ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT
Micah,
Chapter 7, verse 17
17They will lick the dust like a snake, like crawling
things on the ground; They will come quaking from their strongholds; they will
tremble in fear of you, the LORD, our God.
Micah’s
name means “who is like Yahweh”. Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
Let us this day practice silence as much as possible and contemplate on our God
and Savior. Say the Shema Yisrael and call on the Holy Spirit to make
this day a turning point in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you realize
the universe is more than what we can see, touch and feel. We are not crawly
things and we need not build strongholds.
May our fear, be the Holy fear, of men of God. This day let us ask the
Holy Spirit to help us to know God is without limitations. Help us in the quiet
of this day to realize that Jesus Christ, the begotten son of the Living God,
came to have mercy on me a sinner. In our silence, we may this day discover, we
are a useless servant yet we are chosen for love[1] by an
all-powerful God who chose to become man to suffer the pains in our stead and
to save us not only from damnation but to show us how to live and be true men.
All life is a battle and sometimes we fail but like
David let us always return to the Lord.
Do not be afraid of anything that
you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison,
that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain
faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rv. 2:10)
Let us build up our gratitude to the Lord for his
saving graces.
“Lord
Jesus Christ, you are the strength or the weak and the confidence of those who
trust in you. Be my secure confidence and my abundant strength! Teach me to
understand myself and to believe in effectiveness of your saving grace. Grant
me the courage not to stop trying and teach me the humility to trust in you
when I tend to be discouraged by my weakness.[2]
St. Louis Mary de Montfort
Louis' life is inseparable from
his efforts to promote genuine devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus and mother
of the church. Totus tuus (completely yours) was Louis's personal motto; Karol
Wojtyla chose it as his episcopal motto. Born in the Breton village of
Montfort, close to Rennes (France), as an adult Louis identified himself by the
place of his baptism instead of his family name, Grignion. After being educated
by the Jesuits and the Sulpicians, he was ordained as a diocesan priest in
1700. Soon he began preaching parish missions throughout western France. His
years of ministering to the poor prompted him to travel and live very simply,
sometimes getting him into trouble with church authorities. In his preaching,
which attracted thousands of people back to the faith, Father Louis recommended
frequent, even daily, Holy Communion (not the custom then!) and imitation of
the Virgin Mary's ongoing acceptance of God's will for her life. Louis founded
the Missionaries of the Company of Mary (for priests and brothers) and the
Daughters of Wisdom, who cared especially for the sick. His book, True Devotion
to the Blessed Virgin, has become a classic explanation of Marian devotion. Louis
died in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre, where a basilica has been erected in his
honor. He was canonized in 1947.
Excerpted
from Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M.
Things
to Do
·
Read
a longer biography of St. Louis de Montfort's life.
·
Read
some of St. Louis de Montfort's works and/or read articles
about his spirituality.
·
Consider
making the consecration
to Mary recommended by St. Louis de Montfort.
·
Resolve
to pray the rosary daily starting today.
·
Learn
about the Missionaries of the Company of Mary (Montfort Missionaries)
and support their work with your prayers, sacrifices and financial offerings.
·
From
the Catholic Culture Library The
Spiritans and Under
the Banner and Protection of Mary.
Daily Devotions
·
Please
pray for me and this ministry
[1] Larry Baumann, The excitement of the
spiritual Life.
[2] A. Francis Coomes, S. J., Fathers’
Manual.
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