Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Louis de Montfort

TREATISE ON TRUE DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN

INTRODUCTION OF SAINT LOUIS MARIE

1. It was through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus came
into the world, and it is also through her that he must reign
in the world.

2. Because Mary remained hidden during her life she is
called by the Holy Spirit and the Church "Alma Mater", Mother
hidden and unknown. So great was her humility that she desired
nothing more upon earth than to remain unknown to herself and
to others, and to be known only to God.

3. In answer to her prayers to remain hidden, poor and
lowly, God was pleased to conceal her from nearly every other
human creature in her conception, her birth, her life, her
mysteries, her resurrection and assumption. Her own parents
did not really know her; and the angels would often ask one
another, "Who can she possibly be?", for God had hidden her
from them, or if he did reveal anything to them, it was
nothing compared with what he withheld.

4. God the Father willed that she should perform no miracle
during her life, at least no public one, although he had given
her the power to do so. God the Son willed that she should
speak very little although he had imparted his wisdom to her.

Even though Mary was his faithful spouse, God the Holy
Spirit willed that his apostles and evangelists should say
very little about her and then only as much as was necessary
to make Jesus known.

5. Mary is the supreme masterpiece of Almighty God and he
has reserved the knowledge and possession of her for himself.
She is the glorious Mother of God the Son who chose to humble
and conceal her during her lifetime in order to foster her
humility. He called her "Woman" as if she were a stranger,
although in his heart he esteemed and loved her above all men
and angels. Mary is the sealed fountain and the faithful
spouse of the Holy Spirit where only he may enter. She is the
sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity where God
dwells in greater and more divine splendour than anywhere else
in the universe, not excluding his dwelling above the cherubim
and seraphim. No creature, however pure, may enter there
without being specially privileged.

6. I declare with the saints: Mary is the earthly paradise
of Jesus Christ the new Adam, where he became man by the power
of the Holy Spirit, in order to accomplish in her wonders
beyond our understanding. She is the vast and divine world of
God where unutterable marvels and beauties are to be found.
She is the magnificence of the Almighty where he hid his only
Son, as in his own bosom, and with him everything that is most
excellent and precious. What great and hidden things the all-
powerful God has done for this wonderful creature, as she
herself had to confess in spite of her great humility, "The
Almighty has done great things for me." The world does not
know these things because it is incapable and unworthy of
knowing them.

7. The saints have said wonderful things of Mary, the holy
City of God, and, as they themselves admit, they were never
more eloquent and more pleased than when they spoke of her.
And yet they maintain that the height of her merits rising up
to the throne of the Godhead cannot be perceived; the breadth
of her love which is wider than the earth cannot be measured;
the greatness of the power which she wields over one who is
God cannot be conceived; and the depths of her profound
humility and all her virtues and graces cannot be sounded.
What incomprehensible height! What indescribable breadth! What
immeasurable greatness! What an impenetrable abyss!

8. Every day, from one end of the earth to the other, in the
highest heaven and in the lowest abyss, all things preach, all
things proclaim the wondrous Virgin Mary. The nine choirs of
angels, men and women of every age, rank and religion, both
good and evil, even the very devils themselves are compelled
by the force of truth, willingly or unwillingly, to call her
blessed.

According to St. Bonaventure, all the angels in heaven
unceasingly call out to her: "Holy, holy, holy Mary, Virgin
Mother of God." They greet her countless times each day with
the angelic greeting, "Hail, Mary", while prostrating
themselves before her, begging her as a favour to honour them
with one of her requests. According to St. Augustine, even St.
Michael, though prince of all the heavenly court, is the most
eager of all the angels to honour her and lead others to
honour her. At all times he awaits the privilege of going at
her word to the aid of one of her servants.

9. The whole world is filled with her glory, and this is
especially true of Christian peoples, who have chosen her as
guardian and protectress of kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and
towns. Many cathedrals are consecrated to God in her name.
There is no church without an altar dedicated to her, no
country or region without at least one of her miraculous
images where all kinds of afflictions are cured and all sorts
of benefits received. Many are the confraternities and
associations honouring her as patron; many are the orders
under her name and protection; many are the members of
sodalities and religious of all congregations who voice her
praises and make known her compassion. There is not a child
who does not praise her by lisping a Hail Mary. There is
scarcely a sinner, however hardened, who does not possess some
spark of confidence in her. The very devils in hell, while
fearing her, show her respect.

10. And yet in truth we must still say with the saints: De
Maria numquam satis : We have still not praised, exalted,
honoured, loved and served Mary adequately. She is worthy of
even more praise, respect, love and service.

11. Moreover, we should repeat after the Holy Spirit, "All
the glory of the king's daughter is within", meaning that all
the external glory which heaven and earth vie with each other
to give her is nothing compared to what she has received
interiorly from her Creator, namely, a glory unknown to
insignificant creatures like us, who cannot penetrate into the
secrets of the king.

12. Finally, we must say in the words of the apostle Paul,
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man
understood" the beauty, the grandeur, the excellence of Mary,
who is indeed a miracle of miracles of grace, nature and
glory. "If you wish to understand the Mother," says a saint,
"then understand the Son. She is a worthy Mother of God." Hic
taceat omnis lingua : Here let every tongue be silent.

13. My heart has dictated with special joy all that I have
written to show that Mary has been unknown up till now, and
that that is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is not known
as he should be.

If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of
Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a
necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She
who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in
the world.