Blog

“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”                                        St. Maximilian Kolbe

For Reflection: 

What position would Mary hold on Jesus’ own ranking of persons He loves? What indication do you have of this in Sacred Scripture. To what extent do you love Mary? How are you cultivating relationship with her? What one strategy can you employ today to make progress in this direction?

Read the rest

“After the love which we owe Jesus Christ, we must give the chief place in our heart to the love of His Mother Mary.”

                                                                        St. Alphonsus Liguori

For Reflection: 

Why is this so? The Church teaches there are three forms of praise – latria, hyperdulia, and dulia. Latria refers to adoration and worship and is reserved for God alone. Dulia is the praise given to all of those who have achieved sanctity and accomplished much for the Kingdom of God. Hyperdulia is dulia to the superlative degree. This is reserved for Mary. What distinguishes Mary from every other saint, so much so that she is titled Queen of All Saints? How do all of the quotes we have discussed this month point to the hyperdulia owed to her?

Read the rest

“Mary is the excellent masterpiece of the Most High, the knowledge and possession of which He has reserved to Himself. Mary is the ‘sealed fountain,’ the faithful spouse of the Holy Ghost, to whom He alone has entrance.”

                                                                        St. Louis de Montfort

For Reflection: 

Review the previous two quotes. In what way(s) do they parallel these comments of St. Louis de Montfort.  What do you make of the concept that the Most High has reserved for Himself the “knowledge and possession” of Mary?

Read the rest

“Mary, give me your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor.”

                                                                        Blessed Mother Teresa

For Reflection: 

St. Louis de Montfort tells us that when we entrust ourselves to her, Mary shares with us the operations of her own soul. Blessed Mother Teresa, as well as St. Maximilian in the preceding quote, give us insight into the soul of Mary. How do these qualities of Mary speak to strength and courage as well as humility and meekness? To what extent do you desire to share these aspects of Mary’s interior life? Go to her now and ask her as you humbly offer yourself to Jesus through her.

Read the rest

“Mary, give me your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor.”

                                                                        Blessed Mother Teresa

For Reflection: 

St. Louis de Montfort tells us that when we entrust ourselves to her, Mary shares with us the operations of her own soul. Blessed Mother Teresa, as well as St. Maximilian in the preceding quote, give us insight into the soul of Mary. How do these qualities of Mary speak to strength and courage as well as humility and meekness? To what extent do you desire to share these aspects of Mary’s interior life? Go to her now and ask her as you humbly offer yourself to Jesus through her.

Read the rest

“She is a breath of divine power, a most pure effusion of the Most High; hence nothing sullied can ever contaminate her. She is a reflection of the eternal light, a spotless mirror of God’s activity, an image of his excellence…She is indeed more beautiful than the sun, surpasses all the constellations, and compared to light itself, she is more brilliant.”

                                          St. Maximilian Kolbe on the Blessed Virgin

For Reflection: 

Using the gift of your imagination, meditate on this quote. Which description strikes you the most? Why? How does it enhance your appreciation and understanding of Mary? In his writings, St. Maximilian Kolbe says to Our Lady with wonder, “Who are you, O Immaculata!” How does this quote incite the same wonder in you?

Read the rest

“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.”

                                                                           St. Louis de Montfort 

For Reflection: 

Consider all of the great saints who have had a deep devotion to Our Lady. List a few of their names. In them, how do you see the imitation of Mary? To what extent does this inspire you to trust yourself more and more to her care and maternal beatitude? Tomorrow’s GraceLine gives us more reason to consider our consecration to her.

Read the rest

“Prayer is powerful beyond limits when we turn to the Immaculata who is queen even of God’s heart.”

                                                                        St. Maximilian Kolbe

 For Reflection: 

How is it that Mary is queen even of God’s heart? How would this enhance the prayers we entrust to her? What is your greatest need at the moment? Formulate a prayer to Mary, Queen of God’s Heart and entrust your concern, worry, difficulty, desire to her now.

Read the rest

“The Divine Spirit…came to many just souls, although not so openly. Blessed is the soul who longs for this grace which enkindles, enlightens, and consumes all that is earthly and carnal and raises it up to a new union with God Himself. As your true and loving Mother, I want you to have this happiness, and therefore I again urge you to prepare your heart by trying to maintain an unshatterable inner peace and calm, no matter what happens.”

                                      Mary to Venerable Mother Mary of Agreda

Mysticism-(etymology-relating to a mystery) a religious tendency and desore of the human soul toward intimate union with God through contemplation and love which is not sought for its own sake, and is always informed by revelation and ascetical theology.  St. Thomas Acquinas defines it as cognition dei experimentalis (experiential knowledge of God).  It does not necessarily include phenomena such as visions and ecstasies.  True mysticism cannot be induced by techniques, practices, or effort.  It is a gift from God, a consolation bestowed by Him and Him alone.

 For Reflection: 

According to the definition for mysticism, how do Mary’s words indicate this? How can we prepare ourselves to receive this outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Reread the quote for January 11. What does this good saint recommend we do? What one thing can you entrust to Mary today?

Read the rest

“Look, my child, at my heart surrounded with thorns, which ungrateful men continuously nail into me with their blasphemies and sins. You, at least, try to console me and tell everyone that those who go to confession on the first Saturday of the month for five months, receive holy communion, say the Rosary and keep me company for a quarter of an hour – these I promise to assist at the time of their death with the necessary graces for their salvation.”                  The Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, August 13, 1917                                           

For Reflection: 

To what extent have I caused one of those thorns to surround Mary’s heart? How can we console her according to this word? To what extent am I willing to make reparation for my sins and the sins of the world against the name of Jesus?

Read the rest