On the 28th of April, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St. Louis Marie de Montfort. At the age of eleven, he studied in a Jesuit institution in Rennes. While studying at Rennes, he noticed a poor student being bullied by rich students. He stood up for the bullied person and pooled money to tailor a set of fine clothes for the boy. After eight years of study, he left for St. Sulpice Seminary to become a priest. On a bridge at Cesson, he met a beggar who had nothing, and he made a radical decision to forsake the world. He exchanged his fine garments with the beggar and went on his new path to help the poor. It is most fitting that the month of April should close with this Saint. This is because all his life was a testimony of his motto, “God alone”. He also spent his lifetime fostering devotion to Mother Mary. Thus as April blossoms into May, the Month of Mary, it is fortuitous that we have as a model, St. Louis Marie de Montfort, leading us along the path to God, via Mother Mary.

According to the saint, it was via Mother Mary that Jesus came into the world. Likewise, Mother Mary is the easiest way to return to God. She is the Queen of Heaven, yet the humblest of all God’s creatures. Mother Mary is, “not only God’s masterpiece of glory in heaven, but also his masterpiece of grace on earth”. As such, God “wishes to be glorified and praised because of her by those living upon earth.” Since “she is the dawn which precedes and discloses the Sun of Justice Jesus Christ, she must be known and acknowledged so that Jesus may be known and acknowledged.” In addition, “as she was the way by which Jesus first came to us, she will again be the way by which he will come to us the second time though not in the same manner. Since she is the sure means, the direct and immaculate way to Jesus and the perfect guide to him, it is through her that souls who are to shine forth in sanctity must find him. He who finds Mary finds life, that is, Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the life.” (True Devotion to Mary 2-5)

St. Louis Marie de Montfort highlights certain principles of True Devotion to Mary. First, Christ must be the ultimate end of all devotions. Second, we belong to Jesus and to Mary. Third, we must rid ourselves from what is evil within us. Fourth, it is more humble to have an intermediary with Christ, rather than approaching Him directly. Fifth, it is difficult to keep the graces received from God, but it is Blessed Mary, whom evil has no hold over, who obtains for us the graces to persevere in holiness. These principles of true devotion are then contrasted to the 7 types of false devotion: (1) the critical, (2) the scrupulous, (3) the superficial, (4) the presumptuous, (5) the inconstant, (6) the hypocritical, and (7) the self-interested.

The marks of false devotion can be found in the following instances: “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 a 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 who pray to our Lady only to be rid of bodily ills or to obtain material benefits.” (104)

True Devotion on the other hand, is first, interior: It comes from within the mind and heart and follows from the high esteem and regard we have to Mother Mary; Second, it is trustful: Like children we approach our Lady for our every need with great simplicity, trust and affection; Third, it is holy and leads us to avoid sin and to imitate the virtues of Mother Mary; Fourth, True Devotion is constant – the devotee is governed by his or her faith in Jesus and Mary and not swayed by changeable trends or emotions; Fifth, it is disinterested. The true subjects serve Mary, their Queen not because of any selfish gain, but because she has every right to be served. She is loved for who she is. (105 -110)

As we enter the Month of May, the Month of Mary, here are some Marian devotions that can help sanctify us:

1.Praying daily the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Meditating on Mary’s three crowns of Excellence, Power, and Goodness.

2.Praying the 33 Days to Marian Consecration self-retreat.

3.Praying the Rosary devoutly.

4.Praying the Magnificat.

5.Praying a Novena to Our Blessed Mother.

6.Meditating on the Incarnation of Jesus found in the Gospel texts.

7.Meditating on Mother Mary’s sublime dignity, virtues, humility, her words, and actions.