How did St Louis de Monfort reveal himself to me?
My friend Michelle from Bracebridge who accompanied me on my first trip to Medugorje called me one day and told me that Maria Bianchini from Venezuela was in Toronto and she suggested I go see her.
My life was pretty boring at the time so I went to Toronto where this lady was speaking ... bought a ticket and never even went in to listen to her. I found a card on the ground somewhere near the place where Maria was speaking ... post card size with an image of the Virgin Mary on the front ... turned out to be the images of Our Lady of Fatima ... one where Mary is crying. On the back of this card was a Scarborough address for some group or organization involved with supporting Mary and Fatima. This experience was my introduction to the miracle of Fatima; I had never heard of it before. It would be several years before I would learn the significance of this incident; my 1,400 kilometer walk from Lourdes in France, across Spain and halfway across Portugal to Fatima in the summer of 2000.
Spontaneously, I decided I would go and visit the people at this Scarborough address. Never learned much but, the gentleman who I chatted with for a few minutes brought out this book ... "True Devotion to Mary". After much gentle persuasion he agreed to sell it to me. I have read this book several times since and I plan to read it many more times. St Louis presents his formula for those who wish to consecrate their lives to the Virgin Mary. While I have not been able to change my character and subscribe to St Louis's structured program, still too self reliant and too 'free spirited', I have found his writing so, so inspirational and helpful.
St Louis de Monfort left me a permanent reminder of his teachings ... my father passed away on his Feast Day ... April 28th ... Hmmm!
I particularly enjoyed his interpretation of the story of Rebecca and Jacob. I include it here for those readers who may be interested.
“REBECCA AND JACOB the Biblical Narrative
Esau having sold Jacob his birthright, Rebecca, the mother of the two brothers, who loved Jacob tenderly, secured this advantage of the birthright for him many years afterward by a stroke of skill most holy but most full of mystery. Isaac, feeling very old, and wishing to bless his children before he died, called his son Esau, who was his favourite, and commanded him to go out hunting and get him something to eat, in order that he might afterward bless him. Rebecca promptly informed Jacob of what had passed, and ordered him to go and take two kids from the flock. When he had given them to his mother, she prepared for Isaac what she knew he liked. She clothed Jacob in the garments of Esau, which she kept, and covered his hands and his neck with the skin of the kids, so that his father, who was blind, even though he heard Jacob’s voice, might think by touching the skin of his hands that it was Esau.
Isaac, having been surprised by the voice, which he thought was Jacob’s voice, made him come near. Having touched the skins with which his hands were covered, he said that the voice truly was the voice of Jacob, but that the hands were the hands of Esau.
After he had eaten, and, in kissing Jacob, had smelt the odour of his perfumed garments, he blessed him and wished for him the dew of Heaven and the fruitfulness of earth. He made him lord over all his brethren, and finished his blessing with these words: "Cursed be he that curseth thee, and let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings."
Isaac had hardly finished these words when Esau entered, bringing with him what he had captured while out hunting in order that his father might eat it, and then bless him. The holy patriarch was surprised with an incredible astonishment when he understood what had happened. But, far from retracting what he had done, on the contrary he confirmed it, for he saw plainly that the finger of God was in the matter. Esau then uttered great cries, as the Holy Scripture says, and loudly accusing the deceitfulness of his brother, he asked his father if he had but one blessing. In this conduct of his, as the holy Fathers remark, Esau was the image of those who are only too glad to ally God with the world and would fain enjoy both the consolations of Heaven and the consolations of earth. At last Isaac, touched with the cries of Esau, blessed him, but with a blessing of the earth, subjecting him to his brother. This made him conceive such an envenomed hatred for Jacob that he waited only for his father’s death in order to attempt to kill him. Nor would Jacob have escaped death if his dear mother Rebecca had not saved him from it by her efforts and by the good counsels which she gave him, and which he followed.
II. Interpretation
Before explaining this beautiful story, we must observe that, according to the holy Fathers and the interpreters of Scripture, Jacob is the figure of Jesus Christ and the predestined, and Esau that of the reprobate. We have but to examine the actions and conduct of each to be convinced of this.
1. Esau, figure of the reprobate.
(1) Esau, the elder, was strong and robust of body, adroit and skilful in drawing the bow and in taking much game in the chase.(2) He hardly ever stayed in the house; and putting no confidence in anything but his own strength and address, he worked only out of doors. (3) He took very few pains to please his mother Rebecca, and indeed did nothing for that end. (4) He was such a glutton and loved eating so much that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. (5) He was, like Cain, full of envy against his brother, and persecuted him beyond measure.
Now this is the daily conduct of the reprobate. They trust in their own strength and aptitude for temporal affairs. They are very strong, very able and very enlightened in earthly business; but very weak and very ignorant in heavenly things.
It is on this account that they are never at all, or at least very seldom, at their own homes-that is to say, in their own interior, which is the inward and essential house which God has given to every man, to live there, after His example; for God always dwells in Himself. The reprobate do not love retirement, nor spirituality, nor inward devotion; and they treat as little, or as bigots, or as savages, those who are interior or retired from the world, and who work more within than without.
The reprobate care next to nothing for devotion to our Blessed Lady, the Mother of the predestined. It is true that they do not hate her formally. Indeed they sometimes praise her and say they love her, and even practice some devotion in her honour. Nevertheless, they cannot bear that we should love her tenderly, because they have not the tenderness of Jacob for her. They find much to say against the practices of devotion her good children and servants faithfully perform in order to gain her affection, because they do not think that devotion necessary to salvation; and they consider that, provided that they do not hate Our Lady formally or openly despise her devotion, they do enough. Moreover, they imagine that they are already in her good graces, and that, in fine, they are her servants, inasmuch as they recite and mumble certain prayers in her honour, without tenderness for her or amendment in themselves.
The reprobate sell their birthright, that is to say, the pleasures of paradise. They sell it for a pottage of lentils, that is to say, for the pleasures of the earth. They laugh, they eat, they drink, they amuse themselves, they gamble, they dance, and take no more pains than Esau did to render themselves worthy of the blessing of their Father. In a word, they think only of earth and they love earth only; they speak and act only for earth and for its pleasures, selling for one moment of enjoyment, for one vain puff of honour, for a morsel of hard metal, yellow or white, their Baptismal grace, their robe of innocence and their heavenly inheritance.
Finally, the reprobate daily hate and persecute the predestined, openly and secretly. They feel the predestined are a burden to them, they despise them, they criticize them, they ridicule them, they abuse them, they rob them, they cheat them, they drive them away, they bring them low into the dust; while they themselves are making fortunes, are taking their pleasures, getting themselves into good positions, enriching themselves, becoming greater and living at their ease.
Jacob, figure of the predestined. (a) Conduct of Jacob
As to Jacob, the younger son, he was of a feeble constitution, meek and peaceful. He lived for the most part at home, in order to gain the good graces of his mother Rebecca, whom he loved tenderly. If he went abroad, it was not of his own will, nor through any confidence in his own skill, but to obey his mother.
He loved and honoured his mother. It was on this account that he kept at home. He was never so happy as when watching her. He avoided everything which could displease her, and did everything which he thought would please her; and this increased the love which Rebecca already had for him.
He was subject in all things to his dear mother. He obeyed her entirely in all matters- promptly, without delaying, and lovingly, without complaining. At the least indication of her will, the little Jacob ran and worked; and he believed, without questioning, everything she said to him. For example, when she told him to fetch two kids in order that she might prepare something for his father Isaac to eat, Jacob did not reply that one was enough to make a dish for a single man, but did without argument what she told him to do.
He had great confidence in his dear mother. As he did not rely in the least on his own ability, he depended exclusively on her care and protection. He appealed to her in all his necessities, and consulted her in all his doubts. For example, when he asked if, instead of a blessing, he should not receive a curse from his father, he believed her and trusted her when she said that she would take the curse upon herself.
Lastly, he imitated as far as he could the virtues he saw in his mother. It seems as if one of his reasons for leading such a sedentary life at home was to imitate his dear mother, who was virtuous, and kept away from bad companions who corrupt the morals. By this means he made himself worthy of receiving the double blessing of his beloved father.
(b) Conduct of the Predestined
Such also is the conduct which the predestined daily observe.
They are sedentary and homekeepers with their Mother. In other words, they love retirement and are interior. They give themselves to prayer; but it is after the example and in the company of their Mother, the holy Virgin, the whole of whose glory is within, and who during her entire life loved retirement and prayer so much. It is true that they sometimes appear without, in the world; but it is in obedience to the will of God and that of their dear Mother, to fulfill the duties of their state. However apparently important their outward works may be, they esteem still more highly those which they do within themselves, in their interior, in the company of the Blessed Virgin. For it is within that they accomplish the great work of their perfection, compared with which all their other works are but child’s play. It is on this account that, while sometimes their brothers and sisters are working outwardly with much energy, success and skill, in the praise and with the approbation of the world, they on the contrary know by the light of the Holy Ghost that there is far more glory, more good and more joy in remaining hidden in retreat with Jesus Christ, their Model, in an entire and perfect subjection to their Mother, than to do of themselves wonders of nature and grace in the world, as so many Esaus and reprobates do. "Glory for God and riches for men are to be found in the house of Mary." (Cf. ‘Ps. 111:3).
Lord Jesus, how sweet are Thy tabernacles! The sparrow has found a house to lodge in, and the turtledove a nest for her little ones. Oh, happy is the man who dwells in the house of Mary, where Thou wast the first to make Thy dwelling! It is in this house of the predestined that he receives assistance from Thee alone, and that he has arranged in his heart the steps and ascents of all the virtues by which to raise himself to perfection in this vale of tears. "How lovely are Thy tabernacles." (Ps. 83:2).
The predestined tenderly love and truly honor our Blessed Lady as their good Mother and Mistress. They love her not only in word but in truth. They honour her not only outwardly but in the depths of their hearts. They avoid, like Jacob, everything which can displease her; and they practice with fervour whatever they think will make them find favour with her. They bring to her and give her, not two kids, as did Jacob to Rebecca, but their body and their soul, with all that depends on them, symbolized by the two kids of Jacob. They bring them to her: (1) that she may receive them as things which belong to her: (2) that she may kill them, that is, make them die to sin and self, by stripping them of their own skin and their own self-love, so as by this means to please Jesus, her Son, who wills not to have any for His disciples and friends but those who are dead to themselves; (3) that she may prepare them for the taste of our heavenly Father, and for His greatest glory, which she knows better than any other creature; and (4) that by her care and intercession this body and soul, thoroughly purified from every stain, thoroughly dead, thoroughly stripped and prepared, may be a delicate meat, worthy of the mouth and the blessing of our heavenly Father. Is this not what the predestined do, who by way of testifying to Jesus and Mary an effective and courageous love, relish and practice the perfect consecration to Jesus Christ by the hands of Mary which we are now teaching them?
The reprobate tell us loudly enough that they love Jesus, and that they love and honour Mary; but it is not with their substance (Prov. 3:9), it is not to the extent of sacrificing their body with its senses, their soul with its passions, as the predestined do.
The predestined are subject and obedient to our Blessed Lady as to their good Mother, after the example of Jesus Christ, who, of the three and thirty years He lived on earth, employed thirty to glorify God His Father by a perfect and entire subjection to His holy. Mother. They obey Mary in following her counsels exactly as the little Jacob did those of Rebecca. who said to him: "Mv son. follow my counsels" (Gen. 27:8); or like the people at the marriage of Cana, to whom Our Lady said: "Whatever my Son shall say to you, that do." (Jn 2:5). Jacob, for having obeyed his mother; received the blessing as it were miraculously, although naturally he would not have had it. The people at the marriage of Cana, for having followed Our Lady’s counsel, were honoured with the first miracle of Our Lord, who there changed the water into wine at the prayer of His holy Mother. In like manner, all those who, to the end of time, shall receive the blessing of our heavenly Father, and shall be honoured with the wonders of God, shall only receive their graces as a result of their perfect obedience to Mary. The Esaus, on the contrary, lose their blessing through their want of subjection to the Blessed Virgin.
The predestined have also great confidence in the goodness and power of our Blessed Lady, their good Mother. They call incessantly for her help. They look upon her as their polar star, to lead them to a good port. They lay bare to her their troubles and their necessities with much openness of heart. They depend on her mercy and her gentleness, in order to obtain pardon of their sins through her intercession, or to taste her maternal sweetness in their troubles and weariness. They even throw themselves, hide themselves and lose themselves in an admirable manner in her loving and virginal bosom, that they may be enkindled there with the fire of pure love, that they may be cleansed there from their least stain, and fully find Jesus, who dwells there as on His most glorious throne. Oh, what happiness! "Think not," says Abbot Gueric, "that it is happier to dwell in Abraham’s bosom than in Marv’s: for it is in this last that Our Lord has placed His throne."
The reprobate, on the contrary, put all their trust in themselves. They only eat, with the prodigal, what the swine eat. They eat earth like the toads, and, like the children of the world, they love only visible and external things. They have no relish for the sweetness of Mary’s bosom. They have not that feeling of a certain resting-place and a sure confidence, which the predestined feel in the holy Virgin, their good Mother.
They are miserably attached to their outward hunger, as St. Gregory says," because they do not wish to taste the sweetness which is prepared within themselves, and within Jesus and Mary.
Lastly, the predestined keep the ways of our Blessed Lady, their good Mother; that is to say, they imitate her. It is on this point that they are truly happy and truly devout, and bear the infallible mark of their predestination, according to the words this good Mother speaks to them: Blessed are they who practice my virtues (Prov. 8:32), and with the help of divine grace walk in the footsteps of my life. During life they are happy in this world through the abundance of grace and sweetness which I impart to them from my fullness, and more abundantly to them than to others who do not imitate me so closely. They are happy in their death, which is mild and tranquil, and at which I am ordinarily present myself, that I may conduct them to the joys of eternity; for never has any one of my good servants been lost who imitated my virtues during life.
The reprobate, on the contrary, are unhappy during their life, at their death and for eternity, because they do not imitate Our Lady in her virtues, but content themselves with sometimes being enrolled in her confraternities, reciting some prayers in her honour, or going through some other exterior devotion.
O holy Virgin, my good Mother, how happy are those (I repeat it with the transports of my heart), how happy are those who, not letting themselves be seduced by a false devotion toward you, faithfully keep your ways, your counsels and your orders! But how unhappy and accursed are those who abuse your devotion, and keep not the commandments of your Son: "Cursed are all who fall from Thy commandments!"
My friend Michelle from Bracebridge who accompanied me on my first trip to Medugorje called me one day and told me that Maria Bianchini from Venezuela was in Toronto and she suggested I go see her.
My life was pretty boring at the time so I went to Toronto where this lady was speaking ... bought a ticket and never even went in to listen to her. I found a card on the ground somewhere near the place where Maria was speaking ... post card size with an image of the Virgin Mary on the front ... turned out to be the images of Our Lady of Fatima ... one where Mary is crying. On the back of this card was a Scarborough address for some group or organization involved with supporting Mary and Fatima. This experience was my introduction to the miracle of Fatima; I had never heard of it before. It would be several years before I would learn the significance of this incident; my 1,400 kilometer walk from Lourdes in France, across Spain and halfway across Portugal to Fatima in the summer of 2000.
Spontaneously, I decided I would go and visit the people at this Scarborough address. Never learned much but, the gentleman who I chatted with for a few minutes brought out this book ... "True Devotion to Mary". After much gentle persuasion he agreed to sell it to me. I have read this book several times since and I plan to read it many more times. St Louis presents his formula for those who wish to consecrate their lives to the Virgin Mary. While I have not been able to change my character and subscribe to St Louis's structured program, still too self reliant and too 'free spirited', I have found his writing so, so inspirational and helpful.
St Louis de Monfort left me a permanent reminder of his teachings ... my father passed away on his Feast Day ... April 28th ... Hmmm!
I particularly enjoyed his interpretation of the story of Rebecca and Jacob. I include it here for those readers who may be interested.
“REBECCA AND JACOB the Biblical Narrative
Esau having sold Jacob his birthright, Rebecca, the mother of the two brothers, who loved Jacob tenderly, secured this advantage of the birthright for him many years afterward by a stroke of skill most holy but most full of mystery. Isaac, feeling very old, and wishing to bless his children before he died, called his son Esau, who was his favourite, and commanded him to go out hunting and get him something to eat, in order that he might afterward bless him. Rebecca promptly informed Jacob of what had passed, and ordered him to go and take two kids from the flock. When he had given them to his mother, she prepared for Isaac what she knew he liked. She clothed Jacob in the garments of Esau, which she kept, and covered his hands and his neck with the skin of the kids, so that his father, who was blind, even though he heard Jacob’s voice, might think by touching the skin of his hands that it was Esau.
Isaac, having been surprised by the voice, which he thought was Jacob’s voice, made him come near. Having touched the skins with which his hands were covered, he said that the voice truly was the voice of Jacob, but that the hands were the hands of Esau.
After he had eaten, and, in kissing Jacob, had smelt the odour of his perfumed garments, he blessed him and wished for him the dew of Heaven and the fruitfulness of earth. He made him lord over all his brethren, and finished his blessing with these words: "Cursed be he that curseth thee, and let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings."
Isaac had hardly finished these words when Esau entered, bringing with him what he had captured while out hunting in order that his father might eat it, and then bless him. The holy patriarch was surprised with an incredible astonishment when he understood what had happened. But, far from retracting what he had done, on the contrary he confirmed it, for he saw plainly that the finger of God was in the matter. Esau then uttered great cries, as the Holy Scripture says, and loudly accusing the deceitfulness of his brother, he asked his father if he had but one blessing. In this conduct of his, as the holy Fathers remark, Esau was the image of those who are only too glad to ally God with the world and would fain enjoy both the consolations of Heaven and the consolations of earth. At last Isaac, touched with the cries of Esau, blessed him, but with a blessing of the earth, subjecting him to his brother. This made him conceive such an envenomed hatred for Jacob that he waited only for his father’s death in order to attempt to kill him. Nor would Jacob have escaped death if his dear mother Rebecca had not saved him from it by her efforts and by the good counsels which she gave him, and which he followed.
II. Interpretation
Before explaining this beautiful story, we must observe that, according to the holy Fathers and the interpreters of Scripture, Jacob is the figure of Jesus Christ and the predestined, and Esau that of the reprobate. We have but to examine the actions and conduct of each to be convinced of this.
1. Esau, figure of the reprobate.
(1) Esau, the elder, was strong and robust of body, adroit and skilful in drawing the bow and in taking much game in the chase.(2) He hardly ever stayed in the house; and putting no confidence in anything but his own strength and address, he worked only out of doors. (3) He took very few pains to please his mother Rebecca, and indeed did nothing for that end. (4) He was such a glutton and loved eating so much that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. (5) He was, like Cain, full of envy against his brother, and persecuted him beyond measure.
Now this is the daily conduct of the reprobate. They trust in their own strength and aptitude for temporal affairs. They are very strong, very able and very enlightened in earthly business; but very weak and very ignorant in heavenly things.
It is on this account that they are never at all, or at least very seldom, at their own homes-that is to say, in their own interior, which is the inward and essential house which God has given to every man, to live there, after His example; for God always dwells in Himself. The reprobate do not love retirement, nor spirituality, nor inward devotion; and they treat as little, or as bigots, or as savages, those who are interior or retired from the world, and who work more within than without.
The reprobate care next to nothing for devotion to our Blessed Lady, the Mother of the predestined. It is true that they do not hate her formally. Indeed they sometimes praise her and say they love her, and even practice some devotion in her honour. Nevertheless, they cannot bear that we should love her tenderly, because they have not the tenderness of Jacob for her. They find much to say against the practices of devotion her good children and servants faithfully perform in order to gain her affection, because they do not think that devotion necessary to salvation; and they consider that, provided that they do not hate Our Lady formally or openly despise her devotion, they do enough. Moreover, they imagine that they are already in her good graces, and that, in fine, they are her servants, inasmuch as they recite and mumble certain prayers in her honour, without tenderness for her or amendment in themselves.
The reprobate sell their birthright, that is to say, the pleasures of paradise. They sell it for a pottage of lentils, that is to say, for the pleasures of the earth. They laugh, they eat, they drink, they amuse themselves, they gamble, they dance, and take no more pains than Esau did to render themselves worthy of the blessing of their Father. In a word, they think only of earth and they love earth only; they speak and act only for earth and for its pleasures, selling for one moment of enjoyment, for one vain puff of honour, for a morsel of hard metal, yellow or white, their Baptismal grace, their robe of innocence and their heavenly inheritance.
Finally, the reprobate daily hate and persecute the predestined, openly and secretly. They feel the predestined are a burden to them, they despise them, they criticize them, they ridicule them, they abuse them, they rob them, they cheat them, they drive them away, they bring them low into the dust; while they themselves are making fortunes, are taking their pleasures, getting themselves into good positions, enriching themselves, becoming greater and living at their ease.
Jacob, figure of the predestined. (a) Conduct of Jacob
As to Jacob, the younger son, he was of a feeble constitution, meek and peaceful. He lived for the most part at home, in order to gain the good graces of his mother Rebecca, whom he loved tenderly. If he went abroad, it was not of his own will, nor through any confidence in his own skill, but to obey his mother.
He loved and honoured his mother. It was on this account that he kept at home. He was never so happy as when watching her. He avoided everything which could displease her, and did everything which he thought would please her; and this increased the love which Rebecca already had for him.
He was subject in all things to his dear mother. He obeyed her entirely in all matters- promptly, without delaying, and lovingly, without complaining. At the least indication of her will, the little Jacob ran and worked; and he believed, without questioning, everything she said to him. For example, when she told him to fetch two kids in order that she might prepare something for his father Isaac to eat, Jacob did not reply that one was enough to make a dish for a single man, but did without argument what she told him to do.
He had great confidence in his dear mother. As he did not rely in the least on his own ability, he depended exclusively on her care and protection. He appealed to her in all his necessities, and consulted her in all his doubts. For example, when he asked if, instead of a blessing, he should not receive a curse from his father, he believed her and trusted her when she said that she would take the curse upon herself.
Lastly, he imitated as far as he could the virtues he saw in his mother. It seems as if one of his reasons for leading such a sedentary life at home was to imitate his dear mother, who was virtuous, and kept away from bad companions who corrupt the morals. By this means he made himself worthy of receiving the double blessing of his beloved father.
(b) Conduct of the Predestined
Such also is the conduct which the predestined daily observe.
They are sedentary and homekeepers with their Mother. In other words, they love retirement and are interior. They give themselves to prayer; but it is after the example and in the company of their Mother, the holy Virgin, the whole of whose glory is within, and who during her entire life loved retirement and prayer so much. It is true that they sometimes appear without, in the world; but it is in obedience to the will of God and that of their dear Mother, to fulfill the duties of their state. However apparently important their outward works may be, they esteem still more highly those which they do within themselves, in their interior, in the company of the Blessed Virgin. For it is within that they accomplish the great work of their perfection, compared with which all their other works are but child’s play. It is on this account that, while sometimes their brothers and sisters are working outwardly with much energy, success and skill, in the praise and with the approbation of the world, they on the contrary know by the light of the Holy Ghost that there is far more glory, more good and more joy in remaining hidden in retreat with Jesus Christ, their Model, in an entire and perfect subjection to their Mother, than to do of themselves wonders of nature and grace in the world, as so many Esaus and reprobates do. "Glory for God and riches for men are to be found in the house of Mary." (Cf. ‘Ps. 111:3).
Lord Jesus, how sweet are Thy tabernacles! The sparrow has found a house to lodge in, and the turtledove a nest for her little ones. Oh, happy is the man who dwells in the house of Mary, where Thou wast the first to make Thy dwelling! It is in this house of the predestined that he receives assistance from Thee alone, and that he has arranged in his heart the steps and ascents of all the virtues by which to raise himself to perfection in this vale of tears. "How lovely are Thy tabernacles." (Ps. 83:2).
The predestined tenderly love and truly honor our Blessed Lady as their good Mother and Mistress. They love her not only in word but in truth. They honour her not only outwardly but in the depths of their hearts. They avoid, like Jacob, everything which can displease her; and they practice with fervour whatever they think will make them find favour with her. They bring to her and give her, not two kids, as did Jacob to Rebecca, but their body and their soul, with all that depends on them, symbolized by the two kids of Jacob. They bring them to her: (1) that she may receive them as things which belong to her: (2) that she may kill them, that is, make them die to sin and self, by stripping them of their own skin and their own self-love, so as by this means to please Jesus, her Son, who wills not to have any for His disciples and friends but those who are dead to themselves; (3) that she may prepare them for the taste of our heavenly Father, and for His greatest glory, which she knows better than any other creature; and (4) that by her care and intercession this body and soul, thoroughly purified from every stain, thoroughly dead, thoroughly stripped and prepared, may be a delicate meat, worthy of the mouth and the blessing of our heavenly Father. Is this not what the predestined do, who by way of testifying to Jesus and Mary an effective and courageous love, relish and practice the perfect consecration to Jesus Christ by the hands of Mary which we are now teaching them?
The reprobate tell us loudly enough that they love Jesus, and that they love and honour Mary; but it is not with their substance (Prov. 3:9), it is not to the extent of sacrificing their body with its senses, their soul with its passions, as the predestined do.
The predestined are subject and obedient to our Blessed Lady as to their good Mother, after the example of Jesus Christ, who, of the three and thirty years He lived on earth, employed thirty to glorify God His Father by a perfect and entire subjection to His holy. Mother. They obey Mary in following her counsels exactly as the little Jacob did those of Rebecca. who said to him: "Mv son. follow my counsels" (Gen. 27:8); or like the people at the marriage of Cana, to whom Our Lady said: "Whatever my Son shall say to you, that do." (Jn 2:5). Jacob, for having obeyed his mother; received the blessing as it were miraculously, although naturally he would not have had it. The people at the marriage of Cana, for having followed Our Lady’s counsel, were honoured with the first miracle of Our Lord, who there changed the water into wine at the prayer of His holy Mother. In like manner, all those who, to the end of time, shall receive the blessing of our heavenly Father, and shall be honoured with the wonders of God, shall only receive their graces as a result of their perfect obedience to Mary. The Esaus, on the contrary, lose their blessing through their want of subjection to the Blessed Virgin.
The predestined have also great confidence in the goodness and power of our Blessed Lady, their good Mother. They call incessantly for her help. They look upon her as their polar star, to lead them to a good port. They lay bare to her their troubles and their necessities with much openness of heart. They depend on her mercy and her gentleness, in order to obtain pardon of their sins through her intercession, or to taste her maternal sweetness in their troubles and weariness. They even throw themselves, hide themselves and lose themselves in an admirable manner in her loving and virginal bosom, that they may be enkindled there with the fire of pure love, that they may be cleansed there from their least stain, and fully find Jesus, who dwells there as on His most glorious throne. Oh, what happiness! "Think not," says Abbot Gueric, "that it is happier to dwell in Abraham’s bosom than in Marv’s: for it is in this last that Our Lord has placed His throne."
The reprobate, on the contrary, put all their trust in themselves. They only eat, with the prodigal, what the swine eat. They eat earth like the toads, and, like the children of the world, they love only visible and external things. They have no relish for the sweetness of Mary’s bosom. They have not that feeling of a certain resting-place and a sure confidence, which the predestined feel in the holy Virgin, their good Mother.
They are miserably attached to their outward hunger, as St. Gregory says," because they do not wish to taste the sweetness which is prepared within themselves, and within Jesus and Mary.
Lastly, the predestined keep the ways of our Blessed Lady, their good Mother; that is to say, they imitate her. It is on this point that they are truly happy and truly devout, and bear the infallible mark of their predestination, according to the words this good Mother speaks to them: Blessed are they who practice my virtues (Prov. 8:32), and with the help of divine grace walk in the footsteps of my life. During life they are happy in this world through the abundance of grace and sweetness which I impart to them from my fullness, and more abundantly to them than to others who do not imitate me so closely. They are happy in their death, which is mild and tranquil, and at which I am ordinarily present myself, that I may conduct them to the joys of eternity; for never has any one of my good servants been lost who imitated my virtues during life.
The reprobate, on the contrary, are unhappy during their life, at their death and for eternity, because they do not imitate Our Lady in her virtues, but content themselves with sometimes being enrolled in her confraternities, reciting some prayers in her honour, or going through some other exterior devotion.
O holy Virgin, my good Mother, how happy are those (I repeat it with the transports of my heart), how happy are those who, not letting themselves be seduced by a false devotion toward you, faithfully keep your ways, your counsels and your orders! But how unhappy and accursed are those who abuse your devotion, and keep not the commandments of your Son: "Cursed are all who fall from Thy commandments!"