They will point
out the narrow way to God in pure truth according to the holy
Gospel, and not according to the maxims of the world. Their hearts
will not be troubled, nor will they show favour to anyone; they
will not spare or heed or fear any man, however powerful he may
be. They will have the two-edged sword of the word of God in their
mouths and the blood-stained standard of the Cross on their shoulders.
They will carry the crucifix in their right hand and the rosary
in their left, and the holy names of Jesus and Mary on their heart.
The simplicity and self-sacrifice of Jesus will be reflected in
their whole behaviour.
Such are the great men who are to come.
By the will of God Mary is to prepare them to extend his rule
over the impious and unbelievers. But when and how will this come
about? Only God knows. For our part we must yearn and wait for
it in silence and in prayer: "I have waited and waited."
60. Having
spoken briefly of the necessity of devotion to the Blessed Virgin,
I must now explain what this devotion consists in. This I will
do with God's help after I have laid down certain basic truths
which throw light on the remarkable and sound devotion which I
propose to unfold.
61. Jesus, our Saviour, true God
and true man must be the ultimate end of all our other devotions;
otherwise they would be false and misleading. He is the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and end of everything. "We labour,"
says St. Paul, "only to make all men perfect in Jesus Christ."
For in him alone dwells the entire fullness
of the divinity and the complete fullness of grace, virtue and
perfection. In him alone we have been blessed with every spiritual
blessing; he is the only teacher from whom we must learn; the
only Lord on whom we should depend; the only Head to whom we should
be united and the only model that we should imitate. He is the
only Physician that can heal us; the only Shepherd that can feed
us; the only Way that can lead us; the only Truth that we can
believe; the only Life that can animate us. He alone is everything
to us and he alone can satisfy all our desires.
We are given no other name under heaven
by which we can be saved. God has laid no other foundation for
our salvation, perfection and glory than Jesus. Every edifice
which is not built on that firm rock, is founded upon shifting
sands and will certainly fall sooner or later. Every one of the
faithful who is not united to him is like a branch broken from
the stem of the vine. It falls and withers and is fit only to
be burnt. If we live in Jesus and Jesus lives in us, we need not
fear damnation. Neither angels in heaven nor men on earth, nor
devils in hell, no creature whatever can harm us, for no creature
can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.
Through him, with him and in him, we can do all things and render
all honour and glory to the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit;
we can make ourselves perfect and be for our neighbour a fragrance
of eternal life.
62. If then we are establishing
sound devotion to our Blessed Lady, it is only in order to establish
devotion to our Lord more perfectly, by providing a smooth but
certain way of reaching Jesus Christ. If devotion to our Lady
distracted us from our Lord, we would have to reject it as an
illusion of the devil. But this is far from being the case. As
I have already shown and will show again later on, this devotion
is necessary, simply and solely because it is a way of reaching
Jesus perfectly, loving him tenderly, and serving him faithfully.
63. Here I turn to you for a moment,
dear Jesus, to complain lovingly to your divine Majesty that the
majority of Christians, and even some of the most learned among
them, do not recognise the necessary bond that unites you and
your Blessed Mother. Lord, you are always with Mary and Mary is
always with you. She can never be without you because then she
would cease to be what she is. She is so completely transformed
into you by grace that she no longer lives, she no longer exists,
because you alone, dear Jesus, live and reign in her more perfectly
than in all the angels and saints. If we only knew the glory and
the love given to you by this wonderful creature, our feelings
for you and for her would be far different from those we have
now. So intimately is she united to you that it would be easier
to separate light from the sun, and heat from the fire. I go further,
it would even be easier to separate all the angels and saints
from you than Mary; for she loves you ardently, and glorifies
you more perfectly than all your other creatures put together.
64. In view of this, my dear Master,
is it not astonishing and pitiful to see the ignorance and short-sightedness
of men with regard to your holy Mother? I am not speaking so much
of idolaters and pagans who do not know you and consequently have
no knowledge of her. I am not even speaking of heretics and schismatics
who have left you and your holy Church and therefore are not interested
in your holy Mother. I am speaking of Catholics, and even of educated
Catholics, who profess to teach the faith to others but do not
know you or your Mother except speculatively, in a dry, cold and
sterile way.
These people seldom speak of your Mother
or devotion to her. They say they are afraid that devotion to
her will be abused and that you will be offended by excessive
honour paid to her. They protest loudly when they see or hear
a devout servant of Mary speak frequently with feeling, conviction
and vigour of devotion to her. When he speaks of devotion to her
as a sure means of finding and loving you without fear or illusion,
or when he says this devotion is a short road free from danger,
or an immaculate way free from imperfection, or a wondrous secret
of finding you, they put before him a thousand specious reasons
to show him how wrong he is to speak so much of Mary. There are,
they say, great abuses in this devotion which we should try to
stamp out and we should refer people to you rather than exhort
them to have devotion to your Mother, whom they already love adequately.
If they are sometimes heard speaking
of devotion to your Mother, it is not for the purpose of promoting
it or convincing people of it but only to destroy the abuses made
of it. Yet all the while these persons are devoid of piety or
genuine devotion to you, for they have no devotion to Mary. They
consider the Rosary and the Scapular as devotions suitable only
for simple women or ignorant people. After all, they say, we do
not need them to be saved. If they come across one who loves our
Lady, who says the rosary or shows any devotion towards her, they
soon move him to a change of mind and heart. They advise him to
say the seven penitential psalms instead of the Rosary, and to
show devotion to Jesus instead of to Mary.
Dear Jesus, do these people possess your
spirit? Do they please you by acting in this way? Would it please
you if we were to make no effort to give pleasure to your Mother
because we are afraid of offending you? Does devotion to your
holy Mother hinder devotion to you? Does Mary keep for herself
any honour we pay her? Is she a rival of yours? Is she a stranger
having no kinship with you? Does pleasing her imply displeasing
you? Does the gift of oneself to her constitute a deprivation
for you? Is love for her a lessening of our love for you?
65. Nevertheless, my dear Master,
the majority of learned scholars could not be further from devotion
to your Mother, or show more indifference to it even if all I
have just said were true. Keep me from their way of thinking and
acting and let me share your feelings of gratitude, esteem, respect
and love for your holy Mother. I can then love and glorify you
all the more, because I will be imitating and following you more
closely.
66. As though I had said nothing
so far to further her honour, grant me now the grace to praise
her more worthily, in spite of all her enemies who are also yours.
I can then say to them boldly with the saints, "Let no one
presume to expect mercy from God, who offends his holy Mother."
67. So that I may obtain from
your mercy a genuine devotion to your blessed Mother and spread
it throughout the whole world, help me to love you wholeheartedly,
and for this intention accept the earnest prayer I offer with
St. Augustine and all who truly love you.
O Jesus Christ, you are my Father, my
merciful God, my great King, my good Shepherd, my only Master,
my best helper, my beloved friend of overwhelming beauty, my living
Bread, my eternal priest. You are my guide to my heavenly home,
my one true light, my holy joy, my true way, my shining wisdom,
my unfeigned simplicity, the peace and harmony of my soul, my
perfect safeguard, my bounteous inheritance, my everlasting salvation.
My loving Lord, Jesus Christ, why have
I ever loved or desired anything else in my life but you, my God?
Where was I when I was not in communion with you? From now on,
I direct all my desires to be inspired by you and centred on you.
I direct them to press forward for they have tarried long enough,
to hasten towards their goal, to seek the one they yearn for.
O Jesus, let him who does not love you
be accursed, and filled with bitterness. O gentle Jesus, let every
worthy feeling of mine show you love, take delight in you and
admire you. O God of my heart and my inheritance, Christ Jesus,
may my heart mellow before the influence of your spirit and may
you live in me. May the flame of your love burn in my soul. May
it burn incessantly on the altar of my heart. May it glow in my
innermost being. May it spread its heat into the hidden recesses
of my soul and on the day of my consummation may I appear before
you consumed in your love. Amen.
68. From what Jesus Christ is
in regard to us we must conclude, as St. Paul says, that we belong
not to ourselves but entirely to him as his members and his slaves,
for he bought us at an infinite price - the shedding of his Precious
Blood. Before baptism, we belonged to the devil as slaves, but
baptism made us in very truth slaves of Jesus.
We must therefore live, work and die
for the sole purpose of bringing forth fruit for him, glorifying
him in our body and letting him reign in our soul. We are his
conquest, the people he has won, his heritage.
It is for this reason that the Holy Spirit
compares us: 1) to trees that are planted along the waters of
grace in the field of the Church and which must bear their fruit
when the time comes; 2) to branches of the vine of which Jesus
is the stem, which must yield good grapes; 3) to a flock of sheep
of which Jesus is the Shepherd, which must increase and give milk;
4) to good soil cultivated by God, where the seed will spread
and produce crops up to thirty-fold, sixty-fold, or a hundred-fold.
Our Lord cursed the barren fig-tree and condemned the slothful
servant who wasted his talent.
All this proves that he wishes to receive
some fruit from our wretched selves, namely, our good works, which
by right belong to him alone, "created in Jesus Christ for
good works". These words of the Holy Spirit show that Jesus
is the sole source and must be the sole end of all our good works,
and that we must serve him not just as paid servants but as slaves
of love. Let me explain what I mean.
69. There are two ways of belonging
to another person and being subject to his authority. One is by
ordinary service and the other is by slavery. And so we must use
the terms "servant" and "slave". Ordinary
service in Christian countries is when a man is employed to serve
another for a certain length of time at a wage which is fixed
or agreed upon. When a man is totally dependent on another for
life, and must serve his master without expecting any wages or
recompense, when he is treated just like a beast of the field
over which the owner has the right of life and death, then it
is slavery.
70. Now there are three kinds
of slavery; natural slavery, enforced slavery, and voluntary slavery.
All creatures are slaves of God in the first sense, for "the
earth and its fullness belong to the Lord". The devils and
the damned are slaves in the second sense. The saints in heaven
and the just on earth are slaves in the third sense. Voluntary
slavery is the most perfect of all three states, for by it we
give the greatest glory to God, who looks into the heart and wants
it to be given to him. Is he not indeed called the God of the
heart or of the loving will? For by this slavery we freely choose
God and his service before all things, even if we were not by
our very nature obliged to do so.
71. There is a world of difference
between a servant and a slave. 1) A servant does not give his
employer all he is, all he has, and all he can acquire by himself
or through others. A slave, however, gives himself to his master
completely and exclusively with all he has and all he can acquire.
2) A servant demands wages for the services rendered to his employer.
A slave, on the other hand, can expect nothing, no matter what
skill, attention or energy he may have put into his work. 3) A
servant can leave his employer whenever he pleases, or at least
when the term of his service expires, whereas the slave has no
such right. 4) An employer has no right of life and death over
a servant. Were he to kill him as he would a beast of burden,
he would commit murder. But the master of a slave has by law the
right of life and death over him, so that he can sell him to anyone
he chooses or - if you will pardon the comparison - kill him as
he would kill his horse. 5) Finally, a servant is in his employer's
service only for a time; a slave for always.
72. No other human state involves
belonging more completely to another than slavery. Among Christian
peoples, nothing makes a person belong more completely to Jesus
and his holy Mother than voluntary slavery. Our Lord himself gave
us the example of this when out of love for us he "took the
form of a slave". Our Lady gave us the same example when
she called herself the handmaid or slave of the Lord. The Apostle
considered it an honour to be called "slave of Christ".
Several times in Holy Scripture, Christians are referred to as
"slaves of Christ".
The Latin word "servus" at
one time signified only a slave because servants as we know them
did not exist. Masters were served either by slaves or by freedmen.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent leaves no doubt about our
being slaves of Jesus Christ, using the unequivocal term "Mancipia
Christi", which plainly means: slaves of Christ.
73. Granting this, I say that
we must belong to Jesus and serve him not just as hired servants
but as willing slaves who, moved by generous love, commit themselves
to his service after the manner of slaves for the honour of belonging
to him. Before we were baptised we were the slaves of the devil,
but baptism made us the slaves of Jesus. Christians can only be
slaves of the devil or slaves of Christ.
74. What I say in an absolute
sense of our Lord, I say in a relative sense of our Blessed Lady.
Jesus, in choosing her as his inseparable associate in his life,
glory and power in heaven and on earth, has given her by grace
in his kingdom all the same rights and privileges that he possesses
by nature. "All that belongs to God by nature belongs to
Mary by grace", say the saints, and, according to them, just
as Jesus and Mary have the same will and the same power, they
have also the same subjects, servants and slaves.
75. Following therefore the teaching
of the saints and of many great men we can call ourselves, and
become, the loving slaves of our Blessed Lady in order to become
more perfect slaves of Jesus. Mary is the means our Lord chose
to come to us and she is also the means we should choose to go
to him, for she is not like other creatures who tend rather to
lead us away from God than towards him, if we are over-attached
to them. Mary's strongest inclination is to unite us to Jesus,
her Son, and her Son's strongest wish is that we come to him through
his Blessed Mother. He is pleased and honoured just as a king
would be pleased and honoured if a citizen, wanting to become
a better subject and slave of the king, made himself the slave
of the queen. That is why the Fathers of the Church, and St. Bonaventure
after them, assert that the Blessed Virgin is the way which leads
to our Lord.
76. Moreover, if, as I have said,
the Blessed Virgin is the Queen and Sovereign of heaven and earth,
does she not then have as many subjects and slaves as there are
creatures? "All things, including Mary herself, are subject
to the power of God. All things, God included, are subject to
the Virgin's power", so we are told by St. Anselm, St. Bernard,
St. Bernardine and St. Bonaventure. Is it not reasonable to find
that among so many slaves there should be some slaves of love,
who freely choose Mary as their Queen? Should men and demons have
willing slaves, and Mary have none? A king makes it a point of
honour that the queen, his consort, should have her own slaves,
over whom she has right of life and death, for honour and power
given to the queen is honour and power given to the king. Could
we possibly believe that Jesus, the best of all sons, who shared
his power with his Blessed Mother, would resent her having her
own slaves? Has he less esteem and love for his Mother than Ahasuerus
had for Esther, or Solomon for Bathsheba? Who could say or even
think such a thing?
77. But where is my pen leading
me? Why am I wasting my time proving something so obvious? If
people are unwilling to call themselves slaves of Mary, what does
it matter? Let them become and call themselves slaves of Jesus
Christ, for this is the same as being slaves of Mary, since Jesus
is the fruit and glory of Mary. This is what we do perfectly in
the devotion we shall discuss later.
78. Our best actions are usually
tainted and spoiled by the evil that is rooted in us. When pure,
clear water is poured into a foul-smelling jug, or wine into an
unwashed cask that previously contained another wine, the clear
water and the good wine are tainted and readily acquire an unpleasant
odour. In the same way when God pours into our soul, infected
by original and actual sin, the heavenly waters of his grace or
the delicious wines of his love, his gifts are usually spoiled
and tainted by the evil sediment left in us by sin. Our actions,
even those of the highest virtue, show the effects of it. It is
therefore of the utmost importance that, in seeking the perfection
that can be attained only by union with Jesus, we rid ourselves
of all that is evil in us. Otherwise our infinitely pure Lord,
who has an infinite hatred for the slightest stain in our soul,
will refuse to unite us to himself and will drive us from his
presence.
79. To rid ourselves of selfishness,
we must first become thoroughly aware, by the light of the Holy
Spirit, of our tainted nature. Of ourselves we are unable to do
anything conducive to our salvation. Our human weakness is evident
in everything we do and we are habitually unreliable. We do not
deserve any grace from God. Our tendency to sin is always present.
The sin of Adam has almost entirely spoiled and soured us, filling
us with pride and corrupting every one of us, just as leaven sours,
swells and corrupts the dough in which it is placed. The actual
sins we have committed, whether mortal or venial, even though
forgiven, have intensified our base desires, our weakness, our
inconstancy and our evil tendencies, and have left a sediment
of evil in our soul.
Our bodies are so corrupt that they are
referred to by the Holy Spirit as bodies of sin, as conceived
and nourished in sin, and capable of any kind of sin. They are
subject to a thousand ills, deteriorating from day to day and
harbouring only disease, vermin and corruption.
Our soul, being united to our body, has
become so carnal that it has been called flesh. "All flesh
had corrupted its way". Pride and blindness of spirit, hardness
of heart, weakness and inconstancy of soul, evil inclinations,
rebellious passions, ailments of the body, - these are all we
can call our own. By nature we are prouder than peacocks, we cling
to the earth more than toads, we are more base than goats, more
envious than serpents, greedier than pigs, fiercer than tigers,
lazier than tortoises, weaker than reeds, and more changeable
than weather-cocks. We have in us nothing but sin, and deserve
only the wrath of God and the eternity of hell.
80. Is it any wonder then that
our Lord laid down that anyone who aspires to be his follower
must deny himself and hate his very life? He makes it clear that
anyone who loves his life shall lose it and anyone who hates his
life shall save it. Now, our Lord, who is infinite Wisdom, and
does not give commandments without a reason, bids us hate ourselves
only because we richly deserve to be hated. Nothing is more worthy
of love than God and nothing is more deserving of hatred than
self.
81. Secondly, in order to empty
ourselves of self, we must die daily to ourselves. This involves
our renouncing what the powers of the soul and the senses of the
body incline us to do. We must see as if we did not see, hear
as if we did not hear and use the things of this world as if we
did not use them. This is what St. Paul calls "dying daily".
Unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains
only a single grain and does not bear any good fruit. If we do
not die to self and if our holiest devotions do not lead us to
this necessary and fruitful death, we shall not bear fruit of
any worth and our devotions will cease to be profitable. All our
good works will be tainted by self-love and self-will so that
our greatest sacrifices and our best actions will be unacceptable
to God. Consequently when we come to die we shall find ourselves
devoid of virtue and merit and discover that we do not possess
even one spark of that pure love which God shares only with those
who have died to themselves and whose life is hidden with Jesus
Christ in him.
82. Thirdly, we must choose among
all the devotions to the Blessed Virgin the one which will lead
us more surely to this dying to self. This devotion will be the
best and the most sanctifying for us. For we must not believe
that all that glitters is gold, all that is sweet is honey, or
all that is easy to do and is done by the majority of people is
the most sanctifying. Just as in nature there are secrets enabling
us to do certain natural things quickly, easily and at little
cost, so in the spiritual life there are secrets which enable
us to perform works rapidly, smoothly and with facility. Such
works are, for example, emptying ourselves of self-love, filling
ourselves with God, and attaining perfection.
The devotion that I propose to explain
is one of these secrets of grace, for it is unknown to most Christians.
Only a few devout people know of it and it is practised and appreciated
by fewer still. To begin the explanation of this devotion here
is a fourth truth which is a consequence of the third.
83. It is more perfect because
it supposes greater humility to approach God through a mediator
rather than directly by ourselves. Our human nature, as I have
just shown, is so spoilt that if we rely on our own work, effort
and preparedness to reach God and please him, it is certain that
our good works will be tainted and carry little weight with him.
They will not induce him to unite himself to us or answer our
prayers. God had his reasons for giving us mediators with him.
He saw our unworthiness and helplessness and had pity on us. To
give us access to his mercies he provided us with powerful advocates,
so that to neglect these mediators and to approach his infinite
holiness directly and without help from any one of them, is to
be lacking in humility and respect towards God who is so great
and holy. It would mean that we have less esteem for the King
of kings than for an earthly king or ruler, for we would not dare
approach an earthly king without a friend to speak for us.
84. Our Lord is our Advocate and
our Mediator of redemption with God the Father. It is through
him that we must pray with the whole Church, triumphant and militant.
It is through him that we have access to God the Father. We should
never appear before God, our Father, unless we are supported by
the merits of his Son, and, so to speak, clothed in them, as young
Jacob was clothed in the skin of the young goats when he appeared
before his father Isaac to receive his blessing.
85. But have we no need at all
of a mediator with the Mediator himself? Are we pure enough to
be united directly to Christ without any help? Is Jesus not God,
equal in every way to the Father? Therefore is he not the Holy
of Holies, having a right to the same respect as his Father? If
in his infinite love he became our security and our Mediator with
his Father, whom he wished to appease in order to redeem us from
our debts, should we on that account show him less respect and
have less regard for the majesty and holiness of his person?
Let us not be afraid to say with St.
Bernard that we need a mediator with the Mediator himself and
the divinely-honoured Mary is the one most able to fulfil this
office of love. Through her, Jesus came to us; through her we
should go to him. If we are afraid of going directly to Jesus,
who is God, because of his infinite greatness, or our lowliness,
or our sins, let us implore without fear the help and intercession
of Mary, our Mother. She is kind, she is tender, and there is
nothing harsh or forbidding about her, nothing too sublime or
too brilliant. When we see her, we see our own human nature at
its purest. She is not the sun, dazzling our weak sight by the
brightness of its rays. Rather, she is fair and gentle as the
moon, which receives its light from the sun and softens it and
adapts it to our limited perception.
She is so full of love that no one who
asks for her intercession is rejected, no matter how sinful he
may be. The saints say that it has never been known since the
world began that anyone had recourse to our Blessed Lady, with
trust and perseverance, and was rejected. Her power is so great
that her prayers are never refused. She has but to appear in prayer
before her Son and he at once welcomes her and grants her requests.
He is always lovingly conquered by the prayers of the dear Mother
who bore him and nourished him.
86. All this is taken from St.
Bernard and St. Bonaventure. According to them, we have three
steps to take in order to reach God. The first, nearest to us
and most suited to our capacity, is Mary; the second is Jesus
Christ; the third is God the Father. To go to Jesus, we should
go to Mary, our mediatrix of intercession. To go to God the Father,
we must go to Jesus, our Mediator of redemption. This order is
perfectly observed in the devotion I shall speak about further
on.
87. It is very difficult, considering
our weakness and frailty, to keep the graces and treasures we
have received from God.
1. We carry this treasure, which is worth
more than heaven and earth, in fragile vessels, that is, in a
corruptible body and in a weak and wavering soul which requires
very little to depress and disturb it.
88. 2. The evil spirits, cunning
thieves that they are, can take us by surprise and rob us of all
we possess. They are watching day and night for the right moment.
They roam incessantly seeking to devour us and to snatch from
us in one brief moment of sin all the grace and merit we have
taken years to acquire. Their malice and their experience, their
cunning and their numbers ought to make us ever fearful of such
a misfortune happening to us. People, richer in grace and virtue,
more experienced and advanced in holiness than we are, have been
caught off their guard and robbed and stripped of everything.
How many cedars of Lebanon, how many stars of the firmament have
we sadly watched fall and lose in a short time their loftiness
and their brightness!
What has brought about this unexpected
reverse? Not the lack of grace, for this is denied no one. It
was a lack of humility; they considered themselves stronger and
more self- sufficient than they really were. They thought themselves
well able to hold on to their treasures. They believed their house
secure enough and their coffers strong enough to safeguard their
precious treasure of grace. It was because of their unconscious
reliance on self - although it seemed to them that they were relying
solely on the grace of God - that the most just Lord left them
to themselves and allowed them to be despoiled. If they had only
known of the wonderful devotion that I shall later explain, they
would have entrusted their treasure to Mary, the powerful and
faithful Virgin. She would have kept it for them as if it were
her own possession and even have considered that trust an obligation
of justice.
89. 3. It is difficult to persevere
in holiness because of the excessively corrupting influence of
the world. The world is so corrupt that it seems almost inevitable
that religious hearts be soiled, if not by its mud, at least by
its dust. It is something of a miracle for anyone to stand firm
in the midst of this raging torrent and not be swept away; to
weather this stormy sea and not be drowned, or robbed by pirates;
to breathe this pestilential air and not be contaminated by it.
It is Mary, the singularly faithful Virgin over whom Satan had
never any power, who works this miracle for those who truly love
her.
90. Now that we have established
these five basic truths, it is all the more necessary to make
the right choice of the true devotion to our Blessed Lady, for
now more than ever there are false devotions to her which can
easily be mistaken for true ones. The devil, like a counterfeiter
and crafty, experienced deceiver, has already misled and ruined
many Christians by means of fraudulent devotions to our Lady.
Day by day he uses his diabolical experience to lead many more
to their doom, fooling them, lulling them to sleep in sin and
assuring them that a few prayers, even badly said, and a few exterior
practices, inspired by himself, are authentic devotions. A counterfeiter
usually makes coins only of gold and silver, rarely of other metals,
because these latter would not be worth the trouble. Similarly,
the devil leaves other devotions alone and counterfeits mostly
those directed to Jesus and Mary, for example, devotion to the
Holy Eucharist and to the Blessed Virgin, because these are to
other devotions what gold and silver are to other metals.
91. It is therefore very important,
first, to recognise false devotions to our Blessed Lady so as
to avoid them, and to recognise true devotion in order to practise
it. Second, among so many different forms of true devotion to
our Blessed Lady we should choose the one most perfect and the
most pleasing to her, the one that gives greater glory to God
and is most sanctifying for us.
92. There are, I find, seven kinds
of false devotion to Mary, namely, the devotion of (1) the critical,
(2) the scrupulous, (3) the superficial, (4) the presumptuous,
(5) the inconstant, (6) the hypocritical, (7) the self-interested.
93. Critical devotees are for
the most part proud scholars, people of independent and self-satisfied
minds, who deep down in their hearts have a vague sort of devotion
to Mary. However, they criticise nearly all those forms of devotion
to her which simple and pious people use to honour their good
Mother just because such practices do not appeal to them. They
question all miracles and stories which testify to the mercy and
power of the Blessed Virgin, even those recorded by trustworthy
authors or taken from the chronicles of religious orders. They
cannot bear to see simple and humble people on their knees before
an altar or statue of our Lady, or at prayer before some outdoor
shrine. They even accuse them of idolatry as if they were adoring
the wood or the stone. They say that as far as they are concerned
they do not care for such outward display of devotion and that
they are not so gullible as to believe all the fairy tales and
stories told of our Blessed Lady. When you tell them how admirably
the Fathers of the Church praised our Lady, they reply that the
Fathers were exaggerating as orators do, or that their words are
misrepresented. These false devotees, these proud worldly people
are greatly to be feared. They do untold harm to devotion to our
Lady. While pretending to correct abuses, they succeed only too
well in turning people away from this devotion.
94. Scrupulous devotees are those
who imagine they are slighting the Son by honouring the Mother.
They fear that by exalting Mary they are belittling Jesus. They
cannot bear to see people giving to our Lady the praises due to
her and which the Fathers of the Church have lavished upon her.
It annoys them to see more people kneeling before Mary's altar
than before the Blessed Sacrament, as if these acts were at variance
with each other, or as if those who were praying to our Lady were
not praying through her to Jesus. They do not want us to speak
too often of her or to pray so often to her.
Here are some of the things they say:
"What is the good of all these rosaries, confraternities
and exterior devotions to our Lady? There is a great deal of ignorance
in all this. It is making a mockery of religion. Tell us about
those who are devoted to Jesus (and they often pronounce his name
without uncovering their heads). We should go directly to Jesus,
since he is our sole Mediator. We must preach Jesus; that is sound
devotion." There is some truth in what they say, but the
inference they draw to prevent devotion to our Lady is very insidious.
It is a subtle snare of the evil one under the pretext of promoting
a greater good. For we never give more honour to Jesus than when
we honour his Mother, and we honour her simply and solely to honour
him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading
to the goal we seek - Jesus, her Son.
95. The Church, with the Holy
Spirit, blesses our Lady first, then Jesus, "Blessed art
thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."
Not that Mary is greater than Jesus, or even equal to him - that
would be an intolerable heresy. But in order to bless Jesus more
perfectly we should first bless Mary. Let us say with all those
truly devoted to her, despite these false and scrupulous devotees:
"O Mary, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the
fruit of thy womb, Jesus."
96. Superficial devotees are people
whose entire devotion to our Lady consists in exterior practices.
Only the externals of devotion appeal to them because they have
no interior spirit. They say many rosaries with great haste and
assist at many Masses distractedly. They take part in processions
of our Lady without inner fervour. They join her confraternities
without reforming their lives or restraining their passions or
imitating Mary's virtues. All that appeals to them is the emotional
aspect of this devotion, but the substance of it has no appeal
at all. If they do not feel a warmth in their devotions, they
think they are doing nothing; they become upset, and give up everything,
or else do things only when they feel like it. The world is full
of these shallow devotees, and there are none more critical of
men of prayer who regard the interior devotion as the essential
aspect and strive to acquire it without, however, neglecting a
reasonable external expression which always accompanies true devotion.
97. Presumptuous devotees are
sinners who give full rein to their passions or their love of
the world, and who, under the fair name of Christian and servant
of our Lady, conceal pride, avarice, lust, drunkenness, anger,
swearing, slandering, injustice and other vices. They sleep peacefully
in their wicked habits, without making any great effort to correct
them, believing that their devotion to our Lady gives them this
sort of liberty. They convince themselves that God will forgive
them, that they will not die without confession, that they will
not be lost for all eternity. They take all this for granted because
they say the Rosary, fast on Saturdays, are enrolled in the Confraternity
of the Holy Rosary or the Scapular, or a sodality of our Lady,
wear the medal or the little chain of our Lady.
When you tell them that such a devotion
is only an illusion of the devil and a dangerous presumption which
may well ruin them, they refuse to believe you. God is good and
merciful, they reply, and he has not made us to damn us. No man
is without sin. We will not die without confession, and a good
act of contrition at death is all that is needed. Moreover, they
say they have devotion to our Lady; that they wear the scapular;
that they recite faithfully and humbly every day the seven Our
Fathers and seven Hail Marys in her honour; that sometimes they
even say the Rosary and the Office of our Lady, as well as fasting
and performing other good works.
Blinding themselves still more, they
quote stories they have heard or read - whether true or false
does not bother them - which relate how people who had died in
mortal sin were brought back to life again to go to confession,
or how their soul was miraculously retained in their bodies until
confession, because in their lifetime they said a few prayers
or performed a few pious acts, in honour of our Lady. Others are
supposed to have obtained from God at the moment of death, through
the merciful intercession of the Blessed Virgin, sorrow and pardon
for their sins, and so were saved. Accordingly, these people expect
the same thing to happen to them.
98. Nothing in our Christian religion
is so deserving of condemnation as this diabolical presumption.
How can we truthfully claim to love and honour the Blessed Virgin
when by our sins we pitilessly wound, pierce, crucify and outrage
her Son? If Mary made it a rule to save by her mercy this sort
of person, she would be condoning wickedness and helping to outrage
and crucify her Son. Who would even dare to think of such a thing?
99. I declare that such an abuse
of devotion to her is a horrible sacrilege and, next to an unworthy
Communion, is the greatest and the least pardonable sin, because
devotion to our Lady is the holiest and best after devotion to
the Blessed Sacrament.
I admit that to be truly devoted to our
Lady, it is not absolutely necessary to be so holy as to avoid
all sin, although this is desirable. But at least it is necessary
(note what I am going to say), (1) to be genuinely determined
to avoid at least all mortal sin, which outrages the Mother as
well as the Son; (2) to practise self-restraint in order to avoid
sin; (3) to join her confraternities, say the Rosary and other
prayers, fast on Saturdays, and so on.
100. Such means are surprisingly
effective in converting even the hardened sinner. Should you be
such a sinner, with one foot in the abyss, I advise you to do
as I have said. But there is an essential condition. You must
perform these good works solely to obtain from God, through the
intercession of our Lady, the grace to regret your sins, obtain
pardon for them and overcome your evil habits, and not to live
complacently in the state of sin, disregarding the warning voice
of conscience, the example of our Lord and the saints, and the
teaching of the holy gospel.
101. Inconstant devotees are those
whose devotion to our Lady is practised in fits and starts. Sometimes
they are fervent and sometimes they are lukewarm. Sometimes they
appear ready to do anything to please our Lady, and then shortly
afterwards they have completely changed. They start by embracing
every devotion to our Lady. They join her confraternities, but
they do not faithfully observe the rules. They are as changeable
as the moon, and like the moon Mary puts them under her feet.
Because of their fickleness they are unworthy to be included among
the servants of the Virgin most faithful, because faithfulness
and constancy are the hallmarks of Mary's servants. It is better
not to burden ourselves with a multitude of prayers and pious
practices but rather adopt only a few and perform them with love
and perseverance in spite of opposition from the devil the world
and the flesh.
102. There is another category
of false devotees of our Lady, - hypocritical ones. These hide
their sins and evil habits under the mantle of the Blessed Virgin
so as to appear to their fellow-men different from what they are.
103. Then there are the self-interested
devotees who turn to her only to win a court-case, to escape some
danger, to be cured of some ailment, or have some similar need
satisfied. Except when in need they never think of her. Such people
are acceptable neither to God not to his Mother.
104. We must, then, carefully
avoid joining the critical devotees, who believe nothing and find
fault with everything; the scrupulous ones who, out of respect
for our Lord, are afraid of having too much devotion to his Mother;
the exterior devotees whose devotion consists entirely in outward
practices; the presumptuous devotees who under cover of a fictitious
devotion to our Lady wallow in their sins; the inconstant devotees
who, being unstable, change their devotional practices or abandon
them altogether at the slightest temptation; the hypocritical
ones who join confraternities and wear emblems of our Lady only
to be thought of as good people; finally, the self-interested
devotees who pray to our Lady only to be rid of bodily ills or
to obtain material benefits.
105. 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.
106. 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.
107. 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.
108. 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.
109. Fourth, true devotion
to our Lady is constant. It strengthens us in our desire to
do good and prevents us from giving up our devotional practices
too easily. It gives us the courage to oppose the fashions and
maxims of the world, the vexations and unruly inclinations of
the flesh and the temptations of the devil. Thus a person truly
devoted to our Blessed Lady is not changeable, fretful, scrupulous
or timid. We do not say however that such a person never sins
or that his sensible feelings of devotion never change. When he
has fallen, he stretches out his hand to his Blessed Mother and
rises again. If he loses all taste and feeling for devotion, he
is not at all upset because a good and faithful servant of Mary
is guided in his life by faith in Jesus and Mary, and not by feelings.
110. Fifth, true devotion to
Mary is disinterested. It inspires us to seek God alone in
his Blessed Mother and not ourselves. The true subject of Mary
does not serve his illustrious Queen for selfish gain. He does
not serve her for temporal or eternal well-being but simply and
solely because she has the right to be served and God alone in
her. He loves her not so much because she is good to him or because
he expects something from her, but simply because she is loveable.
That is why he loves and serves her just as faithfully in weariness
and dryness of soul as in sweet and sensible fervour. He loves
her as much on Calvary as at Cana. How pleasing and precious in
the sight of God and his holy Mother must these servants of Mary
be, who serve her without any self-seeking. How rare they are
nowadays! It is to increase their number that I have taken up
my pen to write down what I have been teaching with success both
publicly and in private in my missions for many years.
111. I have already said many
things about the Blessed Virgin and, as I am trying to fashion
a true servant of Mary and a true disciple of Jesus, I have still
a great deal to say, although through ignorance, inability, and
lack of time, I shall leave infinitely more unsaid.
112. But my labour will be well
rewarded if this little book falls into the hands of a noble soul,
a child of God and of Mary, born not of blood nor the will of
the flesh nor of the will of man. My time will be well spent if,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit, after having read this book he
is convinced of the supreme value of the solid devotion to Mary
I am about to describe. If I thought that my guilty blood could
help the reader to accept in his heart the truths that I set down
in honour of my dear Mother and Queen, I, her most unworthy child
and slave, would use it instead of ink to write these words. I
would hope to find faithful souls who, by their perseverance in
the devotion I teach, will repay her for the loss she has suffered
through my ingratitude and infidelity.
113. I feel more than ever inspired
to believe and expect the complete fulfilment of the desire that
is deeply engraved on my heart and what I have prayed to God for
over many years, namely, that in the near or distant future the
Blessed Virgin will have more children, servants and slaves of
love than ever before, and that through them Jesus, my dear Lord,
will reign more than ever in the hearts of men.
114. I clearly foresee that raging
beasts will come in fury to tear to pieces with their diabolical
teeth this little book and the one the Holy Spirit made use of
to write it, or they will cause it at least to lie hidden in the
darkness and silence of a chest and so prevent it from seeing
the light of day. They will even attack and persecute those who
read it and put into practice what it contains. But no matter!
So much the better! It even gives me encouragement to hope for
great success at the prospect of a mighty legion of brave and
valiant soldiers of Jesus and Mary, both men and women, who will
fight the devil, the world, and corrupt nature in the perilous
times that are sure to come.
"Let the reader understand. Let
him accept this teaching who can."
115. There are several interior
practices of true devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Here briefly
are the main ones:
(1) Honouring her, as the worthy Mother
of God, by the cult of hyperdulia, that is, esteeming and honouring
her more than all the other saints as the masterpiece of grace
and the foremost in holiness after Jesus Christ, true God and
true man.
(2) Meditating on her virtues, her privileges
and her actions.
(3) Contemplating her sublime dignity.
(4) Offering to her acts of love, praise
and gratitude.
(5) Invoking her with a joyful heart.
(6) Offering ourselves to her and uniting
ourselves to her.
(7) Doing everything to please her.
(8) Beginning, carrying out and completing
our actions through her, in her, with her, and for her in order
to do them through Jesus, in Jesus, with Jesus, and for Jesus,
our last end. We shall explain this last practice later.
116. True devotion to our Lady
has also several exterior practices. Here are the principal ones:
(1) Enrolling in her confraternities
and joining her sodalities.
(2) Joining religious orders dedicated
to her.
(3) Making her privileges known and appreciated.
(4) Giving alms, fasting, performing
interior and exterior acts of self-denial in her honour.
(5) Carrying such signs of devotion to
her as the rosary, the scapular, or a little chain.
(6) Reciting with attention, devotion
and reverence the fifteen decades of the Rosary in honour of the
fifteen principal mysteries of our Lord, or at least five decades
in honour of the Joyful mysteries - the Annunciation, the Visitation,
the Birth of our Lord, the Purification, the Finding of the Child
Jesus in the temple; or the Sorrowful mysteries: the Agony in
the Garden, the Scourging, the Crowning with thorns, the Carrying
of the Cross, and the Crucifixion; or the Glorious mysteries:
The Resurrection of our Lord, the Ascension, the Descent of the
Holy Spirit, the Assumption of our Lady, body and soul, into heaven,
the Crowning of Mary by the Blessed Trinity.
One may also choose any of the following
prayers: the Rosary of six or seven decades in honour of the years
our Lady is believed to have spent on earth; the Little Crown
of the Blessed Virgin in honour of her crown of twelve stars or
privileges; the Little Office of our Lady so widely accepted and
recited in the Church; the Little Psalter of the Blessed Virgin,
composed in her honour by St. Bonaventure, which is so heart-warming,
and so devotional that you cannot recite it without being moved
by it; the fourteen Our Fathers and Hail Marys in honour of her
fourteen joys. There are various other prayers and hymns of the
Church, such as, the hymns of the liturgical seasons, the Ave
Maris Stella, the O Gloriosa Domina ; the Magnificat and other
prayers which are found in all prayer-books.
(7) Singing hymns to her or teaching
others to sing them.
(8) Genuflecting or bowing to her each
morning while saying for example sixty or a hundred times, "Hail
Mary, Virgin most faithful", so that through her intercession
with God we may faithfully correspond with his graces throughout
the day; and in the evening saying "Hail Mary, Mother of
Mercy", asking her to obtain God's pardon for the sins we
have committed during the day.
(9) Taking charge of her confraternities,
decorating her altars, crowning and adorning her statues.
(10) Carrying her statues or having others
carry them in procession, or keeping a small one on one's person
as an effective protection against the evil one.
(11) Having statues made of her, or her
name engraved and placed on the walls of churches or houses and
on the gates and entrances of towns, churches and houses.
(12) Solemnly giving oneself to her by
a special consecration.
117. The Holy Spirit has inspired
saintly souls with other practices of true devotion to the Blessed
Virgin, all of which are conducive to holiness. You can read of
them in detail in "Paradise opened to Philagia", a collection
of many devotions practised by holy people to honour the Blessed
Virgin, compiled by Fr. Paul Barry of the Society of Jesus. These
devotions are a wonderful help for souls seeking holiness provided
they are performed in a worthy manner, that is:
(1) With the right intention of pleasing
God alone, seeking union with Jesus, our last end, and giving
edification to our neighbour.
(2) With attention, avoiding wilful distractions.
(3) With devotion, avoiding haste and
negligence.
(4) With decorum and respectful bodily
posture.
118. Having read nearly every
book on devotion to the Blessed Virgin and talked to the most
saintly and learned people of the day, I can now state with conviction
that I have never known or heard of any devotion to our Lady which
is comparable to the one I am going to speak of. No other devotion
calls for more sacrifices for God, none empties us more completely
of self and self-love, none keeps us more firmly in the grace
of God and the grace of God in us. No other devotion unites us
more perfectly and more easily to Jesus. Finally no devotion gives
more glory to God, is more sanctifying for ourselves or more helpful
to our neighbour.
119. As this devotion essentially
consists in a state of soul, it will not be understood in the
same way by everyone. Some - the great majority - will stop short
at the threshold and go no further. Others - not many - will take
but one step into its interior. Who will take a second step? Who
will take a third? Finally who will remain in it permanently?
Only the one to whom the Spirit of Jesus reveals the secret. The
Holy Spirit himself will lead this faithful soul from strength
to strength, from grace to grace, from light to light, until at
length he attains transformation into Jesus in the fullness of
his age on earth and of his glory in heaven.
120. As
all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated
to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions
is that which conforms, unites, and consecrates us most completely
to Jesus. Now of all God's creatures Mary is the most conformed
to Jesus. It therefore follows that, of all devotions, devotion
to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity
to him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated
to Jesus.
That is why perfect consecration
to Jesus is but a perfect and complete consecration of oneself
to the Blessed Virgin, which is the devotion I teach; or in other
words, it is the perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy
baptism.
121. This
devotion consists in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order
to belong entirely to Jesus through her. It requires us to give:
(1) Our body with its senses
and members;
(2) Our soul with its faculties;
(3) Our present material
possessions and all we shall acquire in the future;
(4) Our interior and spiritual
possessions, that is, our merits, virtues and good actions of
the past, the present and the future.
In other words, we give
her all that we possess both in our natural life and in our spiritual
life as well as everything we shall acquire in the future in the
order of nature, of grace, and of glory in heaven. This we do
without any reservation, not even of a penny, a hair, or the smallest
good deed. And we give for all eternity without claiming or expecting,
in return for our offering and our service, any other reward than
the honour of belonging to our Lord through Mary and in Mary,
even though our Mother were not - as in fact she always is - the
most generous and appreciative of all God's creatures.
122. Note
here that two things must be considered regarding our good works,
namely, satisfaction and merit or, in other words, their satisfactory
or prayer value and their meritorious value. The satisfactory
or prayer value of a good work is the good action in so far as
it makes condign atonement for the punishment due to sin or obtains
some new grace. The meritorious value or merit is the good action
in so far as it merits grace and eternal glory. Now by this consecration
of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin we give her all satisfactory
and prayer value as well as the meritorious value of our good
works, in other words, all the satisfactions and the merits. We
give her our merits, graces and virtues, not that she might give
them to others, for they are, strictly speaking, not transferable,
because Jesus alone, in making himself our surety with his Father,
had the power to impart his merits to us. But we give them to
her that she may keep, increase and embellish them for us, as
we shall explain later, and we give her our acts of atonement
that she may apply them where she pleases for God's greater glory.
123. It
follows then:
(1) that by this devotion
we give to Jesus all we can possibly give him, and in the most
perfect manner, that is, through Mary's hands. Indeed we give
him far more than we do by other devotions which require us to
give only part of our time, some of our good works or acts of
atonement and penances. In this devotion everything is given and
consecrated, even the right to dispose freely of one's spiritual
goods and the satisfactions earned by daily good works. This is
not done even in religious orders. Members of religious orders
give God their earthly goods by the vow of poverty, the goods
of the body by the vow of chastity, their free will by the vow
of obedience, and sometimes their freedom of movement by the vow
of enclosure. But they do not give him by these vows the liberty
and right to dispose of the value of their good works. They do
not despoil themselves of what a Christian considers most precious
and most dear - his merits and satisfactions.
124. (2)
It follows then that anyone who in this way consecrates and sacrifices
himself voluntarily to Jesus through Mary may no longer dispose
of the value of any of his good actions. All his sufferings, all
his thoughts, words, and deeds belong to Mary. She can then dispose
of them in accordance with the will of her Son and for his greater
glory. This dependence, however, is without detriment to the duties
of a person's present and future state of life. One such duty,
for example, would be that of a priest who, by virtue of his office
or otherwise, must apply the satisfactory or prayer value of the
Holy Mass to a particular person. For this consecration can only
be made in accordance with the order established by God and in
keeping with the duties of one's state of life.
125. (3)
It follows that we consecrate ourselves at one and the same time
to Mary and to Jesus. We give ourselves to Mary because Jesus
chose her as the perfect means to unite himself to us and unite
us to him. We give ourselves to Jesus because he is our last end.
Since he is our Redeemer and our God we are indebted to him for
all that we are.
126. I
have said that this devotion could rightly be called a perfect
renewal of the vows and promises of holy baptism. Before baptism
every Christian was a slave of the devil because he belonged to
him. At baptism he has either personally or through his sponsors
solemnly renounced Satan, his seductions and his works. He has
chosen Jesus as his Master and sovereign Lord and undertaken to
depend upon him as a slave of love. This is what is done in the
devotion I am presenting to you. We renounce the devil, the world,
sin and self, as expressed in the act of consecration, and we
give ourselves entirely to Jesus through Mary. We even do something
more than at baptism, when ordinarily our god-parents speak for
us and we are given to Jesus only by proxy. In this devotion we
give ourselves personally and freely and we are fully aware of
what we are doing.
In holy baptism we do not
give ourselves to Jesus explicitly through Mary, nor do we give
him the value of our good actions. After baptism we remain entirely
free either to apply that value to anyone we wish or keep it for
ourselves. But by this consecration we give ourselves explicitly
to Jesus through Mary's hands and we include in our consecration
the value of all our actions.
127. "Men"
says St. Thomas, "vow in baptism to renounce the devil and
all his seductions." "This vow," says St. Augustine,
"is the greatest and the most indispensable of all vows."
Canon Law experts say the same thing: "The vow we make at
baptism is the most important of all vows." But does anyone
keep this great vow? Does anyone fulfil the promises of baptism
faithfully? Is it not true that nearly all Christians prove unfaithful
to the promises made to Jesus in baptism? Where does this universal
failure come from, if not from man's habitual forgetfulness of
the promises and responsibilities of baptism and from the fact
that scarcely anyone makes a personal ratification of the contract
made with God through his sponsors?
128. This
is so true that the Council of Sens, convened by order of the
Emperor Louis the Debonair to remedy the grave disorders of Christendom,
came to the conclusion that the main cause of this moral breakdown
was man's forgetfulness of his baptismal obligations and his disregard
for them. It could suggest no better way of remedying this great
evil than to encourage all Christians to renew the promises and
vows of baptism.
129. The
Catechism of the Council of Trent, faithful interpreter of that
holy Council, exhorts priests to do the same and to encourage
the faithful to remember and hold fast to the belief that they
are bound and consecrated as slaves to Jesus, their Redeemer and
Lord. "The parish priest shall exhort the faithful never
to lose sight of the fact that they are bound in conscience to
dedicate and consecrate themselves for ever to their Lord and
Redeemer as his slaves."
130. Now
the Councils, the Fathers of the Church and experience itself,
all indicate that the best remedy for the frequent lapses of Christians
is to remind them of the responsibilities of their baptism and
have them renew the vows they made at that time. Is it not reasonable
therefore to do this in our day and in a perfect manner by adopting
this devotion with its consecration to our Lord through his Blessed
Mother? I say "in a perfect manner", for in making this
consecration to Jesus they are adopting the perfect means of giving
themselves to him, which is the most Blessed Virgin Mary.
131. No
one can object that this devotion is novel or of no value. It
is not new, since the Councils, the Fathers of the Church, and
many authors both past and present, speak of consecration to our
Lord or renewal of baptismal vows as something going back to ancient
times and recommended to all the faithful. Nor is it valueless,
since the chief source of moral disorders and the consequent eternal
loss of Christians spring from the forgetfulness of this practice
and indifference to it.
132. Some
may object that this devotion makes us powerless to help the souls
of our relatives, friends and benefactors, since it requires us
to give our Lord, through Mary, the value of our good works, prayers,
penances, and alms-giving.
To them I reply:
(1) It is inconceivable
that our friends, relatives and benefactors should suffer any
loss because we have dedicated and consecrated ourselves unconditionally
to the service of Jesus and Mary; it would be an affront to the
power and goodness of Jesus and Mary who will surely come to the
aid of our relatives, friends and benefactors whether from our
meagre spiritual assets or from other sources.
(2) This devotion does not
prevent us from praying for others, both the living and the dead,
even though the application of our good works depends on the will
of our Blessed Lady. On the contrary, it will make us pray with
even greater confidence. Imagine a rich man, who, wanting to show
his esteem for a great prince, gives his entire fortune to him.
Would not that man have greater confidence in asking the prince
to help one of his friends who needed assistance? Indeed the prince
would only be too happy to have such an opportunity of proving
his gratitude to one who had sacrificed all that he possessed
to enrich him, thereby impoverishing himself to do him honour.
The same must be said of our Lord and our Lady. They will never
allow themselves to be outdone in gratitude.
133. Some
may say, perhaps, if I give our Lady the full value of my actions
to apply it to whom she wills, I may have to suffer a long time
in purgatory. This objection, which arises from self-love and
from an unawareness of the generosity of God and his holy Mother,
refutes itself.
Take a fervent and generous
soul who values God's interests more than his own. He gives God
all he has without reserve till he can give no more. He desires
only that the glory and the kingdom of Jesus may come through
his Mother, and he does all he can to bring this about. Will this
generous and unselfish soul, I ask, be punished more in the next
world for having been more generous and unselfish than other people?
Far from it! For we shall see later that our Lord and his Mother
will prove most generous to such a soul with gifts of nature,
grace and glory in this life and in the next.
134. We
must now consider as briefly as possible: (1) The motives which
commend this devotion to us, (2) the wonderful effects it produces
in faithful souls, and (3) the practices of this devotion.
135. This
first motive shows us the excellence of the consecration of ourselves
to Jesus through Mary.
We can conceive of no higher
calling than that of being in the service of God and we believe
that the least of God's servants is richer, stronger, and nobler
than any earthly monarch who does not serve God. How rich and
strong and noble then must the good and faithful servant be, who
serves God as unreservedly and as completely as he possibly can!
Just such a person is the faithful and loving slave of Jesus in
Mary. He has indeed surrendered himself entirely to the service
of the King of kings through Mary, his Mother, keeping nothing
for himself. All the gold of the world and the beauties of the
heavens could not recompense him for what he has done.
136. Other
congregations, associations, and confraternities set up in honour
of our Lord and our Blessed Lady, which do so much good in the
Church, do not require their members to give up absolutely everything.
They simply prescribe for them the performance of certain acts
and practices in fulfilment of their obligations. They leave them
free to dispose of the rest of their actions as well as their
time. But this devotion makes us give Jesus and Mary all our thoughts,
words, actions, and sufferings and every moment of our lives without
exception. Thus, whatever we do, whether we are awake or asleep,
whether we eat or drink, whether we do important or unimportant
work, it will always be true to say that everything is done for
Jesus and Mary. Our offering always holds good, whether we think
of it or not, unless we explicitly retract it. How consoling this
is!
137. Moreover,
as I have said before, no other act of devotion enables us to
rid ourselves so easily of the possessiveness which slips unnoticed
even into our best actions. This is a remarkable grace which our
dear Lord grants us in return for the heroic and selfless surrender
to him through Mary of the entire value of our good works. If
even in this life he gives a hundredfold reward to those who renounce
all material, temporal and perishable things out of love for him,
how generously will he reward those who give up even interior
and spiritual goods for his sake!
138. Jesus,
our dearest friend, gave himself to us without reserve, body and
soul, grace and merits. As St. Bernard says, "He won me over
entirely by giving himself entirely to me." Does not simple
justice as well as gratitude require that we give him all we possibly
can? He was generous with us first, so let us be generous to him
in return and he will prove still more generous during life, at
the hour of death, and throughout eternity. "He will be generous
towards the generous."
139. Our
good Master stooped to enclose himself in the womb of the Blessed
Virgin, a captive but loving slave, and to make himself subject
to her for thirty years. As I said earlier, the human mind is
bewildered when it reflects seriously upon this conduct of Incarnate
Wisdom. He did not choose to give himself in a direct manner to
the human race though he could easily have done so. He chose to
come through the Virgin Mary. Thus he did not come into the world
independently of others in the flower of his manhood, but he came
as a frail little child dependent on the care and attention of
his Mother. Consumed with the desire to give glory to God, his
Father, and save the human race, he saw no better or shorter way
to do so than by submitting completely to Mary.
He did this not just for
the first eight, ten or fifteen years of his life like other children,
but for thirty years. He gave more glory to God, his Father, during
all those years of submission and dependence than he would have
given by spending them working miracles, preaching far and wide,
and converting all mankind. Otherwise he would have done all these
things.
What immeasurable glory
then do we give to God when, following the example of Jesus, we
submit to Mary! With such a convincing and well-known example
before us, can we be so foolish as to believe that there is a
better and shorter way of giving God glory than by submitting
ourselves to Mary, as Jesus did?
140. Let
me remind you again of the dependence shown by the three divine
Persons on our Blessed Lady. Theirs is the example which fully
justifies our dependence on her. The Father gave and still gives
his Son only through her. He raises children for himself only
through her. He dispenses his graces to us only through her. God
the Son was prepared for mankind in general by her alone. Mary,
in union with the Holy Spirit, still conceives him and brings
him forth daily. It is through her alone that the Son distributes
his merits and virtues. The Holy Spirit formed Jesus only through
her, and he forms the members of the Mystical Body and dispenses
his gifts and his favours through her.
With such a compelling example
of the three divine Persons before us, we would be extremely perverse
to ignore her and not consecrate ourselves to her. Indeed we would
be blind if we did not see the need for Mary in approaching God
and making our total offering to him.
141. Here
are a few passages from the Fathers of the Church which I have
chosen to prove what I have just said: "Mary has two sons,
the one a God-man, the other, mere man. She is Mother of the first
corporally and of the second spiritually" (St. Bonaventure
and Origen).
"This is the will of
God who willed that we should have all things through Mary. If
then, we possess any hope or grace or gift of salvation, let us
acknowledge that it comes to us through her" (St. Bernard).
"All the gifts, graces,
virtues of the Holy Spirit are distributed by the hands of Mary,
to whom she wills, when she wills, as she wills, and in the measure
she wills" (St. Bernardine).
"As you were not worthy
that anything divine should be given to you, all graces were given
to Mary so that you might receive through her all graces you would
not otherwise receive" (St. Bernard).
142. St.
Bernard tells us that God, seeing that we are unworthy to receive
his graces directly from him, gives them to Mary so that we might
receive from her all that he decides to give us. His glory is
achieved when he receives through Mary the gratitude, respect
and love we owe him in return for his gifts to us. It is only
right then that we should imitate his conduct, "in order",
as St. Bernard again says, "that grace might return to its
author by the same channel through which it came to us".
This is what we do by this
devotion. We offer and consecrate all we are and all we possess
to the Blessed Virgin in order that our Lord may receive through
her as intermediary the glory and gratitude that we owe to him.
We deem ourselves unworthy and unfit to approach his infinite
majesty on our own, and so we avail ourselves of Mary's intercession.
143. Moreover,
this devotion is an expression of great humility, a virtue which
God loves above all others. A person who exalts himself debases
God, and a person who humbles himself exalts God. "God opposes
the proud, but gives his graces to the humble." If you humble
yourself, convinced that you are unworthy to appear before him,
or even to approach him, he condescends to come down to you. He
is pleased to be with you and exalts you in spite of yourself.
But, on the other hand, if you venture to go towards God blindly
without a mediator, he vanishes and is nowhere to be found. How
dearly he loves the humble of heart! It is to such humility that
this devotion leads us, for it teaches us never to go alone directly
to our Lord, however gentle and merciful though he may be, but
always to use Mary's power of intercession, whether we want to
enter his presence, speak to him, be near him, offer him something,
seek union with him or consecrate ourselves to him.
144. The
Blessed Virgin, mother of gentleness and mercy, never allows herself
to be surpassed in love and generosity. When she sees someone
giving himself entirely to her in order to honour and serve her,
and depriving himself of what he prizes most in order to adorn
her, she gives herself completely in a wondrous manner to him.
She engulfs him in the ocean of her graces, adorns him with her
merits, supports him with her power, enlightens him with her light,
and fills him with her love. She shares her virtues with him -
her humility, faith, purity, etc. She makes up for his failings
and becomes his representative with Jesus. Just as one who is
consecrated belongs entirely to Mary, so Mary belongs entirely
to him. We can truthfully say of this perfect servant and child
of Mary what St. John in his gospel says of himself, "He
took her for his own."
145. This
produces in his soul, if he is persevering, a great distrust,
contempt, and hatred of self, and a great confidence in Mary with
complete self-abandonment to her. He no longer relies on his own
dispositions, intentions, merits, virtues and good works, since
he has sacrificed them completely to Jesus through his loving
Mother. He has now only one treasury, where all his wealth is
stored. That treasury is not within himself: it is Mary. That
is why he can now go to our Lord without any servile or scrupulous
fear and pray to him with great confidence. He can also share
the sentiments of the devout and learned Abbot Rupert, who, referring
to the victory which Jacob won over an angel, addressed our Lady
in these words, "O Mary, my Queen, Immaculate Mother of the
God-man, Jesus Christ, I desire to wrestle with this man, the
Divine Word, armed with your merits and not my own."
How much stronger and more
powerful are we in approaching our Lord when we are armed with
the merits and prayers of the worthy Mother of God, who, as St.
Augustine says, has conquered the Almighty by her love!
146. Since
by this devotion we give to our Lord, through the hands of his
holy Mother, all our good works, she purifies them, making them
beautiful and acceptable to her Son.
(1) She purifies them of
every taint of self-love and of that unconscious attachment to
creatures which slips unnoticed into our best actions. Her hands
have never been known to be idle or uncreative. They purify everything
they touch. As soon as the Blessed Virgin receives our good works,
she removes any blemish or imperfection she may find in them.
147. (2)
She enriches our good works by adorning them with her own merits
and virtues. It is as if a poor peasant, wishing to win the friendship
and favour of the king, were to go the queen and give her an apple
- his only possession - for her to offer it to the king. The queen,
accepting the peasant's humble gift, puts it on a beautiful golden
dish and presents it to the king on behalf of the peasant. The
apple in itself would not be a gift worthy of a king, but presented
by the queen in person on a dish of gold, it becomes fit for any
king.
148. (3)
Mary presents our good works to Jesus. She does not keep anything
we offer for herself, as if she were our last end, but unfailingly
gives everything to Jesus. So by the very fact we give anything
to her, we are giving it to Jesus. Whenever we praise and glorify
her, she sings today as she did on the day Elizabeth praised her,
"My soul glorifies the Lord."
149. At
Mary's request, Jesus accepts the gift of our good works, no matter
how poor and insignificant they may be for one who is the King
of kings, the Holiest of the holy. When we present anything to
Jesus by ourselves, relying on our own dispositions and efforts,
he examines our gift and often rejects it because it is stained
with self-love, just as he once rejected the sacrifices of the
Jews because they were imbued with selfish motives.
But when we present something
to him by the pure, virginal hands of his beloved Mother, we take
him by his weak side, in a manner of speaking. He does not consider
so much the present itself as the person who offers it. Thus Mary,
who is never slighted by her Son but is always well received,
prevails upon him to accept with pleasure everything she offers
him, regardless of its value. Mary has only to present the gift
for Jesus graciously to accept it. This is what St. Bernard strongly
recommended to all those he was guiding along the pathway to perfection.
"When you want to offer something to God, to be welcomed
by him be sure to offer it through the worthy Mother of God, if
you do not wish to see it rejected."
150. Does
not human nature itself, as we have seen, suggest this mode of
procedure to the less important people of this world with regard
to the great? Why should grace not inspire us to do likewise with
regard to God? He is infinitely exalted above us. We are less
than atoms in his sight. But we have an advocate so powerful that
she is never refused anything. She is so resourceful that she
knows every secret way to win the heart of God. She is so good
and kind that she never passes over anyone no matter how lonely
and sinful.
Further on, I shall relate
the story of Jacob and Rebecca which exemplifies the truths I
have been setting before you.
151. This
devotion, when faithfully undertaken, is a perfect means of ensuring
that the value of all our good works is being used for the greater
glory of God. Scarcely anyone works for that noble end, in spite
of the obligation to do so, either because men do not know where
God's greatest glory is to be found or because they do not desire
it. Now Mary, to whom we surrender the value and merit of our
good actions, knows perfectly well where God's greatest glory
lies and she works only to promote that glory. The devout servant
of our Lady, having entirely consecrated himself to her as I have
described above, can boldly claim that the value of all his actions,
words and thoughts is used for the greatest glory of God, unless
he has explicitly retracted his offering. For one who loves God
with a pure and unselfish love and prizes God's glory and interests
far above his own, could anything be more consoling?
152. This
devotion is a smooth, short, perfect and sure way of attaining
union with our Lord, in which Christian perfection consists.
(a) This devotion is
a smooth way. It is the path which Jesus Christ opened up
in coming to us and in which there is no obstruction to prevent
us reaching him. It is quite true that we can attain to divine
union by other roads, but these involve many more crosses and
exceptional setbacks and many difficulties that we cannot easily
overcome. We would have to pass through spiritual darkness, engage
in struggles for which we are not prepared, endure bitter agonies,
scale precipitous mountains, tread upon painful thorns, and cross
frightful deserts. But when we take the path of Mary, we walk
smoothly and calmly.
It is true that on our way
we have hard battles to fight and serious obstacles to overcome,
but Mary, our Mother and Queen, stays close to her faithful servants.
She is always at hand to brighten their darkness, clear away their
doubts, strengthen them in their fears, sustain them in their
combats and trials. Truly, in comparison with other ways, this
virgin road to Jesus is a path of roses and sweet delights. There
have been some saints, not very many, such as St. Ephrem, St.
John Damascene, St. Bernard, St. Bernardine, St. Bonaventure,
and St. Francis de Sales, who have taken this smooth path to Jesus
Christ, because the Holy Spirit, the faithful Spouse of Mary,
made it known to them by a special grace. The other saints, who
are the greater number, while having a devotion to Mary, either
did not enter or did not go very far along this path. That is
why they had to undergo harder and more dangerous trials.
153. Why
is it then, a servant of Mary might ask, that devoted servants
of this good Mother are called upon to suffer much more than those
who serve her less generously? They are opposed, persecuted, slandered,
and treated with intolerance. They may also have to walk in interior
darkness and through spiritual deserts without being given from
heaven a single drop of the dew of consolation. If this devotion
to the Blessed Virgin makes the path to Jesus smoother, how can
we explain why Mary's loyal servants are so ill-treated?
154. I
reply that it is quite true that the most faithful servants of
the Blessed Virgin, being her greatest favourites, receive from
her the best graces and favours from heaven, which are crosses.
But I maintain too that these servants of Mary bear their crosses
with greater ease and gain more merit and glory. What could check
another's progress a thousand times over, or possibly bring about
his downfall, does not balk them at all, but even helps them on
their way. For this good Mother, filled with the grace and unction
of the Holy Spirit, dips all the crosses she prepares for them
in the honey of her maternal sweetness and the unction of pure
love. They then readily swallow them as they would sugared almonds,
though the crosses may be very bitter. I believe that anyone who
wishes to be devout and live piously in Jesus will suffer persecution
and will have a daily cross to carry. But he will never manage
to carry a heavy cross, or carry it joyfully and perseveringly,
without a trusting devotion to our Lady, who is the very sweetness
of the cross. It is obvious that a person could not keep on eating
without great effort unripe fruit which has not been sweetened.
155. (b)
This devotion is a short way to discover Jesus, either
because it is a road we do not wander from, or because, as we
have just said, we walk along this road with greater ease and
joy, and consequently with greater speed. We advance more in a
brief period of submission to Mary and dependence on her than
in whole years of self-will and self-reliance. A man who is obedient
and submissive to Mary will sing of glorious victories over his
enemies It is true, his enemies will try to impede his progress,
force him to retreat or try to make him fall. But with Mary's
help, support and guidance, he will go forward towards our Lord.
Without falling, retreating and even without being delayed, he
will advance with giant strides towards Jesus along the same road
which, as it is written, Jesus took to come to us with giant strides
and in a short time.
156. Why
do you think our Lord spent only a few years here on earth and
nearly all of them in submission and obedience to his Mother?
The reason is that "attaining perfection in a short time,
he lived a long time", even longer than Adam, whose losses
he had come to make good. Yet Adam lived more than nine hundred
years!
Jesus lived a long time,
because he lived in complete submission to his Mother and in union
with her, which obedience to his Father required. The Holy Spirit
tells us that the man who honours his mother is like a man who
stores up a treasure. In other words, the man who honours Mary,
his Mother, to the extent of subjecting himself to her and obeying
her in all things will soon become very rich, because he is amassing
riches every day through Mary who has become his secret philosopher's
stone.
There is another quotation
from Holy Scripture, "My old age will be found in the mercy
of the bosom". According to the mystical interpretation of
these words it is in the bosom of Mary that people who are young
grow mature in enlightenment, in holiness, in experience and in
wisdom, and in a short time reach the fullness of the age of Christ.
For it was Mary's womb which encompassed and produced a perfect
man. That same womb held the one whom the whole universe can neither
encompass nor contain.
157. (c)
This devotion is a perfect way to reach our Lord and be
united to him, for Mary is the most perfect and the most holy
of all creatures, and Jesus, who came to us in a perfect manner,
chose no other road for his great and wonderful journey. The Most
High, the Incomprehensible One, the Inaccessible One, He who is,
deigned to come down to us poor earthly creatures who are nothing
at all. How was this done?
The Most High God came down
to us in a perfect way through the humble Virgin Mary, without
losing anything of his divinity or holiness. It is likewise through
Mary that we poor creatures must ascend to almighty God in a perfect
manner without having anything to fear.
God the Incomprehensible,
allowed himself to be perfectly comprehended and contained by
the humble Virgin Mary without losing anything of his immensity.
So we must let ourselves be perfectly contained and led by the
humble Virgin without any reserve on our part.
God, the Inaccessible, drew
near to us and united himself closely, perfectly and even personally
to our humanity through Mary without losing anything of his majesty.
So it is also through Mary that we must draw near to God and unite
ourselves to him perfectly, intimately, and without fear of being
rejected.
Lastly, He who is deigned
to come down to us who are not and turned our nothingness into
God, or He who is. He did this perfectly by giving and submitting
himself entirely to the young Virgin Mary, without ceasing to
be in time He who is from all eternity. Likewise it is through
Mary that we, who are nothing, may become like God by grace and
glory. We accomplish this by giving ourselves to her so perfectly
and so completely as to remain nothing, as far as self is concerned,
and to be everything in her, without any fear of illusion.
158. Show
me a new road to our Lord, pave it with all the merits of the
saints, adorn it with their heroic virtues, illuminate and enhance
it with the splendour and beauty of the angels, have all the angels
and saints there to guide and protect those who wish to follow
it. Give me such a road and truly, truly, I boldly say - and I
am telling the truth - that instead of this road, perfect though
it be, I would still choose the immaculate way of Mary. It is
a way, a road without stain or spot, without original sin or actual
sin, without shadow or darkness,. When our loving Jesus comes
in glory once again to reign upon earth - as he certainly will
- he will choose no other way than the Blessed Virgin, by whom
he came so surely and so perfectly the first time. The difference
between his first and his second coming is that the first was
secret and hidden, but the second will be glorious and resplendent.
Both are perfect because both are through Mary. Alas, this is
a mystery which we cannot understand, "Here let every tongue
be silent."
159. (d)
This devotion to our Lady is a sure way to go to Jesus
and to acquire holiness through union with him.
(1) The devotion which I
teach is not new. Its history goes back so far that the time of
its origin cannot be ascertained with any precision, as Fr. Boudon,
who died a holy death a short time ago, states in a book which
he wrote on this devotion. It is however certain that for more
than seven hundred years we find traces of it in the Church.
St. Odilo, abbot of Cluny,
who lived about the year 1040, was one of the first to practise
it publicly in France as is told in his life.
Cardinal Peter Damian relates
that in the year 1076 his brother, Blessed Marino, made himself
the slave of the Blessed Virgin in the presence of his spiritual
director in a most edifying manner. He placed a rope around his
neck, scourged himself and placed on the altar a sum of money
as a token of his devotion and consecration to our Lady. He remained
so faithful to this consecration all his life that me merited
to be visited and consoled on his death-bed by his dear Queen
and hear from her lips the promise of paradise in reward for his
service.
Caesarius Bollandus mentions
a famous knight, Vautier de Birback, a close relative of the Dukes
of Louvain, who about the year 1300 consecrated himself to the
Blessed Virgin.
This devotion was also practised
privately by many people up to the seventeenth century, when it
became publicly known.
160. Father
Simon de Rojas of the Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption
of Captives, court preacher to Philip III, made this devotion
popular throughout Spain and Germany. Through the intervention
of Philip III, he obtained from Gregory XV valuable indulgences
for those who practised it.
Father de los Rios, of the
Order of St. Augustine, together with his intimate friend, Father
de Roias, worked hard, propagating it throughout Spain and Germany
by preaching and writing. He composed a large volume entitled
"Hierarchia Mariana", where he treats of the antiquity,
the excellence and the soundness of this devotion, with as much
devotion as learning.
The Theatine Fathers in
the seventeenth century established this devotion in Italy and
Savoy.
161. Father
Stanislaus Phalacius of the Society of Jesus spread this devotion
widely in Poland.
Father de los Rios in the
book quoted above mentions the names of princes and princesses,
bishops and cardinals of different countries who embraced this
devotion.
Father Cornelius a Lapide,
noted both for holiness and profound learning, was commissioned
by several bishops and theologians to examine it. The praise he
gave it after mature examination, is a worthy tribute to his own
holiness. Many other eminent men followed his example.
The Jesuit Fathers, ever
zealous in the service of our Blessed Lady, presented on behalf
of the sodalities of Cologne to Duke Ferdinand of Bavaria, the
then archbishop of Cologne, a little treatise on the devotion,
and he gave it his approval and granted permission to have it
printed. He exhorted all priests and religious of his diocese
to do their utmost to spread this solid devotion.
162. Cardinal
de Bérulle, whose memory is venerated throughout France,
was outstandingly zealous in furthering the devotion in France,
despite the calumnies and persecutions he suffered at the hands
of critics and evil men. They accused him of introducing novelty
and superstition. They composed and published a libellous tract
against him and they - rather the devil in them - used a thousand
stratagems to prevent him from spreading the devotion in France.
But this eminent and saintly man responded to their calumnies
with calm patience. He wrote a little book in reply and forcefully
refuted the objections contained in it. He pointed out that this
devotion is founded on the example given by Jesus Christ, on the
obligations we have towards him and on the promises we made in
holy baptism. It was mainly this last reason which silenced his
enemies. He made clear to them that this consecration to the Blessed
Virgin, and through her to Jesus, is nothing less than a perfect
renewal of the promises and vows of baptism. He said many beautiful
things concerning this devotion which can be read in his works.
163. In
Fr. Boudon's book we read of different popes who gave their approval
to this devotion, the theologians who examined it, the hostility
it encountered and overcame, the thousands who made it their own
without censure from any pope. Indeed it could not be condemned
without overthrowing the foundations of Christianity. It is obvious
then that this devotion is not new. If it is not commonly practised,
the reason is that it is too sublime to be appreciated and undertaken
by everyone.
164. (2)
This devotion is a safe means of going to Jesus Christ, because
it is Mary's role to lead us safely to her Son; just as it is
the role of our Lord to lead us to the eternal Father. Those who
are spiritually-minded should not fall into the error of thinking
that Mary hinders our union with God. How could this possibly
happen? How could Mary, who found grace with God for everyone
in general and each one in particular, prevent a soul from obtaining
the supreme grace of union with him? Is it possible that she who
was so completely filled with grace to overflowing, so united
to Christ and transformed in God that it became necessary for
him to be made flesh in her, should prevent a soul from being
perfectly united to him?
It is quite true that the
example of other people, no matter how holy, can sometimes impair
union with God, but not so our Blessed Lady, as I have said and
shall never weary of repeating. One reason why so few souls come
to the fullness of the age of Jesus is that Mary who is still
as much as ever his Mother and the fruitful spouse of the Holy
Spirit is not formed well enough in their hearts. If we desire
a ripe and perfectly formed fruit, we must possess the tree that
bears it. If we desire the fruit of life, Jesus Christ, we must
possess the tree of life which is Mary. If we desire to have the
Holy Spirit working within us, we must possess his faithful and
inseparable spouse, Mary the divinely-favoured one whom, as I
have said elsewhere, he can make fruitful.
165. Rest
assured that the more you turn to Mary in your prayers, meditations,
actions and sufferings, seeing her if not perhaps clearly and
distinctly, at least in a general and indistinct way, the more
surely you will discover Jesus. For he is always greater, more
powerful, more active, and more mysterious when acting through
Mary than he is in any other creature in the universe, or even
in heaven. Thus Mary, so divinely-favoured and so lost in God,
is far from being an obstacle to good people who are striving
for union with him. There has never been and there never will
be a creature so ready to help us in achieving that union more
effectively, for she will dispense to us all the graces to attain
that end. As a saint once remarked, "Only Mary knows how
to fill our minds with the thought of God." Moreover, Mary
will safeguard us against the deception and cunning of the evil
one.
166. Where
Mary is present, the evil one is absent. One of the unmistakable
signs that a person is led by the Spirit of God is the devotion
he has to Mary, and his habit of thinking and speaking of her.
This is the opinion of a saint, who goes on to say that just as
breathing is a proof that the body is not dead, so the habitual
thought of Mary and loving converse with her is a proof that the
soul is not spiritually dead in sin.
167. Since
Mary alone has crushed all heresies, as we are told by the Church
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Office of B.V.M.), a devoted
servant of hers will never fall into formal heresy or error, though
critics may contest this. He may very well err materially, mistaking
lies for truth or an evil spirit for a good one, but he will be
less likely to do this than others. Sooner or later he will discover
his error and will not go on stubbornly believing and maintaining
what he mistakenly thought was the truth.
168. Whoever
then wishes to advance along the road to holiness and be sure
of encountering the true Christ, without fear of the illusions
which afflict many devout people, should take up with valiant
heart and willing spirit this devotion to Mary which perhaps he
had not previously heard about. Even if it is new to him, let
him enter upon this excellent way which I am now revealing to
him. "I will show you a more excellent way."
It was opened up by Jesus
Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom. He is our one and only Head, and
we, his members, cannot go wrong in following him. It is a smooth
way made easy by the fullness of grace, the unction of the Holy
Spirit. In our progress along this road, we do not weaken or turn
back. It is a quick way and leads us to Jesus in a short time.
It is a perfect way without mud or dust or any vileness of sin.
Finally, it is a reliable way, for it is direct and sure, having
no turnings to right or left but leading us straight to Jesus
and to life eternal.
Let us then take this road
and travel along it night and day until we arrive at the fullness
of the age of Jesus Christ.
169. It
gives great liberty of spirit - the freedom of the children of
God - to those who faithfully practise it. Through this devotion
we make ourselves slaves of Jesus by consecrating ourselves entirely
to him. To reward us for this enslavement of love, our Lord frees
us from every scruple and servile fear which might restrict, imprison
or confuse us; he opens our hearts and fills them with holy confidence
in God, helping us to regard God as our Father; he inspires us
with a generous and filial love.
170. Without
stopping to prove this truth, I shall simply relate an incident
which I read in the life of Mother Agnes of Jesus, a Dominican
nun of the convent of Langeac in Auvergne, who died a holy death
there in 1634.
When she was only seven
years old and was suffering great spiritual anguish, she heard
a voice telling her that if she wished to be delivered from her
anguish and protected against all her enemies, she should make
herself the slave of our Lord and his Blessed Mother as soon as
possible. No sooner had she returned home than she gave herself
completely to Jesus and Mary as their slave, although she had
never known anything about this devotion before. She found an
iron chain, put it round her waist and wore it till the day she
died. After this, all her sufferings and scruples disappeared
and she found great peace of soul.
This led her to teach this
devotion to many others who made rapid progress in it - among
them, Father Olier, the founder of the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice,
and several other priests and students from the same seminary.
One day the Blessed Virgin appeared to Mother Agnes and put a
gold chain around her neck to show her how happy she was that
Mother Agnes had become the slave of both her and her Son. And
St. Cecilia, who accompanied our Lady, said to her, "Happy
are the faithful slaves of the Queen of heaven, for they will
enjoy true freedom." Tibi servire libertas.
171. It
is of great benefit to our neighbour, for by it we show love for
our neighbour in an outstanding way since we give him through
Mary's hands all that we prize most highly - that is, the satisfactory
and prayer value of all our good works, down to the least good
thought and the least little suffering. We give our consent that
all we have already acquired or will acquire until death should
be used in accordance with our Lady's will for the conversion
of sinners or the deliverance of souls from Purgatory.
Is this not perfect love
of our neighbour? Is this not being a true disciple of our Lord,
one who should always be recognised by his love? Is this not the
way to convert sinners without any danger of vainglory, and deliver
souls from Purgatory by doing hardly anything more than what we
are obliged to do by our state of life?
172. To
appreciate the excellence of this motive we must understand what
a wonderful thing it is to convert a sinner or to deliver a soul
from Purgatory. It is an infinite good, greater than the creation
of heaven and earth, since it gives a soul the possession of God.
If by this devotion we secured the release of only soul from Purgatory
or converted only one sinner in our whole lifetime, would that
not be enough to induce any person who really loves his neighbour
to practise this devotion?
It must be noted that our
good works, passing through Mary's hands, are progressively purified.
Consequently, their merit and their satisfactory and prayer value
are also increased. That is why they become much more effective
in relieving the souls in Purgatory and in converting sinners
than if they did not pass through the virginal and liberal hands
of Mary. Stripped of self-will and clothed with disinterested
love, the little that we give to the Blessed Virgin is truly powerful
enough to appease the anger of God and draw down his mercy. It
may well be that at the hour of death a person who has been faithful
to this devotion will find that he has freed many souls from Purgatory
and converted many sinners, even though he performed only the
ordinary actions of his state of life. Great will be his joy at
the judgement. Great will be his glory throughout eternity.
173. Finally,
what draws us in a sense more compellingly to take up this devotion
to the most Blessed Virgin is the fact that it is a wonderful
means of persevering in the practice of virtue and of remaining
steadfast.
Why is it that most conversions
of sinners are not lasting? Why do they relapse so easily into
sin? Why is it that most of the faithful, instead of making progress
in one virtue after another and so acquiring new graces, often
lose the little grace and virtue they have? This misfortune arises,
as I have already shown, from the fact that man, so prone to evil,
so weak and changeable, trusts himself too much, relies on his
own strength, and wrongly presumes he is able to safeguard his
precious graces, virtues and merits.
By this devotion we entrust
all we possess to Mary, the faithful Virgin. We choose her as
the guardian of all our possessions in the natural and supernatural
sphere. We trust her because she is faithful, we rely on her strength,
we count on her mercy and charity to preserve and increase our
virtues and merits in spite of the efforts of the devil, the world,
and the flesh to rob us of them. We say to her as a good child
would say to its mother or a faithful servant to the mistress
of the house, "My dear Mother and Mistress, I realise that
up to now I have received from God through your intercession more
graces than I deserve. But bitter experience has taught me that
I carry these riches in a very fragile vessel and that I am too
weak and sinful to guard them by myself. Please accept in trust
everything I possess, and in your faithfulness and power keep
it for me. If you watch over me, I shall lose nothing. If you
support me, I shall not fail. If you protect me, I shall be safe
from my enemies."
174. This
is exactly what St. Bernard clearly pointed out to encourage us
to take up this devotion, "When Mary supports you, you will
not fail. With her as your protector, you will have nothing to
fear. With her as your guide, you will not grow weary. When you
win her favour, you will reach the port of heaven." St. Bonaventure
seems to say the same thing in even more explicit terms, "The
Blessed Virgin," he says, "not only preserves the fullness
enjoyed by the saints, but she maintains the saints in their fullness
so that it does not diminish. She prevents their virtues from
fading away, their merits from being wasted and their graces from
being lost. She prevents the devils from doing them harm and she
so influences them that her divine Son has no need to punish them
when they sin."
175. Mary
is the Virgin most faithful who by her fidelity to God makes good
the losses caused by Eve's unfaithfulness. She obtains fidelity
to God and final perseverance for those who commit themselves
to her. For this reason St. John Damascene compared her to a firm
anchor which holds them fast and saves them from shipwreck in
the raging seas of the world where so many people perish through
lack of such a firm anchor. "We fasten souls," he said,
"to Mary, our hope, as to a firm anchor." It was to
Mary that the saints who attained salvation most firmly anchored
themselves as did others who wanted to ensure their perseverance
in holiness.
Blessed, indeed, are those
Christians who bind themselves faithfully and completely to her
as to a secure anchor! The violent storms of the world will not
make them founder or carry away their heavenly riches. Blessed
are those who enter into her as into another Noah's ark! The flood
waters of sin which engulf so many will not harm them because,
as the Church makes Mary say in the words of divine Wisdom, "Those
who work with my help - for their salvation - shall not sin."
Blessed are the unfaithful children of unhappy Eve who commit
themselves to Mary, the ever-faithful Virgin and Mother who never
wavers in her fidelity and never goes back on her trust. She always
loves those who love her, not only with deep affection, but with
a love that is active and generous. By an abundant outpouring
of grace she keeps them from relaxing their effort in the practice
of virtue or falling by the wayside through loss of divine grace.
176. Moved
by pure love, this good Mother always accepts whatever is given
her in trust, and, once she accepts something, she binds herself
in justice by a contract of trusteeship to keep it safe. Is not
someone to whom I entrust the sum of a thousand francs obliged
to keep it safe for me so that if it were lost through his negligence
he would be responsible for it in strict justice? But nothing
we entrust to the faithful Virgin will ever be lost through her
negligence. Heaven and earth would pass away sooner than Mary
would neglect or betray those who trusted in her.
177. Poor
children of Mary, you are extremely weak and changeable. Your
human nature is deeply impaired. It is sadly true that you have
been fashioned from the same corrupted nature as the other children
of Adam and Eve. But do not let that discourage you. Rejoice and
be glad! Here is a secret which I am revealing to you, a secret
unknown to most Christians, even the most devout.
Do not leave your gold and
silver in your own safes which have already been broken into and
rifled many times by the evil one. They are too small, too flimsy
and too old to contain such great and priceless possessions. Do
not put pure and clear water from the spring into vessels fouled
and infected by sin. Even if sin is no longer there, its odour
persists and the water would be contaminated. You do not put choice
wine into old casks that have contained sour wine. You would spoil
the good wine and run the risk of losing it.
178. Chosen
souls, although you may already understand me, I shall express
myself still more clearly. Do not commit the gold of your charity,
the silver of your purity to a threadbare sack or a battered old
chest, or the waters of heavenly grace or the wines of your merits
and virtues to a tainted and fetid cask, such as you are. Otherwise
you will be robbed by thieving devils who are on the look-out
day and night waiting for a favourable opportunity to plunder.
If you do so all those pure gifts from God will be spoiled by
the unwholesome presence of self-love, inordinate self-reliance,
and self-will.
Pour into the bosom and
heart of Mary all your precious possessions, all your graces and
virtues. She is a spiritual vessel, a vessel of honour, a singular
vessel of devotion. Ever since God personally hid himself with
all his perfections in this vessel, it has become completely spiritual,
and the spiritual abode of all spiritual souls. It has become
honourable and has been the throne of honour for the greatest
saints in heaven. It has become outstanding in devotion and the
home of those renowned for gentleness, grace and virtue. Moreover,
it has become as rich as a house of gold, as strong as a tower
of David and as pure as a tower of ivory.
179. Blessed
is the man who has given everything to Mary, who at all times
and in all things trusts in her, and loses himself in her. He
belongs to Mary and Mary belongs to him. With David he can boldly
say, "She was created for me", or with the beloved disciple,
"I have taken her for my own", or with our Lord himself,
"All that is mine is yours and all that is yours is mine."
180. If
any critic reading this should imagine that I am exaggerating
or speaking from an excess of devotion, he has not, alas, understood
what I have said. Either he is a carnal man who has no taste for
the spiritual; or he is a worldly man who has cut himself off
from the Holy Spirit; or he is a proud and critical man who ridicules
and condemns anything he does not understand. But those who are
born not of blood, nor of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God and Mary, understand and appreciate what I have to say. It
is for them that I am writing.
181. Nevertheless,
after this digression, I say to both the critics and the devout
that the Blessed Virgin, the most reliable and generous of all
God's creatures, never lets herself be surpassed by anyone in
love and generosity. For the little that is given to her, she
gives generously of what she has received from God. Consequently,
if a person gives himself to her without reserve, she gives herself
also without reserve to that person provided his confidence in
her is not presumptuous and he does his best to practise virtue
and curb his passions.
182. So
the faithful servants of the Blessed Virgin may confidently say
with St. John Damascene, "If I confide in you, Mother of
God, I shall be saved. Under your protection I shall fear nothing.
With your help I shall rout all my enemies. For devotion to you
is a weapon of salvation which God gives to those he wishes to
save."
183. The
Holy Spirit gives us in Sacred Scripture, a striking allegorical
figure of all the truths I have been explaining concerning the
Blessed Virgin and her children and servants. It is the story
of Jacob who received the blessing of his father Isaac through
the care and ingenuity of his mother Rebecca.
Here is the story as the
Holy Spirit tells it. I shall expound it further later on.
184. Several
years after Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob, Rebecca, their
mother, who loved Jacob tenderly, secured this blessing for him
by a holy stratagem full of mystery for us.
Isaac, realising that he
was getting old, wished to bless his children before he died.
He summoned Esau, who was his favourite son, and told him to go
hunting and bring him something to eat, in order that he might
then give him his blessing. Rebecca immediately told Jacob what
was happening and sent him to fetch two small goats from the flock.
When Jacob gave them to his mother, she cooked them in the way
Isaac liked them. Then she dressed Jacob in Esau's clothes which
she had in her keeping, and covered his hands and neck with the
goat-skin. The father, who was blind, although hearing the voice
of Jacob, would think that it was Esau when he touched the skin
on his hands.
Isaac was of course surprised
at the voice which he thought was Jacob's and told him to come
closer. Isaac felt the hair on the skin covering Jacob's hands
and said that the voice was really like Jacob's but the hands
were Esau's. After he had eaten, Isaac kissed Jacob and smelt
the fragrance of his scented clothes. He blessed him and called
down on him the dew of heaven and the fruitfulness of earth. He
made him master of all his brothers and concluded his blessing
with these words, "Cursed be those who curse you and blessed
be those who bless you."
Isaac had scarcely finished
speaking when Esau came in, bringing what he had caught while
out hunting. He wanted his father to bless him after he had eaten.
The holy patriarch was shocked when he realised what had happened.
But far from retracting what he had done, he confirmed it because
he clearly saw the finger of God in it all. Then, as Holy Scripture
relates, Esau began to protest loudly against the treachery of
his brother. He then asked his father if he had only one blessing
to give. In so doing, as the early Fathers point out, Esau was
the symbol of those who are too ready to imagine that there is
an alliance between God and the world, because they themselves
are eager to enjoy, at one and the same time, the blessings of
heaven and the blessings of the earth. Isaac was touched by Esau's
cries and finally blessed him only with a blessing of the earth,
and he subjected him to his brother. Because of this, Esau conceived
such a venomous hatred for Jacob that he could hardly wait for
his father's death to kill him. And Jacob would not have escaped
death if his dear mother Rebecca had not saved him by her ingenuity
and her good advice.
185. Before
explaining this beautiful story, let me remind you that, according
to the early Fathers and the interpreters of Holy Scripture, Jacob
is the type of our Lord and of souls who are saved, and Esau is
the type of souls who are condemned. We have only to examine the
actions and conduct of both in order to judge each one.
(1) Esau, the elder brother,
was strong and robust, clever, and skilful with the bow and very
successful at hunting.
(2) He seldom stayed at
home and, relying only on his own strength and skill, worked out
of doors.
(3) He never went out of
his way to please his mother Rebecca, and did little or nothing
for her.
(4) He was such a glutton
and so fond of eating that he sold his birthright for a dish of
lentils.
(5) Like Cain, he was extremely
jealous of his brother and persecuted him relentlessly.
186. This
is the usual conduct of sinners:
(1) They rely upon their
own strength and skill in temporal affairs. They are very energetic,
clever and well- informed about things of this world but very
dull and ignorant about things of heaven.
187. (2)
And they are never or very seldom at home, in their own house,
that is, in their own interior, the inner, essential abode that
God has given to every man to dwell in, after his own example,
for God always abides within himself. Sinners have no liking for
solitude or the spiritual life or interior devotion. They consider
those who live an interior life, secluded from the world, and
who work more interiorly than exteriorly, as narrow-minded, bigoted
and uncivilised.
188. (3)
Sinners care little or nothing about devotion to Mary, the Mother
of the elect. It is true that they do not really hate her. Indeed
they even speak well of her sometimes. They say they love her
and they practise some devotion in her honour. Nevertheless, they
cannot bear to see anyone love her tenderly, for they do not have
for her any of the affection of Jacob; they find fault with the
honour which her good children and servants faithfully pay her
to win her affection. They think this kind of devotion is not
necessary for salvation, and as long as they do not go as far
as hating her or openly ridiculing devotion to her they believe
they have done all they need to win her good graces. Because they
recite or mumble a few prayers to her without any affection and
without even thinking of amending their lives, they consider they
are our Lady's servants.
189. (4)
Sinners sell their birthright, that is, the joys of paradise,
for a dish of lentils, that is, the pleasures of this world. They
laugh, they drink, they eat, they have a good time, they gamble,
they dance and so forth, without taking any more trouble than
Esau to make themselves worthy of their heavenly Father's blessing.
Briefly, they think only of this world, love only the world, speak
and act only for the world and its pleasures. For a passing moment
of pleasure, for a fleeting wisp of honour, for a piece of hard
earth, yellow or white, they barter away their baptismal grace,
their robe of innocence and their heavenly inheritance.
190. (5)
Finally, sinners continually hate and persecute the elect, openly
and secretly. The elect are a burden to them. They despise them,
criticise them, ridicule them, insult them, rob them, deceive
them, impoverish them, hunt them down and trample them into the
dust; while they themselves are making fortunes, enjoying themselves,
getting good positions for themselves, enriching themselves, rising
to power and living in comfort.
191. Jacob,
the younger son, was of a frail constitution, gentle and peaceable
and usually stayed at home to please his mother, whom he loved
so much. If he did go out it was not through any personal desire
of his, nor from any confidence in his own ability, but simply
out of obedience to his mother.
192. He
loved and honoured his mother. That is why he remained at home
close to her. He was never happier than when he was in her presence.
He avoided everything that might displease her, and did everything
he thought would please her. This made Rebecca love him all the
more.
193. He
was submissive to his mother in all things. He obeyed her entirely
in everything, promptly without delay and lovingly without complaint.
At the least indication of her will, young Jacob hastened to comply
with it. He accepted whatever she told him without questioning.
For instance, when she told him to get two small goats and bring
them to her so that she might prepare something for his father
Isaac to eat, Jacob did not reply that one would be enough for
one man, but without arguing he did exactly what she told him
to do.
194. He
had the utmost confidence in his mother. He did not rely on his
own ability; he relied solely on his mother's care and protection.
He went to her in all his needs and consulted her in all his doubts.
For instance, when he asked her if his father, instead of blessing
him, would curse him, he believed her and trusted her when she
said she would take the curse upon herself.
195. Finally,
he adopted, as much as he could, the virtues he saw in his mother.
It seems that one of the reasons why he spent so much time at
home was to imitate his dear mother, who was so virtuous, and
to keep away from evil companions - who might lead him into sin.
In this way, he made himself worthy to receive the double blessing
of his beloved father.
196. It
is in a similar manner that God's chosen ones usually act. They
stay at home with their mother - that is, they have an esteem
for quietness, love the interior life, and are assiduous in prayer.
They always remain in the company of the Blessed Virgin, their
Mother and Model, whose glory is wholly interior and who during
her whole life dearly loved seclusion and prayer. It is true,
at times they do venture out into the world, but only to fulfil
the duties of their state of life, in obedience to the will of
God and the will of their Mother.
No matter how great their
accomplishments may appear to others, they attach far more importance
to what they do within themselves in their interior life, in the
company of the Blessed Virgin. For there they work at the great
task of perfection, compared to which all other work is mere child's
play. At times their brothers and sisters are working outside
with great energy, skill and success, and win the praise and approbation
of the world. But they know by the light of the Holy Spirit that
there is far more good, more glory and more joy in remaining hidden
and recollected with our Lord, in complete and perfect submission
to Mary than there is in performing by themselves marvellous works
of nature and grace in the world, like so many Esaus and sinners.
Glory for God and riches for men are in her house.
Lord Jesus, how lovely is
your dwelling-place! The sparrow has found a house to dwell in,
and the turtle-dove a nest for her little ones! How happy is the
man who dwells in the house of Mary, where you were the first
to dwell! Here in this home of the elect, he draws from you alone
the help he needs to climb the stairway of virtue he has built
in his heart to the highest possible points of perfection while
in this vale of tears. "How lovely is your dwelling-place,
Lord, God of hosts!"
197. The
elect have a great love for our Lady and honour her truly as their
Mother and Queen. They love her mot merely in word but in deed.
They honour her not just outwardly, but from the depths of their
heart. Like Jacob, they avoid the least thing that might displease
her, and eagerly do whatever they think might win her favour.
Jacob brought Rebecca two young goats. They bring Mary their body
and their soul, with all their faculties, symbolised by Jacob's
two young goats, 1) so that she may accept them as her own; 2)
that she may make them die to sin and self by divesting them of
self-love, in order to please Jesus her Son, who wishes to have
as friends and disciples only those who are dead to sin and self;
3) that she may clothe them according to their heavenly Father's
taste and for his greater glory, which she knows better than any
other creature; 4) that through her care and intercession, this
body and soul of theirs, thoroughly cleansed from every stain,
thoroughly dead to self, thoroughly stripped and well- prepared,
may be pleasing to the heavenly Father and deserving of his blessing.
Is this not what those chosen
souls do who, to prove to Jesus and Mary how effective and courageous
is their love, live and esteem the perfect consecration to Jesus
through Mary which we are now teaching them?
Sinners may say that they
love Jesus, that they love and honour Mary, but they do not do
so with their whole heart and soul. Unlike the elect, they do
not love Jesus and Mary enough to consecrate them their body with
its senses and their soul with its passions.
198. They
are subject and obedient to our Lady, their good Mother, and here
they are simply following the example set by our Lord himself,
who spent thirty of the thirty-three years he lived on earth glorifying
God his Father in perfect and entire submission to his holy Mother.
They obey her, following her advice to the letter, just as Jacob
followed that of Rebecca, when she said to him, "My son,
follow my advice"; or like the stewards at the wedding in
Cana, to whom our Lady said, "Do whatever he tells you."
Through obedience to his
mother, Jacob received the blessing almost by a miracle, because
in the natural course of events he should not have received it.
As a reward for following the advice of our Lady, the stewards
at the wedding in Cana were honoured with the first of our Lord's
miracles when, at her request he changed water into wine. In the
same way, until the end of time, all who are to receive the blessing
of our heavenly Father and who are to be honoured with his wondrous
graces will receive them only as a result of their perfect obedience
to Mary. On the other hand, the "Esaus" will lose their
blessing because of their lack of submission to the Blessed Virgin.
199. They
have great confidence in the goodness and power of the Blessed
Virgin, their dear Mother, and incessantly implore her help. They
take her for their pole-star to lead them safely into harbour.
They open their hearts to her and tell her their troubles and
their needs. They rely on her mercy and kindness to obtain forgiveness
for their sins through her intercession and to experience her
motherly comfort in their troubles and anxieties. They even cast
themselves into her virginal bosom, hide and lose themselves there
in a wonderful manner. There they are filled with pure love, they
are purified from the least stain of sin, and they find Jesus
in all his fullness. For he reigns in Mary as if on the most glorious
of thrones. What incomparable happiness! Abbot Guerric says, "Do
not imagine there is more joy in dwelling in Abraham's bosom than
in Mary's, for it is in her that our Lord placed his throne."
Sinners, on the other hand,
put all their confidence in themselves. Like the prodigal son,
they eat with the swine. Like toads they feed on earth. Like all
worldlings, they love only visible and external things. They do
not know the sweetness of Mary's bosom. They do not have that
reliance and confidence which the elect have for the Blessed Virgin,
their Mother. Deplorably they choose to satisfy their hunger elsewhere,
as St. Gregory says, because they do not want to taste the sweetness
already prepared within themselves and within Jesus and Mary.
200. Finally,
chosen souls keep to the ways of the Blessed Virgin, their loving
Mother - that is, they imitate her and so are sincerely happy
and devout and bear the infallible sign of God's chosen ones.
This loving Mother says to them "Happy are those who keep
my ways", which means, happy are those who practise my virtues
and who, with the help of God's grace, follow the path of my life.
They are happy in this world because of the abundance of grace
and sweetness I impart to them out of my fullness, and which they
receive more abundantly than others who do not imitate me so closely.
They are happy at the hour of death, which is sweet and peaceful
for I am usually there myself to lead them home to everlasting
joy. Finally, they will be happy for all eternity, because no
servant of mine who imitated my virtues during life has ever been
lost.
On the other hand, sinners
are unhappy during their life, at their death, and throughout
eternity, because they do not imitate the virtues of our Lady.
They are satisfied with going no further than joining her confraternities,
reciting a few prayers in her honour, or performing other exterior
devotional exercises.
O Blessed Virgin, my dear
Mother, how happy are those who faithfully keep your ways, your
counsels and your commands; who never allow themselves to be led
astray by a false devotion to you! But how unhappy and accursed
are those who abuse devotion to you by not keeping the commandments
of your Son! "They are accursed who stray from your commandments."
201. Here
now are the services which the Virgin Mary, as the best of all
mothers, lovingly renders to those loyal servants who have given
themselves entirely to her in the manner I have described and
following the figurative meaning of the story of Jacob and Rebecca.
"I love those who love me."
She loves them:
a) Because she is truly their Mother.
What mother does not love her child, the fruit of her womb?
b) She loves them in gratitude for the
active love they show to her, their beloved Mother.
c) She loves them because they are loved
by God and destined for heaven. "Jacob I loved, but Esau
I hated."
d) She loves them because they have consecrated
themselves entirely to her and belong to her portion, her inheritance.
"In Israel receive your inheritance."
202. She loves them tenderly,
more tenderly than all the mothers in the world together. Take
the maternal love of all the mothers of the world for their children.
Pour all that love into the heart of one mother for an only child.
That mother's love would certainly be immense. Yet Mary's love
for each of her children has more tenderness than the love of
that mother for her child.
She loves them not only affectively but
effectively, that is, her love is active and productive of good
like Rebecca's love for Jacob -and even more so, for Rebecca was,
after all, only a symbolic figure of Mary. Here is what this loving
Mother does for her children to obtain for them the blessings
of their heavenly Father:
203. 1) Like Rebecca she looks
out for favourable opportunities to promote their interests, to
ennoble and enrich them. She sees clearly in God all that is good
and all that is evil; fortunate and unfortunate events; the blessings
and condemnations of God. She arranges things in advance so as
to divert evils from her servants and put them in the way of abundant
blessings. If there is any special benefit to be gained in God's
sight by the faithful discharge of an important work, Mary will
certainly obtain this opportunity for a beloved child and servant
and at the same time, give him the grace to persevere in it to
the end. "She personally manages our affairs," says
a saintly man.
204. 2) She gives them excellent
advice, as Rebecca did to Jacob. "My son, follow my counsels."
Among other things, she persuades them to bring her the two young
goats, that is, their body and soul, and to confide them to her
so that she can prepare them as a dish pleasing to God. She inspires
them to observe whatever Jesus Christ, her Son, has taught by
word and example. When she does not give these counsels herself
in person, she gives them through the ministry of angels who are
always pleased and honoured to go at her request to assist one
of her faithful servants on earth.
205. 3) What does this good Mother
do when we have presented and consecrated to her our soul and
body and all that pertains to them without excepting anything?
Just what Rebecca of old did to the little goats Jacob brought
her. (a) She kills them, that is, makes them die to the life of
the old Adam. (b) She strips them of their skin, that is, of their
natural inclinations, their self-love and self-will and their
every attachment to creatures. (c) She cleanses them from all
stain, impurity and sin. (d) She prepares them to God's taste
and to his greater glory. As she alone knows perfectly what the
divine taste is and where the greatest glory of God is to be found,
she alone without any fear of mistake can prepare and garnish
our body and soul to satisfy that infinitely refined taste and
promote that infinitely hidden glory.
206. 4) Once this good Mother
has received our complete offering with our merits and satisfactions
through the devotion I have been speaking about, and has stripped
us of our own garments, she cleanses us and makes us worthy to
appear without shame before our heavenly Father.
She clothes us in the clean, new, precious
and fragrant garments of Esau, the first born, namely, her Son
Jesus Christ. She keeps these garments in her house, that is to
say, she has them at her disposal. For she is the treasurer and
universal dispenser of the merits and virtues of Jesus her Son.
She gives and distributes them to whom she pleases, when she pleases,
as she pleases, and as much as she pleases, as we have said above.
She covers the neck and hands of her
servants with the skins of the goats that have been killed and
flayed, that is, she adorns them with the merits and worth of
their own good actions. In truth, she destroys and nullifies all
that is impure and imperfect in them. She preserves and enhances
this good so that it adorns and strengthens their neck and hands,
that is, she gives them the strength to carry the yoke of the
Lord and the skill to do great things for the glory of God and
the salvation of their poor brothers.
She imparts new perfume and fresh grace
to those garments and adornments by adding to them the garments
of her own wardrobe of merits and virtues. She bequeathed these
to them before her departure for heaven, as was revealed by a
holy nun of the last century, who died a holy death. Thus all
her domestics, that is, all her servants and slaves, are clothed
with double garments, her own and those of her Son. Now they have
nothing to fear from that cold which sinners, naked and stripped
as they are of the merits of Jesus and Mary, will be unable to
endure.
207. 5) Finally, Mary obtains
for them the heavenly Father's blessing. As they are the youngest
born and adopted, they are not really entitled to it. Clad in
new, precious, and sweet- smelling garments, with body and soul
well-prepared and dressed, they confidently approach their heavenly
Father. He hears their voice and recognises it as the voice of
a sinner. He feels their hands covered with skins, inhales the
aroma of their garments. He partakes with joy of what Mary, their
Mother, has prepared for him, recognising in it the merits and
good odour of his Son and his Blessed Mother.
a) He gives them a twofold blessing,
the blessing of the dew of heaven, namely, divine grace, which
is the seed of glory. "God has blessed us in Christ with
every spiritual blessing," and also the blessing of the fertility
of the earth, for as a provident Father, he gives them their daily
bread and an ample supply of the goods of the earth.
b) He makes them masters of their other
brothers, the reprobate sinners. This domination does not always
show in this fleeting world, where sinners often have the upper
hand. "How long shall the wicked glory, mouthing insolent
reproaches?" "I have seen the wicked triumphant and
lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon." But the supremacy
of the just is real and will be seen clearly for all eternity
in the next world, where the just, as the Holy Spirit tells us,
will dominate and command all peoples.
c) The God of all majesty is not satisfied
with blessing them in their persons and their possessions, he
blesses all who bless them and curses all who curse and persecute
them.
208. Our Lady's charity towards
her faithful servants goes further. She provides them with everything
they need for body and soul. We have just seen that she gives
them double garments. She also nourishes them with the most delicious
food from the banquet table of God. She gives them the Son she
has borne, the Bread of Life, to be their food. "Dear children,"
she says in the words of divine Wisdom, "take your fill of
my fruits," that is to say, of the Fruit of Life, Jesus,
"whom I brought into the world for you." "Come,"
she repeats in another passage, "eat the bread which is Jesus.
Drink the wine of his love which I have mixed" for you with
the milk of my breasts.
As Mary is the treasurer and dispenser
of the gifts and graces of the Most High God, she reserves a choice
portion, indeed the choicest portion, to nourish and sustain her
children and servants. They grow strong on the Bread of Life;
they are made joyful with the wine that brings forth virgins.
They are carried at her breast. They bear with ease the yoke of
Christ scarcely feeling its weight because of the oil of devotion
with which she has softened its wood.
209. A third service which our
Lady renders her faithful servants is to lead and direct them
according to the will of her Son. Rebecca guided her little son
Jacob and gave him good advice from time to time, which helped
him obtain the blessing of his father and saved him from the hatred
and persecution of his brother Esau. Mary, Star of the sea, guides
all her faithful servants into safe harbour. She shows them the
path to eternal life and helps them avoid dangerous pitfalls.
She leads them by the hand along the path of holiness, steadies
them when they are liable to fall and helps them rise when they
have fallen. She chides them like a loving mother when they are
remiss and sometimes she even lovingly chastises them. How could
a child that follows such a mother and such an enlightened guide
as Mary take the wrong path to heaven? Follow her and you cannot
go wrong, says St. Bernard. There is no danger of a true child
of Mary being led astray by the devil and falling into heresy.
Where Mary leads, Satan with his deceptions and heretics with
their subtleties are not encountered. "When she upholds you,
you will not fall."
210. The fourth good office our
Lady performs for her children and faithful servants is to defend
and protect them against their enemies. By her care and ingenuity
Rebecca delivered Jacob from all dangers that beset him and particularly
from dying at the hands of his brother, as he apparently would
have done, since Esau hated and envied him just as Cain hated
his brother Abel.
Mary, the beloved Mother of chosen souls,
shelters them under her protecting wings as a hen does her chicks.
She speaks to them, coming down to their level and accommodating
herself to all their weaknesses. To ensure their safety from the
hawk and vulture, she becomes their escort, surrounding them as
an army in battle array. Could anyone surrounded by a well-ordered
army of say a hundred thousand men fear his enemies? No, and still
less would a faithful servant of Mary, protected on all sides
by her imperial forces, fear his enemy. This powerful Queen of
heaven would sooner despatch millions of angels to help one of
her servants than have it said that a single faithful and trusting
servant of hers had fallen victim to the malice, number and power
of his enemies.
211. Finally, the fifth and greatest
service which this loving Mother renders her faithful followers
is to intercede for them with her Son. She appeases him with her
prayers, brings her servants into closer union with him and maintains
that union.
Rebecca made Jacob approach the bed of
his father. His father touched him, embraced him and even joyfully
kissed him after having satisfied his hunger with the well-prepared
dishes which Jacob had brought him. Then inhaling most joyfully
the exquisite perfume of his garments, he cried: "Behold
the fragrance of my son is as the fragrance of a field of plenty
which the Lord has blessed." The fragrance of this rich field
which so captivated the heart of the father, is none other than
the fragrance of the merits and virtues of Mary who is the plentiful
field of grace in which God the Father has sown the grain of wheat
of the elect, his only Son.
How welcome to Jesus Christ, the Father
of the world to come, is a child perfumed with the fragrance of
Mary! How readily and how intimately does he unite himself to
that child! But this we have already shown at length.
212. Furthermore, once Mary has
heaped her favours upon her children and her faithful servants
and has secured for them the blessing of the heavenly Father and
union with Jesus Christ, she keeps them in Jesus and keeps Jesus
in them. She guards them, watching over them unceasingly, lest
they lose the grace of God and fall into the snares of their enemies.
"She keeps the saints in their fullness" (St. Bonaventure),
and inspires them to persevere to the end, as we have already
said.
Such is the explanation given to this
ancient allegory which typifies the mystery of predestination
and reprobation.
213. My
dear friend, be sure that if you remain faithful to the interior
and exterior practices of this devotion which I will point out,
the following effects will be produced in your soul:
By the light which the Holy
Spirit will give you through Mary, his faithful spouse, you will
perceive the evil inclinations of your fallen nature and how incapable
you are of any good apart from that which God produces in you
as Author of nature and of grace. As a consequence of this knowledge
you will despise yourself and think of yourself only as an object
of repugnance. You will consider yourself as a snail that soils
everything with its slime, as a toad that poisons everything with
its venom, as a malevolent serpent seeking only to deceive. Finally,
the humble Virgin Mary will share her humility with you so that,
although you regard yourself with distaste and desire to be disregarded
by others, you will not look down slightingly upon anyone.
214. Mary
will share her faith with you. Her faith on earth was stronger
than that of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and saints.
Now that she is reigning in heaven she no longer has this faith,
since she sees everything clearly in God by the light of glory.
However, with the consent of almighty God she did not lose it
when entering heaven. She has preserved it for her faithful servants
in the Church militant. Therefore the more you gain the friendship
of this noble Queen and faithful Virgin the more you will be inspired
by faith in your daily life. It will cause you to depend less
upon sensible and extraordinary feelings. For it is a lively faith
animated by love enabling you to do everything from no other motive
than that of pure love. It is a firm faith, unshakeable as a rock,
prompting you to remain firm and steadfast in the midst of storms
and tempests. It is an active and probing faith which like some
mysterious pass-key admits you into the mysteries of Jesus Christ
and of man's final destiny and into the very heart of God himself.
It is a courageous faith which inspires you to undertake and carry
out without hesitation great things for God and the salvation
of souls. Lastly, this faith will be your flaming torch, your
very life with God, your secret fund of divine Wisdom, and an
all-powerful weapon for you to enlighten those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death. It inflames those who are lukewarm and
need the gold of fervent love. It restores life to those who are
dead through sin. It moves and transforms hearts of marble and
cedars of Lebanon by gentle and convincing argument. Finally,
this faith will strengthen you to resist the devil and the other
enemies of salvation.
215. The
Mother of fair love will rid your heart of all scruples and inordinate
servile fear. She will open and enlarge it to obey the commandments
of her Son with alacrity and with the holy freedom of the children
of God. She will fill your heart with pure love of which she is
the treasury. You will then cease to act as you did before, out
of fear of the God who is love, but rather out of pure love. You
will look upon him as a loving Father and endeavour to please
him at all times. You will speak trustfully to him as a child
does to its father. If you should have the misfortune to offend
him you will abase yourself before him and humbly beg his pardon.
You will offer your hand to him with simplicity and lovingly rise
from your sin. Then, peaceful and relaxed and buoyed up with hope
you will continue on your way to him.
216. Our
Blessed Lady will fill you with unbounded confidence in God and
in herself:
1) Because you will no longer
approach Jesus by yourself but always through Mary, your loving
Mother.
2) Since you have given
her all your merits, graces and satisfactions to dispose of as
she pleases, she imparts to you her own virtues and clothes you
in her own merits. So you will be able to say confidently to God:
"Behold Mary, your handmaid, be it done unto me according
to your word."
3) Since you have now given
yourself completely to Mary, body and soul, she, who is generous
to the generous, and more generous than even the kindest benefactor,
will in return give herself to you in a marvellous but real manner.
Indeed you may without hesitation say to her, "I am yours,
O Blessed Virgin, obtain salvation for me," or with the beloved
disciple, St. John, "I have taken you, Blessed Mother, for
my all." Or again you may say with St. Bonaventure, "Dear
Mother of saving grace, I will do everything with confidence and
without fear because you are my strength and my boast in the Lord,"
or in another place, "I am all yours and all that I have
is yours, O glorious Virgin, blessed above all created things.
Let me place you as a seal upon my heart, for your love is as
strong as death." Or adopting the sentiments of the prophet,
"Lord, my heart has no reason to be exalted nor should my
looks be proud; I have not sought things of great moment nor wonders
beyond my reach; nevertheless, I am still not humble. But I have
roused my soul and taken courage. I am as a child, weaned from
earthly pleasures and resting on its mother's breast. It is upon
this breast that all good things come to me."
4) What will still further
increase your confidence in her is that, after having given her
in trust all that you possess to use or keep as she pleases, you
will place less trust in yourself and much more in her whom you
have made your treasury. How comforting and how consoling when
a person can say, "The treasury of God, where he has placed
all that he holds most precious, is also my treasury." "She
is," says a saintly man, "the treasury of the Lord."
217. The
soul of Mary will be communicated to you to glorify the Lord.
Her spirit will take the place of yours to rejoice in God, her
Saviour, but only if you are faithful to the practices of this
devotion. As St. Ambrose says, "May the soul of Mary be in
each one of us to glorify the Lord! May the spirit of Mary be
in each one of us to rejoice in God!" "When will that
happy day come," asks a saintly man of our own day whose
life was completely wrapped up in Mary, "when God's Mother
is enthroned in men's hearts as Queen, subjecting them to the
dominion of her great and princely Son? When will souls breathe
Mary as the body breathes air?" When that time comes wonderful
things will happen on earth. The Holy Spirit, finding his dear
Spouse present again in souls, will come down into them with great
power. He will fill them with his gifts, especially wisdom, by
which they will produce wonders of grace. My dear friend, when
will that happy time come, that age of Mary, when many souls,
chosen by Mary and given her by the most High God, will hide themselves
completely in the depths of her soul, becoming living copies of
her, loving and glorifying Jesus? That day will dawn only when
the devotion I teach is understood and put into practice. Ut adveniat
regnum tuum, adveniat regnum Mariae: "Lord, that your kingdom
may come, may the reign of Mary come!"
218. If
Mary, the Tree of Life, is well cultivated in our soul by fidelity
to this devotion, she will in due time bring forth her fruit which
is none other than Jesus. I have seen many devout souls searching
for Jesus in one way or another, and so often when they have worked
hard throughout the night, all they can say is, "Despite
our having worked all night, we have caught nothing." To
them we can say, "You have worked hard and gained little;
Jesus can only be recognised faintly in you." But if we follow
the immaculate path of Mary, living the devotion that I teach,
we will always work in daylight, we will work in a holy place,
and we will work but little. There is no darkness in Mary, not
even the slightest shadow since there was never any sin in her.
She is a holy place, a holy of holies, in which saints are formed
and moulded.
219. Please
note that I say that saints are moulded in Mary. There is a vast
difference between carving a statue by blows of hammer and chisel
and making a statue by using a mould. Sculptors and statue-makers
work hard and need plenty of time to make statues by the first
method. But the second method does not involve much work and takes
very little time. St. Augustine speaking to our Blessed Lady says,
"You are worthy to be called the mould of God." Mary
is a mould capable of forming people into the image of the God-man.
Anyone who is cast into this divine mould is quickly shaped and
moulded into Jesus and Jesus into him. At little cost and in a
short time he will become Christ-like since he is cast into the
very same mould that fashioned a God-man.
220. I
think I can very well compare some spiritual directors and devout
persons to sculptors who wish to produce Jesus in themselves and
in others by methods other than this. Many of them rely on their
own skill, ingenuity and art and chip away endlessly with mallet
and chisel at hard stone or badly- prepared wood, in an effort
to produce a likeness of our Lord. At times, they do not manage
to produce a recognisable likeness either because they lack knowledge
and experience of the person of Jesus or because a clumsy stroke
has spoiled the whole work. But those who accept this little-known
secret of grace which I offer them can rightly be compared to
smelters and moulders who have discovered the beautiful mould
of Mary where Jesus was so divinely and so naturally formed. They
do not rely on their own skill but on the perfection of the mould.
They cast and lose themselves in Mary where they become true models
of her Son.
221. You
may think this a beautiful and convincing comparison. But how
many understand it? I would like you, my dear friend, to understand
it. But remember that only molten and liquefied substances may
be poured into a mould. That means that you must crush and melt
down the old Adam in you if you wish to acquire the likeness of
the new Adam in Mary.
222. If
you live this devotion sincerely, you will give more glory to
Jesus in a month than in many years of a more demanding devotion.
Here are my reasons for saying this:
1) Since you do everything
through the Blessed Virgin as required by this devotion, you naturally
lay aside your own intentions no matter how good they appear to
you. You abandon yourself to our Lady's intentions even though
you do not know what they are. Thus you share in the high quality
of her intentions, which are so pure that she gave more glory
to God by the smallest of her actions, say, twirling her distaff,
or making a stitch, than did St. Laurence suffering his cruel
martyrdom on the grid-iron, and even more than all the saints
together in all their most heroic deeds! Mary amassed such a multitude
of merits and graces during her sojourn on earth that it would
be easier to count the stars in heaven, the drops of water in
the ocean or the sands of the sea-shore than count her merits
and graces. She thus gave more glory to God than all the angels
and saints have given or will ever give him. Mary, wonder of God,
when souls abandon themselves to you, you cannot but work wonders
in them!
223. 2)
In this devotion we set no store on our own thoughts and actions
but are content to rely on Mary's dispositions when approaching
and even speaking to Jesus. We then act with far greater humility
than others who imperceptibly rely on their own dispositions and
are self-satisfied about them; and consequently we give greater
glory to God, for perfect glory is given to him only by the lowly
and humble of heart.
224. 3)
Our Blessed Lady, in her immense love for us, is eager to receive
into her virginal hands the gift of our actions, imparting to
them a marvellous beauty and splendour, and presenting them herself
to Jesus most willingly. More glory is given to our Lord in this
way than when we make our offering with our own guilty hands.
225. 4)
Lastly, you never think of Mary without Mary thinking of God for
you. You never praise or honour Mary without Mary joining you
in praising and honouring God. Mary is entirely relative to God.
Indeed I would say that she was relative only to God, because
she exists uniquely in reference to him.
She is an echo of God, speaking
and repeating only God. If you say "Mary" she says "God".
When St. Elizabeth praised Mary calling her blessed because she
had believed, Mary, the faithful echo of God, responded with her
canticle, "My soul glorifies the Lord." What Mary did
on that day, she does every day. When we praise her, when we love
and honour her, when we present anything to her, then God is praised,
honoured and loved and receives our gift through Mary and in Mary.
226. Although
this devotion is essentially an interior one, this does not prevent
it from having exterior practices which should not be neglected.
"These must be done but those not omitted." If properly
performed, exterior acts help to foster interior ones. Man is
always guided by his senses and such practices remind him of what
he has done or should do. Let no worldling or critic intervene
to assert that true devotion is essentially in the heart and therefore
externals should be avoided as inspiring vanity, or that real
devotion should be hidden and private. I answer in the words of
our Lord, "Let men see your good works that they may glorify
your Father who is in heaven." As St. Gregory says, this
does not mean that they should perform external actions to please
men or seek praise; that certainly would be vanity. It simply
means that we do these things before men only to please and glorify
God without worrying about either the contempt or the approval
of men.
I shall briefly mention
some practices which I call exterior, not because they are performed
without inner attention but because they have an exterior element
as distinct from those which are purely interior.
227. Those who desire to take
up this special devotion, (which has not been erected into a confraternity,
although this would be desirable), should spend at least twelve
days in emptying themselves of the spirit of the world, which
is opposed to the spirit of Jesus, as I have recommended in the
first part of this preparation for the reign of Jesus Christ.
They should then spend three weeks imbuing themselves with the
spirit of Jesus through the most Blessed Virgin. Here is a programme
they might follow:
228. During the first week they
should offer up all their prayers and acts of devotion to acquire
knowledge of themselves and sorrow for their sins.
Let them perform all their actions in
a spirit of humility. With this end in view they may, if they
wish, meditate on what I have said concerning our corrupted nature,
and consider themselves during six days of the week as nothing
but sails, slugs, toads, swine, snakes and goats. Or else they
may meditate on the following three considerations of St. Bernard:
"Remember what you were - corrupted seed; what you are -
a body destined for decay; what you will be -food for worms."
They will ask our Lord and the Holy Spirit
to enlighten them saying, "Lord, that I may see," or
"Lord, let me know myself," or the "Come, Holy
Spirit". Every day they should say the Litany of the Holy
Spirit, with the prayer that follows, as indicated in the first
part of this work. They will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg
her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation
of all others, the grace of self-knowledge. For this intention
they will say each day the Ave Maris Stella and the Litany of
the Blessed Virgin.
229. 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.
230. During the third week they
should seek to understand Jesus Christ better. They may read and
meditate on what we have already said about him. They may say
the prayer of St. Augustine which they will find at the beginning
of the second part of this book. Again with St. Augustine, they
may pray repeatedly, "Lord, that I may know you," or
"Lord, that I may see." As during the previous week,
they should recite the Litany of the Holy Spirit and the Ave Maris
Stella, adding every day the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.
231. At the end of these three
weeks they should go to confession and Holy Communion with the
intention of consecrating themselves to Jesus through Mary as
slaves of love. When receiving Holy Communion they could follow
the method given later on. They then recite the act of consecration
which is given at the end of this book. If they do not have a
printed copy of the act, they should write it out or have it copied
and then sign it on the very day they make it.
232. It would be very becoming
if on that day they offered some tribute to Jesus and his Mother,
either as a penance for past unfaithfulness to the promises made
in baptism or as a sign of their submission to the sovereignty
of Jesus and Mary. Such a tribute would be in accordance with
each one's ability and fervour and may take the form of fasting,
an act of self- denial, the gift of an alms or the offering of
a votive candle. If they gave only a pin as a token of their homage,
provided it were given with a good heart, it would satisfy Jesus
who considers only the good intention.
233. Every year at least, on the
same date, they should renew the consecration following the same
exercises for three weeks. They might also renew it every month
or even every day by saying this short prayer: "I am all
yours and all I have is yours, O dear Jesus, through Mary, your
holy Mother."
234. If it is not too inconvenient,
they should recite every day of their lives the Little Crown of
the Blessed Virgin, which is composed of three Our Fathers and
twelve Hail Marys in honour of the twelve glorious privileges
of Mary. This prayer is very old and is based on Holy Scripture.
St. John saw in a vision a woman crowned with twelve stars, clothed
with the sun and standing upon the moon. According to biblical
commentators, this woman is the Blessed Virgin.
235. There are several ways of
saying the Little Crown but it would take too long to explain
them here. The Holy Spirit will teach them to those who live this
devotion conscientiously. However, here is a simple way to recite
it. As an introduction say:" Virgin most holy, accept my
praise; give me strength to fight your foes", then say the
Creed. Next, say the following sequence of prayers three times:
one Our Father, four Hail Marys and one Glory be to the Father.
In conclusion say the prayer Sub tuum - "We fly to thy patronage".
236. It is very praiseworthy and
helpful for those who have become slaves of Jesus in Mary to wear,
in token of their slavery of love, a little chain blessed with
a special blessing.
It is perfectly true, these external
tokens are not essential and may very well be dispensed with by
those who have made this consecration. Nevertheless, I cannot
help but give the warmest approval to those who wear them. They
show they have shaken off the shameful chains of the slavery of
the devil, in which original sin and perhaps actual sin had bound
them, and have willingly taken upon themselves the glorious slavery
of Jesus Christ. Like St. Paul, they glory in the chains they
wear for Christ. For though these chains are made only of iron
they are far more glorious and precious than all the gold ornaments
worn by monarchs.
237. At one time, nothing was
considered more contemptible than the Cross. Now this sacred wood
has become the most glorious symbol of the Christian faith. Similarly,
nothing was more ignoble in the sight of the ancients, and even
today nothing is more degrading among unbelievers than the chains
of Jesus Christ. But among Christians nothing is more glorious
than these chains, because by them Christians are liberated and
kept free from the ignoble shackles of sin and the devil. Thus
set free, we are bound to Jesus and Mary not by compulsion and
force like galley-slaves, but by charity and love as children
are to their parents. "I shall draw them to me by chains
of love" said God Most High speaking through the prophet.
Consequently, these chains are as strong as death, and in a way
stronger than death, for those who wear them faithfully till the
end of their life. For though death destroys and corrupts their
body, it will not destroy the chains of their slavery, since these,
being of metal, will not easily corrupt. It may be that on the
day of their resurrection, that momentous day of final judgement,
these chains, still clinging to their bones, will contribute to
their glorification and be transformed into chains of light and
splendour. Happy then, a thousand times happy, are the illustrious
slaves of Jesus in Mary who bear their chains even to the grave.
238. Here are the reasons for
wearing these chains:
a) They remind a Christian of the promises
of his baptism and the perfect renewal of these commitments made
in his consecration. They remind him of his strict obligation
to adhere faithfully to them. A man's actions are prompted more
frequently by his senses than by pure faith and so he can easily
forget his duties towards God if he has no external reminder of
them. These little chains are a wonderful aid in recalling the
bonds of sin and the slavery of the devil from which baptism has
freed him. At the same time, they remind him of the dependence
on Jesus promised at baptism and ratified when by consecration
he renewed these promises. Why is it that so many Christians do
not think of their baptismal vows and behave with as much licence
as unbelievers who have promised nothing to God? One explanation
is that they do not wear external sign to remind them of these
vows.
239. b) These chains prove they
are not ashamed of being the servants and slaves of Jesus and
that they reject the deadly bondage of the world, of sin and of
the devil.
c) They are a guarantee and protection
against enslavement by sin and the devil. For we must of necessity
choose to wear either the chains of sin and damnation or the chains
of love and salvation.
240. Dear friend, break the chains
of sin and of sinners, of the world and the worldly, of the devil
and his satellites. "Cast their yoke of death far from us."
To use the words of the Holy Spirit, let us put our feet into
his glorious shackles and our neck into his chains. Let us bow
down our shoulders in submission to the yoke of Wisdom incarnate,
Jesus Christ, and let us not be upset by the burden of his chains.
Notice how before saying these words the Holy Spirit prepares
us to accept his serious advice, "Hearken, my son,"
he says, "receive a counsel of understanding and do not spurn
this counsel of mine."
241. Allow me here, my dear friend,
to join the Holy Spirit in giving you the same counsel, "These
chains are the chains of salvation". As our Lord on the cross
draws all men to himself, whether they will it or not, he will
draw sinners by the fetters of their sins and submit them like
galley-slaves and devils to his eternal anger and avenging justice.
But he will draw the just, especially in these latter days, by
the chains of love.
242. These loving slaves of Christ
may wear their chains around the neck, on their arms, round the
waist or round the ankles. Fr. Vincent Caraffa, seventh General
of the Society of Jesus, who died a holy death in 1643, carried
an iron band round his ankles as a symbol of his holy servitude
and he used to say that his greatest regret was that he could
not drag a chain around in public. Mother Agnes of Jesus, of whom
we have already spoken, wore a chain around her waist. Others
have worn it round the neck, in atonement for the pearl necklaces
they wore in the world. Others have worn chains round their arms
to remind them, as they worked with their hands, that they are
the slaves of Jesus.
243. Loving slaves of Jesus in
Mary should hold in high esteem devotion to Jesus, the Word of
God, in the great mystery of the Incarnation, March 25th, which
is the mystery proper to this devotion, because it was inspired
by the Holy Spirit for the following reasons:
a) That we might honour and imitate the
wondrous dependence which God the Son chose to have on Mary, for
the glory of his Father and for the redemption of man. This dependence
is revealed especially in this mystery where Jesus becomes a captive
and slave in the womb of his Blessed Mother, depending on her
for everything.
b) That we might thank God for the incomparable
graces he has conferred upon Mary and especially that of choosing
her to be his most worthy Mother. This choice was made in the
mystery of the Incarnation. These are the two principal ends of
the slavery of Jesus in Mary.
244. Please note that I usually
say "slave of Jesus in Mary", "slavery of Jesus
in Mary". We might indeed say, as some have already been
saying, "slave of Mary", "slavery of Mary".
But I think it preferable to say, "slave of Jesus in Mary".
This is the opinion of Fr. Tronson, Superior General of the Seminary
of Saint-Sulpice, a man renowned for his exceptional prudence
and remarkable holiness. He gave this advice when consulted upon
this subject by a priest.
Here are the reasons for it:
245. a) Since we live in an age
of pride when a great number of haughty scholars, with proud and
critical minds, find fault even with long-established and sound
devotions, it is better to speak of "slavery of Jesus in
Mary" and to call oneself "slave of Jesus" rather
than "slave of Mary". We then avoid giving any pretext
for criticism. In this way, we name this devotion after its ultimate
end which is Jesus, rather than after the way and the means to
arrive there, which is Mary. However, we can very well use either
term without any scruple, as I myself do. If a man goes from Orléans
to Tours, by way of Amboise, he can quite truthfully say that
he is going to Amboise and equally truthfully say that he is going
to Tours. The only difference is that Amboise is simply a place
on the direct road to Tours, and Tours alone is his final destination.
246. b) Since the principal mystery
celebrated and honoured in this devotion is the mystery of the
Incarnation where we find Jesus only in Mary, having become incarnate
in her womb, it is appropriate for us to say, "slavery of
Jesus in Mary", of Jesus dwelling enthroned in Mary, according
to the beautiful prayer, recited by so many great souls, "O
Jesus living in Mary".
247. c) These expressions show
more clearly the intimate union existing between Jesus and Mary.
So closely are they united that one is wholly the other. Jesus
is all in Mary and Mary is all in Jesus. Or rather, it is no longer
she who lives, but Jesus alone who lives in her. It would be easier
to separate light from the sun than Mary from Jesus. So united
are they that our Lord may be called, "Jesus of Mary",
and his Mother "Mary of Jesus".
248. Time does not permit me to
linger here and elaborate on the perfections and wonders of the
mystery of Jesus living and reigning in Mary, or the Incarnation
of the Word. I shall confine myself to the following brief remarks.
The Incarnation is the first mystery of Jesus Christ; it is the
most hidden; and it is the most exalted and the least known.
It was in this mystery that Jesus, in
the womb of Mary and with her co-operation, chose all the elect.
For this reason the saints called her womb, the throne-room of
God's mysteries.
It was in this mystery that Jesus anticipated
all subsequent mysteries of his life by his willing acceptance
of them. Consequently, this mystery is a summary of all his mysteries
since it contains the intention and the grace of them all.
Lastly, this mystery is the seat of the
mercy, the liberality, and the glory of God. It is the seat of
his mercy for us, since we can approach and speak to Jesus through
Mary. We need her intervention to see or speak to him. Here, ever
responsive to the prayer of his Mother, Jesus unfailingly grants
grace and mercy to all poor sinners. "Let us come boldly
before the throne of grace."
It is the seat of liberality for Mary,
because while the new Adam dwelt in this truly earthly paradise
God performed there so many hidden marvels beyond the understanding
of men and angels. For this reason, the saints call Mary "the
magnificence of God", as if God showed his magnificence only
in Mary.
It is the seat of glory for his Father,
because it was in Mary that Jesus perfectly atoned to his Father
on behalf of mankind. It was here that he perfectly restored the
glory that sin had taken from his Father. It was here again that
our Lord, by the sacrifice of himself and of his will, gave more
glory to God than he would have given had he offered all the sacrifices
of the Old Law. Finally, in Mary he gave his Father infinite glory,
such as his Father had never received from man.
249. Those who accept this devotion
should have a great love for the Hail Mary, or, as it is called,
the Angelic Salutation.
Few Christians, however enlightened,
understand the value, merit, excellence and necessity of the Hail
Mary. Our Blessed Lady herself had to appear on several occasions
to men of great holiness and insight, such as St. Dominic, St.
John Capistran and Blessed Alan de Rupe, to convince them of the
richness of this prayer.
They composed whole books on the wonders
it had worked and its efficacy in converting sinners. They earnestly
proclaimed and publicly preached that just as the salvation of
the world began with the Hail Mary, so the salvation of each individual
is bound up with it. This prayer, they said, brought to a dry
and barren world the Fruit of Life, and if well said, will cause
the Word of God to take root in the soul and bring forth Jesus,
the Fruit of Life. They also tell us that the Hail Mary is a heavenly
dew which waters the earth of our soul and makes it bear fruit
in due season. The soul which is not watered by this heavenly
dew bears no fruit but only thorns and briars, and merits only
God's condemnation.
250. Here is what our Blessed
Lady revealed to Blessed Alan de Rupe as recorded in his book,
The Dignity of the Rosary, and as told again by Cartagena: "Know,
my son, and make it known to all, that lukewarmness or negligence
in saying the Hail Mary, or a distaste for it, is a probable and
proximate sign of eternal damnation, for by this prayer the whole
world was restored."
These are terrible words but at the same
time they are consoling. We should find it hard to believe them,
were we not assured of their truth by Blessed Alan and by St.
Dominic before him, and by so many great men since his time. The
experience of many centuries is there to prove it, for it has
always been common knowledge that those who bear the sign of reprobation,
as all formal heretics, evil-doers, the proud and the worldly,
hate and spurn the Hail Mary and the Rosary. True, heretics learn
to say the Our Father but they will not countenance the Hail Mary
and the Rosary and they would rather carry a snake around with
them than a rosary. And there are even Catholics who, sharing
the proud tendencies of their father Lucifer, despise the Hail
Mary or look upon it with indifference. The Rosary, they say,
is a devotion suitable only for ignorant and illiterate people.
On the other hand, we know from experience
that those who show positive signs of being among the elect, appreciate
and love the Hail Mary and are always glad to say it. The closer
they are to God, the more they love this prayer, as our Blessed
Lady went on to tell Blessed Alan.
251. I do not know how this should
be, but it is perfectly true; and I know no surer way of discovering
whether a person belongs to God than by finding out if he loves
the Hail Mary and the Rosary. I say, "if he loves",
for it can happen that a person for some reason may be unable
to say the Rosary, but this does not prevent him from loving it
and inspiring others to say it.
252. Chosen souls, slaves of Jesus
in Mary, understand that after the Our Father, the Hail Mary is
the most beautiful of all prayers. It is the perfect compliment
the most High God paid to Mary through his archangel in order
to win her heart. So powerful was the effect of this greeting
upon her, on account of its hidden delights, that despite her
great humility, she gave her consent to the incarnation of the
Word. If you say the Hail Mary properly, this compliment will
infallibly earn you Mary's good will.
253. When the Hail Mary is well
said, that is, with attention, devotion and humility, it is, according
to the saints, the enemy of Satan, putting him to flight; it is
the hammer that crushes him, a source of holiness for souls, a
joy to the angels and a sweet melody for the devout. It is the
Canticle of the New Testament, a delight for Mary and glory for
the most Blessed Trinity. The Hail Mary is dew falling from heaven
to make the soul fruitful. It is a pure kiss of love we give to
Mary. It is a crimson rose, a precious pearl that we offer to
her. It is a cup of ambrosia, a divine nectar that we offer her.
These are comparisons made by the saints.
254. I earnestly beg of you, then,
by the love I bear you in Jesus and Mary, not to be content with
saying the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin, but say the Rosary
too, and if time permits, all its fifteen decades, every day.
Then when death draws near, you will bless the day and hour when
you took to heart what I told you, for having sown the blessings
of Jesus and Mary, you will reap the eternal blessings in heaven.
255. To thank God for the graces
he has given to our Lady, her consecrated ones will frequently
say the Magnificat, following the example of Blessed Marie d'Oignies
and several other saints. The Magnificat is the only prayer we
have which was composed by our Lady, or rather, composed by Jesus
in her, for it was he who spoke through her lips. It is the greatest
offering of praise that God ever received under the law of grace.
On the one hand, it is the most humble hymn of thanksgiving and,
on the other, it is the most sublime and exalted. Contained in
it are mysteries so great and so hidden that even the angels do
not understand them.
Gerson, a pious and learned scholar,
spent the greater part of his life writing tracts full of erudition
and love on the most profound subjects. Even so, it was with apprehension
that he undertook towards the end of his life to write a commentary
on the Magnificat which was the crowning point of all his works.
In a large volume on the subject he says many wonderful things
about this beautiful and divine canticle. Among other things he
tells us that Mary herself frequently recited it, especially at
thanksgiving after Holy Communion. The learned Benzonius, in his
commentary on the Magnificat, cites several miracles worked through
the power of this prayer. The devils, he declare, take to flight
when they hear these words, "He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted".
256. Mary's faithful servants
despise this corrupted world. They should hate and shun its allurements,
and follow the exercises of the contempt of the world which we
have given in the first part of this treatise.
257. The exterior practices of
this devotion which I have just dealt with should be observed
as far as one's circumstances and state of life permit. They should
not be omitted through negligence or deliberate disregard. In
addition to them, here are some very sanctifying interior practices
for those souls who feel called by the Holy Spirit to a high degree
of perfection. They may be expressed in four words, doing everything
through Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary, in order to do
it more perfectly through Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus, and for
Jesus.
258. We must do everything through
Mary, that is, we must obey her always and be led in all things
by her spirit, which is the Holy Spirit of God. "Those who
are led by the Spirit of God are children of God," says St.
Paul. Those who are led by the spirit of Mary are children of
Mary, and, consequently children of God, as we have already shown.
Among the many servants of Mary only those who are truly and faithfully
devoted to her are led by her spirit.
I have said that the spirit of Mary is
the spirit of God because she was never led by her own spirit,,
but always by the spirit of God, who made himself master of her
to such an extent that he became her very spirit. That is why
St. Ambrose says, "May the soul of Mary be in each one of
us to glorify the Lord. May the spirit of Mary be in each one
of us to rejoice in God." Happy is the man who follows the
example of the good Jesuit Brother Rodriguez, who died a holy
death, because he will be completely possessed and governed by
the spirit of Mary, a spirit which is gentle yet strong, zealous
yet prudent, humble yet courageous, pure yet fruitful.
259. The person who wishes to
be led by this spirit of Mary:
1) Should renounce his own spirit, his
own views and his own will before doing anything, for example,
before making meditation, celebrating or attending Mass, before
Communion. For the darkness of our own spirit and the evil tendencies
of our own will and actions, good as they may seem to us, would
hinder the holy spirit of Mary were we to follow them.
2) We should give ourselves up to the
spirit of Mary to be moved and directed as she wishes. We should
place and leave ourselves in her virginal hands, like a tool in
the hands of a craftsman or a lute in the hands of a good musician.
We should cast ourselves into her like a stone thrown into the
sea. This is done easily and quickly by a mere thought, a slight
movement of the will or just a few words as, "I renounce
myself and give myself to you, my dear Mother." And even
if we do not experience any emotional fervour in this spiritual
encounter it is none the less real. It is just as if a person
with equal sincerity were to say - which God forbid! - "I
give myself to the devil." Even though this were said without
feeling any emotion, he would no less really belong to the devil.
3) From time to time during an action
and after it, we should renew this same act of offering and of
union. The more we do so, the quicker we shall grow in holiness
and the sooner we shall reach union with Christ, which necessarily
follows upon union with Mary, since the spirit of Mary is the
spirit of Jesus.
260. We must do everything with
Mary, that is to say, in all our actions we must look upon Mary,
although a simple human being, as the perfect model of every virtue
and perfection, fashioned by the Holy Spirit for us to imitate,
as far as our limited capacity allows. In every action then we
should consider how Mary performed it or how she would perform
it if she were in our place. For this reason, we must examine
and meditate on the great virtues she practised during her life,
especially:
1) Her lively faith, by which she believed
the angel's word without the least hesitation, and believed faithfully
and constantly even to the foot of the Cross on Calvary.
2) Her deep humility, which made her
prefer seclusion, maintain silence, submit to every eventuality
and put herself in the last place.
3) Her truly divine purity, which never
had and never will have its equal on this side of heaven.
And so on for her other virtues.
Remember what I told you before, that
Mary is the great, unique mould of God, designed to make living
images of God at little expense and in a short time. Anyone who
finds this mould and casts himself into it, is soon transformed
into our Lord because it is the true likeness of him.
261. We must do everything in
Mary. To understand this we must realise that the Blessed Virgin
is the true earthly paradise of the new Adam and that the ancient
paradise was only a symbol of her. There are in this earthly paradise
untold riches, beauties, rarities and delights, which the new
Adam, Jesus Christ, has left there. It is in this paradise that
he "took his delights" for nine months, worked his wonders
and displayed his riches with the magnificence of God himself.
This most holy place consists of only virgin and immaculate soil
from which the new Adam was formed with neither spot nor stain
by the operation of the Holy Spirit who dwells there. In this
earthly paradise grows the real Tree of Life which bore our Lord,
the fruit of Life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which
bore the Light of the world.
In this divine place there are trees
planted by the hand of God and watered by his divine unction which
have borne and continue to bear fruit that is pleasing to him.
There are flower-beds studded with a variety of beautiful flowers
of virtue, diffusing a fragrance which delights even the angels.
Here there are meadows verdant with hope, impregnable towers of
fortitude, enchanting mansions of confidence and many other delights.
Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the
truths that these material objects symbolise. In this place the
air is perfectly pure. There is no night but only the brilliant
day of the sacred humanity, the resplendent, spotless sun of the
Divinity, the blazing furnace of love, melting all the base metal
thrown into it and changing it into gold. There the river of humility
gushes forth from the soil, divides into four branches and irrigates
the whole of this enchanted place. These branches are the four
cardinal virtues.
262. The Holy Spirit speaking
through the Fathers of the Church, also calls our Lady the Eastern
Gate, through which the High Priest, Jesus Christ, enters and
goes out into the world. Through this gate he entered the world
the first time and through this same gate he will come the second
time.
The Holy Spirit also calls her the Sanctuary
of the Divinity, the Resting-Place of the Holy Spirit, the Throne
of God, the City of God, the Altar of God, the Temple of God,
the World of God. All these titles and expressions of praise are
very real when related to the different wonders the Almighty worked
in her and the graces which he bestowed on her. What wealth and
what glory! What a joy and a privilege for us to enter and dwell
in Mary, in whom almighty God has set up the throne of his supreme
glory!
263. But how difficult it is for
us to have the freedom, the ability and the light to enter such
an exalted and holy place. This place is guarded not by a cherub,
like the first earthly paradise, but by the Holy Spirit himself
who has become its absolute Master. Referring to her, he says:
"You are an enclosed garden, my sister, my bride, an enclosed
garden and a sealed fountain." Mary is enclosed. Mary is
sealed. The unfortunate children of Adam and Eve driven from the
earthly paradise, can enter this new paradise only by a special
grace of the Holy Spirit which they have to merit.
264. When we have obtained this
remarkable grace by our fidelity, we should be delighted to remain
in Mary. We should rest there peacefully, rely on her confidently,
hide ourselves there with safety, and abandon ourselves unconditionally
to her, so that within her virginal bosom:
1) We may be nourished with the milk
of her grace and her motherly compassion.
2) We may be delivered from all anxiety,
fear and scruples.
3) We may be safeguarded from all our
enemies, the devil, the world and sin which have never gained
admittance there. That is why our Lady says that those who work
in her will not sin, that is, those who dwell spiritually in our
Lady will never commit serious sin.
4) We may be formed in our Lord and our
Lord formed in us, because her womb is, as the early Fathers call
it, the house of the divine secrets where Jesus and all the elect
have been conceived. "This one and that one were born in
her."
265. Finally, we must do everything
for Mary. Since we have given ourselves completely to her service,
it is only right that we should do everything for her as if we
were her personal servant and slave. This does not mean that we
take her for the ultimate end of our service for Jesus alone is
our ultimate end. But we take Mary for our proximate end, our
mysterious intermediary and the easiest way of reaching him.
Like every good servant and slave we
must not remain idle, but, relying on her protection, we should
undertake and carry out great things for our noble Queen. We must
defend her privileges when they are questioned and uphold her
good name when it is under attack. We must attract everyone, if
possible, to her service and to this true and sound devotion.
We must speak up and denounce those who distort devotion to her
by outraging her Son, and at the same time we must apply ourselves
to spreading this true devotion. As a reward for these little
services, we should expect nothing in return save the honour of
belonging to such a loveable Queen and the joy of being united
through her to Jesus, her Son, by a bond that is indissoluble
in time and in eternity. Glory to Jesus in Mary! Glory to Mary
in Jesus! Glory to God alone!
266. 1)
Place yourself humbly in the presence of God.
2) Renounce your corrupt
nature and dispositions, no matter how good self-love makes them
appear to you.
3) Renew your consecration
saying, "I belong entirely to you, dear Mother, and all that
I have is yours."
4) Implore Mary to lend
you her heart so that you may receive her Son with her dispositions.
Remind her that her Son's glory requires that he should not come
into a heart so sullied and fickle as your own, which could not
fail to diminish his glory and might cause him to leave. Tell
her that if she will take up her abode in you to receive her Son
- which she can do because of the sovereignty she has over all
hearts - he will be received by her in a perfect manner without
danger of being affronted or being forced to depart. "God
is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved."
Tell her with confidence
that all you have given her of your possessions is little enough
to honour her, but that in Holy Communion you wish to give her
the same gifts as the eternal Father gave her. Thus she will feel
more honoured than if you gave her all the wealth in the world.
Tell her, finally, that Jesus, whose love for her is unique, still
wishes to take his delight and his repose in her even in your
soul, even though it is poorer and less clean than the stable
which he readily entered because she was there. Beg her to lend
you her heart, saying, "O Mary, I take you for my all; give
me your heart."
267. After
the Our Father, when you are about to receive our Lord, say to
him three times the prayer, "Lord, I am not worthy."
Say it the first time as if you were telling the eternal Father
that because of your evil thoughts and your ingratitude to such
a good Father, you are unworthy to receive his only-begotten Son,
but that here is Mary, his handmaid, who acts for you and whose
presence gives you a special confidence and hope in him.
268. Say
to God the Son, "Lord, I am not worthy", meaning that
you are not worthy to receive him because of your useless and
evil words and your carelessness in his service, but nevertheless
you ask him to have pity on you because you are going to usher
him into the house of his Mother and yours, and you will not let
him go until he has made it his home. Implore him to rise and
come to the place of his repose and the ark of his sanctification.
Tell him that you have no faith in your own merits, strength and
preparedness, like Esau, but only in Mary, your Mother, just as
Jacob had trust in Rebecca his mother. Tell him that although
you are a great sinner you still presume to approach him, supported
by his holy Mother and adorned with her merits and virtues.
269. Say
to the Holy Spirit, "Lord, I am not worthy". Tell him
that you are not worthy to receive the masterpiece of his love
because of your lukewarmness, wickedness and resistance to his
inspirations. But, nonetheless, you put all your confidence in
Mary, his faithful Spouse, and say with St. Bernard, "She
is my greatest safeguard, the whole foundation of my hope."
Beg him to overshadow Mary, his inseparable Spouse, once again.
Her womb is as pure and her heart as ardent as ever. Tell him
that if he does not enter your soul neither Jesus nor Mary will
be formed there nor will it be a worthy dwelling for them.
270. After
Holy Communion, close your eyes and recollect yourself. Then usher
Jesus into the heart of Mary: you are giving him to his Mother
who will receive him with great love and give him the place of
honour, adore him profoundly, show him perfect love, embrace him
intimately in spirit and in truth, and perform many offices for
him of which we, in our ignorance, would know nothing.
271. Or,
maintain a profoundly humble heart in the presence of Jesus dwelling
in Mary. Or be in attendance like a slave at the gate of the royal
palace, where the King is speaking with the Queen. While they
are talking to each other, with no need of you, go in spirit to
heaven and to the whole world, and call upon all creatures to
thank, adore and love Jesus and Mary for you. "Come, let
us adore."
272. Or,
ask Jesus living in Mary that his kingdom may come upon earth
through his holy Mother. Ask for divine Wisdom, divine love, the
forgiveness of your sins, or any other grace, but always through
Mary and in Mary. Cast a look of reproach upon yourself and say,
"Lord, do not look at my sins, let your eyes see nothing
in me but the virtues and merits of Mary." Remembering your
sins, you may add, "I am my own worst enemy and I am guilty
of all these sins." Or, "Deliver me from the unjust
and deceitful man." Or again, "Dear Jesus, you must
increase in my soul and I must decrease." "Mary, you
must increase in me and I must always go on decreasing."
"O Jesus and Mary, increase in me and increase in others
around me."
273. There
are innumerable other thoughts with which the Holy Spirit will
inspire you, which he will make yours if you are thoroughly recollected
and mortified, and constantly faithful to the great and sublime
devotion which I have been teaching you. But remember, the more
you let Mary act in your Communion the more Jesus will be glorified.
The more you humble yourself and listen to Jesus and Mary in peace
and silence - with no desire to see, taste or feel - then the
more freedom you will give to Mary to act in Jesus' name and the
more Jesus will act in Mary. For the just man lives everywhere
by faith, but especially in Holy Communion, which is an action
of faith.
See here for a short description of this book.