Montfort’s Spirituality: Call and Response to Happiness: Part VIII: Mary, The Greatest Means to Jesus-Wisdom
Fr. J. Patrick Gaffney, SMM
Saint Louis de Montfort’s evangelical explanation of Our Lady’s role in salvation history (touched upon in earlier installments ) calls for a response on the part of man. It is devotion to Mary which answers this joyful obligation.
The Importance of the Cross
S aint Louis de Montfort, after givlng the theological foundations of true or authentic devotion to Mary (TD 1-37), treats of the necessity of devotion to Our Lady and of “general” devotion to her (TD 38-118) and then the perfect practice of authentic devotion to the Mother of God, the “perfect consecration to Jesus Christ” (TD 118-273; the title prefaces no. 120). The entire masterpiece 1s called by Montfort himself; “Preparation for the reign of Jesus Christ”. (TD 227).
Authentic . . .
Whether speaking about Marian devotion in general or the total consecration, this vagabond missionary is intent on proclaiming authentic devotion to the Mother of God, for his involvement in parish missions and retreats has revealed false or inadequate ways of giving praise to the Virgin Mary. We find in his works criteria by which to discern authentic devotion to Our Lady.
The most important rule of thumb which spotlights authentic devotion to the Mother of God is; devotion to Mary leads us infallibly to Jesus Christ, to the Whole Christ, Head and Members. Whatever form devotion to Mary may take, it is governed by the absolute Christocentric norm for which the entire French School is so well known. With Gospel boldness, the saint therefore declares that if devotion to Mary does not form us more intimately into Jesus Christ, it is clearly diabolical (cf. TD 61-67).
. . . Marian Devotion
Fullness of the Spirit who over-shadows Our Lady is a natural consequence of Christocentric devotion to her. “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 now work striking wonders in souls is that He fails to find in them a sufficiently close union with His faithful and inseparable spouse” (TD36).
The Spirit will be experienced through His great work in Our Lady’s devotees, not only bringing them to the heights of holiness, but also “making them like thunderclouds flying through the air at His slightest breath. Attached to nothing, surprised at nothing, troubled at nothing, they will shower down the rain of God’s Word and eternal life. They will thunder against sin, they will storm against the world, they will strike down the devil and his followers . . . ”. (TD 57). Although in these words the saint speaks particularly of the priests of the Church, on another plane he extends these effects to “a mighty legion of brave and valiant soldiers of Jesus and Mary, both men and women”. (TD 114; cf. TD 214).
In the Spirit, those authentically devoted to Mary “taste” the tenderness of God. In fact, it could be said that the depth of this faith-knowledge that “God Alone is my tenderness” may well serve as a barometer of the authenticity of devotion to Mary. Servile fear of God is cast out, says the saint, through openness to her influence. (cf. TD 215).
Love of Scripture
Devotion to Our Lady also implies a love for the Scriptures. During the solemn procession which climaxed the parish mission, each person would kneel before a cleric holding the Bible open and reverently kiss it. This action preceded the renewal of the baptismal promises at the baptistery. And the pronouncement of a short consecration formula at Our Lady’s altar. Before mounting the pulpit for the final sermon, Saint Louis de Montfort would lift the Bible higher three times. He did so while calling forth a profession of faith from those who had just made the consecration.
At times the missionary would carry the Bible in procession. It was covered by the same canopy that was used in processions of the Blessed Sacrament. Veneration for the Scriptures was intrinsic to his understanding of the consecration to the Incarnate Wisdom through Mary. It is not surprising then that Father de Montfort speaks of the Bible as the primary reading of those who had been “converted” at the parish mission where they renewed the promises of baptism through Mary. (cf. H 139:56).
The Virgin [and Child] With Angels (cropped) : Painter: William-Adolphe Bouguereau: 1900
This oil on canvas painting now resides in Petit Palais, Paris. For those that have visited The Shrine of Our Lady, a print of the full painting resides in the third building.
In the Spirit, those authentically devoted to Mary “taste” the tenderness of God. In fact, it could be said that the depth of this faith-knowledge that “God Alone is my tenderness” may well serve as a barometer of the authenticity of devotion to Mary. Servile fear of God is cast out, says the saint, through openness to her influence.
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The New Evangelization
Moreover, the missionary equates total consecration to Jesus through Mary with the renewal of baptismal life. Therefore, devotion to Mary fosters the “New Evangelization”. For it is Mary “who brings back and welcomes lovingly the poor sinners and wanderers who are to be converted and return to the Catholic Church”. (TD 50.6). Some of the effects of devotion to Mary include: Hunger for the Eucharist; obedience to the Magisterium; a zealous apostolic life reaching out to the other brothers and sisters of the Lord; most especially the poor. Effects which become a measuring rod of its authenticity, all signs of the New Evangelization.
Marks of True Devotion
Devotion to the Mother of the Head and members of the Church. Or better still, the way of life in Mary, must be founded upon solid pillars. It should be “interior, trustful, holy, constant and disinterested”. (cf. TD 105- 110). These are the marks, the Saint declares, of all authentic devotion to Our Lady. False devotion to Mary is of seven kinds which must be avoided. Avoided if reverence for Our Lady is to be “true”: critical, scrupulous, superficial, presumptuous, inconstant, hypocritical and self interested. (cf. TD 92-104).
Marks of False Devotion
Montfort rails against those “proud scholars, people of independent and self-satisfied minds, who deep down ln their heart have a vague sort of devotion to Mary; however they criticize nearly all those forms of devotion to her which simple and pious people use to honor their good Mother, just because such practices do not appeal to them”. (TD 93). Presumptuous devotees who “under the name of Christian and servant of Our Lady, conceal pride, avarice, lust, drunken-ness, anger, swearing, slandering, injustice and other vices” are under an “illusion of the devil”. (TD 97).
The saint summarizes these false devotions to Mary in TD 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 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; those who pray to Our Lady only to be rid of bodily ills or to obtain material benefits.”
Believe Jesus in his vicar / In all that touches on faith; / And accept what he teaches / As an oracle and certain law.
St. Louis de Montfort Cant. No. 88
