[MaryVitamin] fourth mark

 

Mary Vitamin for April 22nd 

 

Topic: the Fourth Mark of True Devotion to Our Lady - Constancy

 

Quote:

St. Louis de Montfort

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.

True Devotion to Mary

, #109

 

Meditation:

St. Edith Stein sums up the life of a Professed Carmelite -- do her words help the layman to practice constancy? 

 

Carmelites can repay God's love by their everyday lives in no other way than by carrying out their daily duties faithfully in every respect, all the little sacrifices that a regimen structured day after day in all its details demands of an active spirit; all the self-control that living in close proximity with different kinds of people continually requires and that is achieved with a loving smile; letting no opportunity go by for serving others in love. Finally, crowning this is the personal sacrifice that the Lord may impose on the individual soul. This is the "littleway," a bouquet of insignificant little blossoms that are daily placed before the Almighty perhaps a silent, life-long martyrdom that no one suspects and that is at the same time a source of deep peace and hearty joyousness and a fountain of grace that bubbles over everything we do not know where it goes, and the people whom it reaches do not know from whence it comes.

The Collected Works of Edith Stein, Volume IV, The Hidden Life (ICS Publications:1992), 6.

 

Resolution:

Today, in order to practice True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I will examine my Marian practices.

Have I allowed the world to teach me to behave in ways contrary to the example of the Blessed Virgin? Am I praying enough?

I will continue in my Marian practices of the Rosary and the Regina Caeli and continue to do my duty. St. Louis de Montfort assures me that this is True Devotion to Mary.

 

Marian Vow:

Father Stefano M. Manelli, FI

Let us be eager, then, to return her love, even if we can never love her as much as we ought. Once a spiritual daughter said to St. Pio, "You are fortunate, Father, to love Our Lady so much." Padre Pio answered, "I wish I could love her as much as she deserves. But remember that all the Saints and Angels together cannot love and praise the Mother of God according to her worth."

Devotion to Our Lady, (Academy of the Immaculate:2001), 36.

I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Thanks be to God for graces received.

 

Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria

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