These devilish arrows of contention have no sting. The Catholic Church's veneration of the Blessed Mother as a protectress and an intercessor is well founded. The mystery of the Incarnation gives us more than enough reason to praise the name of Mary. "No man puts new wine into old bottles; otherwise the wine will burst the bottles, and both the wine will be spilled and the bottles will be lost." (Mark 2:22) Saint Lois de Montfort, the author of one of the greatest works on the Virgin Mary, explained this analogy as pertaining to the Mother of God's role in the Incarnation. The Son of God cannot have been born to just anyone. The womb that would be his home of nine months had to be consecrated - it would be the first Tabernacle. God created Mary for that purpose alone. She was set apart as the chosen handmaid of the Lord, the Mother of her Savior and Spouse of the Holy Spirit. She was conceived without sin to bear in her womb He who would conquer sin. The Mother of God HAD to be without sin. No unworthy vessel could carry this Child.
Mary was no ordinary woman. Claims, however, that Catholics "worship" Mary are both unfounded and slanderous. God is glorified through his Mother. Ignoring Mary would be a grave offense to God. He wishes for her veneration and praise. Who does not like to have his mother spoken well of? Devotion to Mary is given to us in Scripture. The Hail Mary, the most beautiful of prayers, is entirely derived from the Word of God.
Our worship of God is magnified through the Blessed Virgin. Unlike Jesus and Mary, we do sin, a lot actually. It is an act of great humility to go before the Virgin Mary and ask her to appear before the throne of God on your behalf. You allow her grace and virtue to take the place of your ingratitude and sin.
We need Mary.
This age needs Mary more than any other. We flounder and fail in vice and sin. We replace traditions with "progress" and morality with choice. Our age seems to have forgotten God. We can only be saved by turning back to Him through His Mother. Mary is the protectress of the mortal race. Her intercession can save us. The need for returning to the Mother of God, our Mother, has been explicitly revealed to us through the appearances at Fatima and the writings of many saints of our age.
How can we turn back to Mary? The best way is also the simplest. Pray. Prayer is perfected in the Holy Rosary. Meditating on the sacred Mysteries is a sure way to grow in personal holiness. Start small. Taking on a summit that is too steep will quickly discourage our weak hearts. Begin with a single decade or even simply three Hail Mary's every day. It might seem boring, but "Blessed be that monotony of Hail Mary's which purifies the monotony of your sins!" Build from there. Prayer is just like exercise. Do not expect yourself to bench three hundred pounds on your first try. It takes practice. We would do well never to overlook the power of the Rosary. The great Saint Lois de Montfort gives us the following words of inspiration and hope when it comes to the Rosary:
"If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins 'you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory.' Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and save your soul, if - and mark well what I say - if you say the Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins."
Our devotion to the blessed Mother can also be made manifest in action. We must show the world that Mary is our Mother. Live a life that is an imitation of both Jesus and Mary. Just as His earthly life is a guide for us to follow, Jesus gave us Mary as an example of holiness. Follow the virtues that Mary lived: humility, patience, reverence, and profound faith. There is a popular rubber bracelet with the acronym WWJD? - What Would Jesus Do? It would be truly fitting for us to add to that WWMD? - What Would Mary Do? Study Scripture and the works of the Saints to learn how to imitate the Blessed Mother in all fullness.
Finally, we can express our devotion to the Mother of God through consecrating ourselves to "this august princess." There are a few methods of consecration that have been handed down to us through the Saints. Personally, I would recommend that of Saint Lois de Montfort. As you might have noticed, this illustrious Saint comes up often when we speak of Mary. He wrote "True Devotion to Mary" a work that outlined his plan of consecration. Consecration takes the form of "slavery to Jesus through Mary." By consecrating ourselves, we submit our bodies, our minds, our will, and everything we possess to the will of Jesus and the Blessed Mother. This is a very blessed form of veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mary is our Mother. We must not tolerate any insult to our Mother. Any time someone slanders the Blessed Virgin, you ought to be more offended than if they had slandered you yourself. Do not remain silent when her name and reputation are tarnished. We are the Church of Jesus. Jesus wants us to defend His most Holy Mother. We must also recognize our own sinfulness and turn to Mary as the means of worshipping God more fully and gaining salvation. Our lives should be an echo of Mary's Magnificat, "my soul magnifies the Lord."
Blessed ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God - Pray for us.
Deus Volt!
