Devotion for today: the characteristics of true devotion to Mary

Scripture for meditation: John 19:25-27Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.”
 Scripture for reflection: Luke 2:34-35And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted, and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
 According to Saint Louis de Montfort, there are five characteristics of true devotion to Mary: Interior: True Devotion to our Lady is interior: that is, it comes from the mind and the heart, it flows from the esteem we have for her, the high idea we have formed of her greatness and the love which we have for her. Tender: It is tender, that is, full of confidence in her like a child’s confidence in his loving Mother. This confidence makes the soul have recourse to her in all its bodily and mental necessities, with much simplicity, trust and tenderness. Holy: This devotion to our Lady is holy: that is to say, it leads the soul to avoid sin and imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin, particularly her profound humility, her lively faith, her blind obedience, her continual prayer, her universal mortification, her divine purity, her ardent charity, her heroic patience, her angelic sweetness and her divine wisdom. These are the ten principal virtues of the Most Holy Virgin. Constant: It is constant, that is to say, it confirms the soul in good, and does not let it easily abandon its spiritual exercises. It makes it courageous in opposing the world and its fashions and maxims, the flesh in its weariness and passions; and the devil in his temptations, so that a person truly devout to our Blessed Lady is neither changeable, irritable, scrupulous nor timid. Disinterested: True Devotion to our Lady is disinterested: that is to say, it inspires the soul not to seek itself but God only and God in His holy Mother. A true client of Mary does not serve that august Queen from a spirit of lucre and interest, nor for his own good, whether temporal or eternal, corporal or spiritual, but exclusively because she deserves to be served and God alone in her. (Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis de Montfort, Montfort Publications, 1989)
 Prayer: Ave, Maris StellaHail, bright star of ocean, God’s own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin, Gate of heavenly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave, which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us, Changing Eva’s name.
 Break the captives’ fetters, light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling, every bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother, may the Word Divine,
Born for us thy infant, hear our prayers through thine.
 Virgin all excelling, mildest of the mild,
Freed from guilt, preserve us, pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless, make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus, joy forever more.
 Through the highest Heaven, to the almighty Three,
Father, Son and Spirit, one same glory be. Amen.
 My thoughts: When we read the benefits of a true devotion to Mary, it is hard to understand why anyone would not want to commit their lives to her loving protection. Saint Louis de Montfort has written one way to completely consecrate your life to Mary in his thirty-three day program entitled,
“Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary.” A newer, easier way to make the consecration is by reading “Thirty-three Days to Morning Glory” by Father Michael Gaitely. Both programs take you through 33 days of prayer and meditation to reach the goal of living the above characteristics of true devotion to Mary. I have made the consecration both ways, and both ways worked for me. My friend truly loves the more modern adaptation found in “Thirty-three Days to Morning Glory” and yet I know many people willing to make the necessary time commitment to proceed through St. Louis de Montfort’s program. Either way, consider turning your life over to your Blessed Mother, and let her begin the work of transforming your life. She did that to mine, and thank God, I will never be the same again. Mary, our Mother, pray for us. Amen.