Devotion to Mary: Seven Wonderful Effects
Introduction
In his book, "The True Devotion to Mary", St. Louis-Marie de Montfort writes on the seven wonderful effects which the practice of devotion to Mary can produce in any soul. These seven wonderful effects upon the soul are:
- (1) knowledge of our unworthiness
- (2) a share in Mary's faith
- (3) the gift of pure love
- (4) great confidence in God and in Mary
- (5) communication of the spirit of Mary
- (6) transformation into the likeness of Jesus
- (7) the greater glory of Christ
(1) Knowledge of our unworthiness
Devotion to the Blessed Mother gives light from the Holy Spirit. It is this light that will reveal our evil inclinations, and the knowledge of man's incapability to do any good apart from what God produces in all souls as their Creator. This knowledge also reveals all that is sinful and destructive in the soul. In the spiritual language of the 18th century, St. Louis-Marie says: "you will despise yourself and think of yourself as a snail that soils everything with its slime, as a toad that poisons everything with its venom, as a malevolent serpent seeking only to deceive". He goes on to write despite man's unworthiness, the humble Virgin Mary shall share her humility with all who do not look down slightingly upon anyone. [True Devotion #213]
(2) A share in Mary's faith
Practicing devotion to Mary, all have the privilege of sharing in her faith. Mary's faith is strong. According to Montfort, her faith is "stronger than that of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and saints". The more all gain the friendship of Mary in a devotion to her, the more all will be inspired by her faith and its application to daily work and life. It will help all to be less dependent on feelings of spiritual consolation, especially extraordinary ones. The faith that Mary shares and inspires in all who devote themselves to her us is a lively faith, a firm faith, an active faith, a probing faith, and a courageous faith. It is this quality of faith that will lead all souls to carry out God's will without hesitation: the salvation of our own souls and that of others as well. Mary's faith is an all-powerful weapon against darkness and death. It is a faith which that gives strength to resist the Evil One and the other enemies of mankind's salvation. [True Devotion #214]
(3) The gift of pure love
Devotion to Mary will rid all hearts of all scruples and excessive servile fear. She will fill every heart with pure love of which Mary herself is the treasury. Instead of a relationship of servile fear to God's judgment, Mary shall help all see that God is a loving Father whom His children are called to please at all times. The gift of pure love will help devotees speak to God in prayer very trustfully as a child does to his Father. Whenever anyone fails to please God, all that is needed is to humbly beg His pardon, repent, and rise again to enjoy His favor once more. In this peaceful, relaxed and uplifted state, and with much hope, the journey to God as Father continues. [True Devotion #215]
(4) Great confidence in God and in Mary
After faithfully devoting oneself to the holy Mother of God, Mary will fill the soul with unbounded confidence in God and in herself. The more souls give themselves to Jesus through her, the more she will impart to souls her virtues and clothe them in her own merits. The more devotees increase their confidence in Mary and give her in trust all that they are and possess, the less they shall trust in themselves. They would trust much more in her whom devotion made the very treasury of all life. Mary is God's "treasury" - where He has placed all that He holds most precious. When devotees make Mary - "the treasury of the Lord" - also their treasure, they will eventually be weaned from all earthly pleasures and rest on her as the treasure wherein all good things will come to every soul. [True Devotion #216]
(5) Communication of the spirit of Mary
When souls devote themselves fully to Mary, her soul will be communicated to every soul to glorify the Lord. When the spirit of Mary is communicated, she will be enthroned in every hearts and subject those hearts to the dominion of Jesus. When this wonderful effect happens in devoted souls, wonderful things will also happen. As the Holy Spirit finds Mary present in any soul, He will come down into that soul with great power. The Spirit will fill devoted souls with His gifts, especially with wisdom, and produce a manifold of graces. This wonderful effect will dawn upon all only when they have understood well the true devotion to Mary and put it into practice. Knowing well this, St. Ambrose exclaims, "May the soul of Mary be in each one of us to glorify the Lord! May the spirit of Mary be in each one of us to rejoice in God!" [True Devotion #217]
(6) Transformation into the likeness of Jesus
The more we practice faithfully devotion to Mary, the more in time she will be well cultivated in our soul as God's "Tree of Life". Eventually, being present in our soul, she will in due time bring forth her fruit - none other than Christ Jesus our Lord. Montfort says that other souls often work hard in gaining Christ in their lives but find nothing. Though how much they try, Jesus is hardly recognizable in them. Montfort tells us that if we follow the immaculate path of Mary and live the devotion he teaches, she will be a holy place, a "mold", in which our sanctity shall be realized. There is a difference between carving a statue by hammer and chisel and making a statue by using a mold. The first method takes more effort and time; the second is easier and faster. St. Augustine calls Mary the "mold of God". She is capable in forming us into the likeness of Christ faster, for as she formed Christ in her, so shall she form Christ in us.
[True Devotion #218-221]
(7) The greater glory of Christ
When this devotion is lived sincerely, we can give glory to Christ faster than other demanding devotions which may take many years. As we give ourselves more to Mary, we lay aside our own intentions and make Mary's intentions our own - possessing thus the high quality and purity of her intentions - intentions which give much glory to God. Montfort tells us how much she gives glory to God: "more...than all the angels and saints have given or will ever give Him". We can give greater glory to God if we are content to rely on Mary's dispositions, for perfect glory is given to God only by the lowly and humble of heart. And such is Mary. She is an echo of God, speaking and repeating only God. If you say "Mary" she says "God". When St. Elizabeth praised Mary and called her blessed because she had believed, Mary said, "My soul glorifies the Lord". [True
Devotion #222-225]
Summary
Mary holds a special place in the history of salvation. She is not God, but she is greater than the angels, the apostles and the saints. Her special title as Theotokos, the Mother of God, is a title many saints have supported and had approved in an ecumenical council. Her appeal towards many Catholics of all cultures around the world is so widespread that she is understood easily and well by both farmer and king. Devotion to Mary is not given to all. It is a gift from God. But it is a gift that all souls can pray for and be strengthened in, especially in times of difficulty, strife and uncertainty. Her message has always been, "Do whatever He [Christ] tells you" (John 2:5). If we practice well the devotion to the Blessed Mother as taught by St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, we are assured of the wonderful effects upon our soul that this devotion rewards.
Related resources:
- Six Popular Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Books on Mary and a Documentary on the Nativity, from Ignatius Press.com
- Method of Praying the Holy Rosary
- God Alone: The Collected Writings of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort
