Esau and jacob

ESAU AND JACOB

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FIGURES OF REPROBATES AND PREDESTINATES I LOVED JACOB BUT I HATED ESAU (Rom. 9:13)

Fraternity of Holy Tortures and Tears of Blood, P. O. Box 10752, Port Harcourt. www.marytearsofblood.org.ng Tel: 08073099456.

3rd Edition ISBN: 978-16-213168-2

PREFACE St Louis Maria de Montfort said that Jesus Christ is not well known as He ought to be, because Mary is not known. This statement corresponds well with that common saying that the protestants threw away the mother, the Son soon followed the mother and now they are left with temples of Divine absence. Such is what happens to those who lose devotion to Mary. St. Alphonsus de Liguori said; “when a soul loses devotion to Mary, it is immediately enveloped in darkness and it is in that darkness of which the Holy Ghost speaks in the psalm; you bring darkness and it is night, then all the beast of the forest roam about (Ps. 104:20). When the light of heaven ceases to shine in a soul, all is darkness, and it becomes the haunt of devils and every sin”. God came to us through Mary; He spent thirty years with Mary and manifested Himself to the world for only three years. Nobody can know and understand Jesus Christ like Mary. Before He died on the Cross, He entrusted Mary with a role to nurture the infant Church He founded on earth (Jn. 19: 27). Most of the accounts of Jesus’ life written in the Bible which the apostles did not know were supplied by Mary, the Mother of the Church. Indeed, wherever Mary is honoured, Jesus Christ is well known and better served.

The Bible, thus, reveals the great need of Mary in our struggle in this valley of tears ;”Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is built with bulwarks; a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armour of valiant men” (Songs. 4:4). The Holy Mother Church invokes Mary with this title in the Litany of Loreto. But St. Alphonsus de Liguori simplified the passage in this way;” In her (Mary), her clients find all the shields and arms needed to defend themselves against the powers of hell”. It is evidently clear that all the great Saints in Heaven; the Apostles, the Confessors, the Doctors, the Martyrs and the Mystics were all great lovers of Mary, who shielded them to victory.

St. Louis Maria de Montfort spoke of the end time disciples of Mary through whom she shall triumph: “They will know the grandeurs of that Queen and will consecrate themselves entirely to her service as subjects and slaves of love. They will experience her sweetness and her maternal goodness, and they will love her tenderly like well beloved children. They will know the mercies of which she is full and the need they have of her help and they will have recourse to her in all things, as their dear Advocate and Mediatrix with Jesus. They will know what is the surest, the easiest, the shortest and the most perfect means of going to Jesus Christ and they will give themselves to Mary, body and soul, without reserve, that they may thus belong entirely to Jesus Christ”. Indeed, those who will survive this endtime battle must wear Mary like garment, because this is the hour of her greatest victory.

Fraternity of Holy Tortures and tears of blood POPE LEO XIII CONDEMNED ALL AUTHORS OF HERETICAL DOCTRINE (True faith practices are necessary for a soul to be saved) “The Church regarded as rebels and expelled from the ranks of its children all who held beliefs on any point of doctrine different from its own. The Arians, the Monetarists, the Novatians, the Quartodecimans, the Eutychians, certainly did not reject all Catholic Doctrine: they abandoned only a certain part of it. Still who does not know that they

were declared heretics and banished from the bosom of the Church? In like manner were condemned all authors of heretical doctrines, who followed ’them in subsequent ages.

There can be nothing more dangerous than those heretics who admit nearly the whole series of doctrine, and yet by one word, as with a drop of poison, taint the real and simple faith taught by our Lord, and handed down by Apostolic Tradition - For whoever offends in one point has become guilty in all” (Jm. 2:1-10, Encyclical letter, ”Satis cognitum”, 20/6/1896).

DEDICATION We dedicate this work to the Glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On this Her Feast Day of August 15th 2014.

We pray for the speedy triumph of Her Immaculate Heart in this wicked world

DEVOTION TO MARY, A SIGN OF PREDESTINATION. The fathers and doctors of the Church, among whom are: St Augustine, St. Ephrem, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Germanus of Constantinople, St. John Damascene, St. Anselem, St. Bernard, St. Bernardine, St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure were unanonymous on the teaching that devotion to Mary is necessary to Salvation. St. Louis Maria de Montfort summarily puts it as follows: “It is an infallible mark of reprobation to have no esteem and love for the Holy Virgin; while on the other hand, it is an infallible mark of predestination to be entirely and truly devoted to her 1”. In further clarification, St. John Damascene said: “To be devout to you, O Holy Virgin, is an arm of salvation which God gives to those whom He wishes to save”.

The reprobates are those whom God knew from the beginning, how they will abuse His graces and finally head to damnation; while the predestinates are those whom God knew that they will be His own. St. Louis Maria de Montfort proved this fact from the figures and words of the old and new testaments. For example; Esau and Jacob: These are the two sons of Isaac, but even in the womb, they struggled with each other, and their mother (Rebecca) cried to God in prayer, and He answered: “Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other. The elder shall serve the younger”. (Gen. 25:23).

Jacob the younger was a figure of the predestinates- I loved Jacob but I hated Esau (Rom. 9:13).

Abel was also a figure of the predestinate souls, who will profess and practice the true faith and therefore offer acceptable sacrifices to God. Cain and Abel offered sacrifice to God (Gen. 4:3-5), Cain offered to God the fruit of the earth, the product of man’s labour; and his offering was rejected. While Abel offered to God the first fruit of his flock, the figure of the true Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29), his offering was in line with God’s Will and was accepted. The Apostle whom Jesus loved was at the foot of the Cross, during His passion consoling His Mother, before He expired, Jesus said to him and through him to all His beloved ones- behold thy mother, and to His Mother He said: behold thy son (Jn. 19:27). And the Bible says: he took Mary into his home. Truly, Jesus gives Mary in a special way to His beloved ones.

The scripture attest to this, just as the holy doctors rightly said that devotion to Mary is a sure sign of predestination.

MARY IS THE MEDIATRIX OF GOD’S GRACES You may ask, why is devotion to Mary a sign of predestination? St. Alphonsus de Liguori said that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ makes us capable of redemption. That is, He merited for us, all the graces necessary for salvation-God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible (Titus 2:11). Meanwhile,

devotion to Mary as St. Montfort taught puts us in the right disposition of receiving these graces, and helps us to preserve it; for we consist of weak and fragile vessels (II Cor. 4:7).

Jesus Christ is the only Mediator of the new covenant (Heb.9:15); but also the Second Person in the glory of the Blessed Trinity. We cannot stand before Him boldly justified to receive His saving graces (cf. Ps. 143: 2), unless we are shielded by the Woman clothed with the sun (Rev. 12:1) ;as Jacob was clothed by his mother to be able to receive his father’s blessing. Mary takes the place of Rebecca who helped the unworthy Jacob to receive the blessing of the first son-the posterity of Abraham.

Meanwhile, Jesus Christ had warned: “unless you abide in My grace, you cannot bear fruit” (cf. Jn. 15:4); no one could come to Me except My Father draws him (Jn. 6:65).

To enter the promised land, we must pass through the gate of Edom, but who will lead us to the gate of Edom? ( Ps. 108:10) Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts (Zec.4:6).

4 Indeed, His grace is absolutely necessary for us to triumph over sin and temptations in this wicked world - “It is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Fr. Karl Stehlin said: “For whatever place thou enter, thou shall implore upon it the grace of conversion and sanctification, for all graces come to us from the Sacred Heart of Jesus only through thy hands. The Immaculata is an all-powerful intercessor. Every conversion and sanctification is a work grace, but she is the mediatrix of all graces” 1B. We need grace to discern the truths of faith and to practice them (cf. Jn. 16:12-13); we need grace to humble ourselves and accept our faults and be truly sorry for them, especially our sinful habits (cf. Ezk. 36:26-31), we need grace to love God above the glittering things of the world and to love His ways (cf. Jn. 6:65); we need grace to overcome the challenges that occasionally surround our 5 souls; we need grace to overcome the three enemies of our souls; the flesh, the world and the devil (cf. Gal. 5:17, Eph. 6:12-13). Fr. Michael Muller said: “We may indeed fall into sin without any assistance; but to rise from it we cannot, except by the special assistance of God. I can pluck out my eyes, but to set them in again properly is beyond my power. I can likewise lose the grace of God, but to recover it again without God’s assistance is more than I can do”1C. St. Alphonsus de Liguori said: “as the soul gives life to the body, so does divine grace gives life to the soul; for a soul without grace has the name of being alive, but is in truth dead, as it was said of the one in the book of revelation: you have the name of being alive, but you are dead (Rev. 3:1). Mary, in helping sinners obtain grace by her intercession, restores them to life” 2. We all die to grace by our sins-the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23); You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived (Eph. 2:1). Meanwhile, our stubbornness in sin and abuse of grace make us unworthy of God’s

graces-“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jm. 4:6); more precisely, St. Alphonsus de Liguori declared, “mercy is promised, not to those who abuse it, but to those who fear God - and His mercy is from age to age to those that fear Him” (Lk.1:50); “Grace and mercy are upon His holy ones.. but the ungodly will be punished” (wis. 3:9-10). Furthermore, the Bible warns: “If we sin willfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins. But a certain dreadful expectation of judgment” (Heb. 10:26-27). “For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated,.. and are fallen away; to be renewed again to penance, crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and making Him a mockery” (Heb. 6:46). Does these texts suggest that God does not pardon sins? Indeed He pardons, but His justice must also be satisfied. To understand the implication of these passages, let us listen to St. Ignatius the Martyr: ”It is impossible for any sinner to be saved without the help and favour of the most Blessed Virgin; because those who are not saved by the justice of God are with infinite mercy, saved by the intercession of Mary” 3. Likewise, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, put it this way; “God has indeed promised to pardon all who repent of their sins, but He has not promised to anyone the grace to repent of the faults which he has committed, sorrow for sin is a pure gift of God; if He withholds it, how will you repent? And without repentance, how can you obtain pardon?

God are with infinite mercy, saved by the intercession of Mary” 3. Likewise, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, put it this way; “God has indeed promised to pardon all who repent of their sins, but He has not promised to anyone the grace to repent of the faults which he has committed, sorrow for sin is a pure gift of God; if He withholds it, how will you repent? And without repentance, how can you obtain pardon?

A Jesuit theologian Suarez, thus said of devotion to Mary: “we pray to her in order that the dignity of the intercessor may supply for our own unworthiness; so that, to implore the Blessed Virgin in such a spirit, is not a lack of trust in the mercy of God, but fear of our own unworthiness” 4. St. Louis Maria de Montfort quoted St. Bernard as follows: ”Since you were unworthy to receive the Divine graces, they were given to Mary, so that whatever you would have, you would receive through her”. St. Alphonsus de Liguori said that the Blessed Virgin told St. Matilda that the Holy Ghost filling her with all His sweetness has rendered her so dear to God, that whoever seeks graces through her intercession is certain to obtain them. He also said that all graces and gifts which God has resolved to bestow upon us, He gives us through the hands of Mary. One of the remarkable statements of our Lady at Fatima says: ”Tell everybody that God gives graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Tell them to ask graces from her, and that the Heart of Jesus wishes to be venerated together with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Ask them to plead for peace from the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the Lord has confided the peace of the world to her”.

The Bible says: “we have one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5-6). Why then do we call on Mary? St. Alphonsus de Liguori provides the answer: “mediation of justice by way of merit is one thing, and mediation

of grace by way of prayer is another…we willingly admit that God is the source of every good, and absolute Master of all graces; and that Mary is only a pure creature, who receives whatever she obtains as a pure favour from God…We most readily admit that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator of justice, according to the distinction just made, and that by His merits He obtains for us all graces and salvation; but we say that Mary is the Mediatress of grace; and that receiving all she obtains through Jesus Christ, and because she prays and asks for it in the name of Jesus Christ, yet all the same, whatever graces we receive, they come to us through her intercession” 5. Our Lady said:”In God’s plan, I am an essential link to Jesus”.

After reflecting on the words of St. Bernard and Richard of Saint Lawrence, St. Alphonsus de Liguori said: “If we, desire graces, we must go to this treasurer and dispenser of graces; for it is the sovereign will of the Giver of every good thing; and we are assured of it by the same Saint Bernard, that all graces should be dispensed by the hands of Mary; for such is His Will, Who is pleased that we should have all by Mary” 6.

The Holy Ghost refers to Mary in these words, which the Church apply to her on her feast day:“I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all that desire me, and be filled with my fruits…He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded and they that work by me, shall not sin” (Sirach. 24:24-30). Many holy doctors and theologians also refer this passage to Mary, but excellently, St. Bonaventure said on this passage; “O Lady, he who honours thee will be far from damnation” 7. It pleases God to have an Immaculate Mother on earth, over whom the serpent cannot have any boast, so that He will be obliged to grant her requests in accordance with the scriptural injunctions, so that even the most unworthy soul may receive His mercies through her maternal love and intercession.

NB: * “I am the Mediatrix between God and man. God has given so much. He has given to me all the Graces He wants. I have Graces which I can give to men to keep them away from sin and to have the complete fear of God in them”.

(Our Lady of Nigeria, Aokpe, to Christiana the seer). **

Mary intercedes for all men and dispenses God’s graces to them, but we receive these graces in proportion to the dispositions of our hearts and our devotion to her.

THE PRAYER OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS AS SEEN BY THE VENERABLE MARY OF AGREDA. (Christ enthroned Mary as the mediatrix of all graces)

Now, My Eternal Father, In My and Thy Name and for Thy glorification. I make My last bequest according to My Human Will which is in conformable to Thy Eternal and Divine

Will. First shall be mentioned, My most pure mother, who gave Me human existence, to her I constitute My sole and universal heiress of all the gifts of nature, of grace and of glory that are Mine. She shall be mistress and possessor of them all. The gifts of which as a mere creature she is capable, she shall actually receive now, while those of glory I promise to confer upon her in their time. I desire that she shall be mistress of Angels and men, claim over them full possession and dominion, and command the service and obedience of all. The demons shall fear her and be subject to her. All the irrational creatures, the heavens, the stars, the planets, the elements with all the living beings, the birds, the fishes and the animals contained in them, shall likewise be subject to her and acknowledge her as mistress, exalting and glorifying her with men. I wish also that she be the Treasurer and Dispenser of all the goods on heaven and on earth. Whatever she ordains and disposes in My Church for My children, the sons of men shall be confirmed by the Three Divine Persons; and whatever she shall ask for mortals now, afterwards and forever, We shall concede according to her will and wishes.8 GOD’S JUSTICE AND MARY’S MEDIATION If we are convinced that Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces, now we shall proceed to see why we need Mary in order to reach our desired end. God said to Moses: “Say to the Israelites, you are a stiff-necked people, if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you” (Exo. 33:5). After the fall of man, grace was lost and the heart of man was dominated by corruption and desire for sin, as the Bible says; “And God seeing that the wickedness of men was great on the earth, and that all the thought of their hearts was bent upon evil at all times. He regretted that He had made man on the earth” (Gen. 6:5-6). God determined to destroy all creatures because of the sins of man (cf. Gen. 6:13). Such is the gravity of our sins; and God’s hatred for them. Fr. Michael Muller said that a mortal sin is an offence against an infinite Majesty. And the Bible warns: “Do not be drawn to sin twice over, for you will not go unpunished even once” (Sirach 7:8). When St. Peter denied Jesus three times, he wept bitterly in penance (Matt 26:69-75), nevertheless, after His resurrection, Jesus helped him to also confess three times that he loved Him, even with pains and tears (cf. Jn. 21:15-17). After the great sin of Israel, Moses pleaded for pardon, and God said: “But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; see My Angel shall go in front of you. Nevertheless, when the day comes for punishment, I will punish them for their sins” (Exo. 32:34). “I do forgive, just as you have asked, nevertheless, as I live...none of the people who have seen My glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and yet have tested Me these ten times and have not obeyed My voice, shall see the land that I swore to give their ancestors; none of those who despise Me shall see it ” (Num. 14:20-23). God is rich in mercy and forgiveness, yet, letting nothing go unchecked (cf.Exo.34:7). Fr. Karl Stehlin said: “God is merciful, infinitely merciful, but He is also just, infinitely just - so much so that He cannot tolerate even the slightest sin and must demand full reparation for it. The one who dispenses the infinite merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus, which washes these sins away, is the personified Divine mercy in the person of the Immaculata. Therefore we rightly call her the refuge of sinners”. 8B three times that he loved Him, even with pains and tears (cf. Jn. 21:15-17). After the great sin of Israel, Moses pleaded for pardon, and God said: “But now go, lead the

people to the place about which I have spoken to you; see My Angel shall go in front of you. Nevertheless, when the day comes for punishment, I will punish them for their sins” (Exo. 32:34). “I do forgive, just as you have asked, nevertheless, as I live...none of the people who have seen My glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and yet have tested Me these ten times and have not obeyed My voice, shall see the land that I swore to give their ancestors; none of those who despise Me shall see it ” (Num. 14:20-23). God is rich in mercy and forgiveness, yet, letting nothing go unchecked (cf.Exo.34:7). Fr. Karl Stehlin said: “God is merciful, infinitely merciful, but He is also just, infinitely just - so much so that He cannot tolerate even the slightest sin and must demand full reparation for it. The one who dispenses the infinite merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus, which washes these sins away, is the personified Divine mercy in the person of the Immaculata. Therefore we rightly call her the refuge of sinners”. 8B person of the Immaculata. Therefore we rightly call her the refuge of sinners”. 8B While quoting the Saints and theologians on this subject, Rev. Fr. Michael Muller wrote as follows: “Among the temporal punishments due to sin, after the remission of its guilt, the saints count the withholding of many of God’s graces. From eternity God prepared for us all, abundant graces to work out our salvation. Some of these graces were necessary to lead us to a high degree of perfection and to make us saints; others were so necessary for our salvation, that without them we cannot be saved. In punishment of sin, even after its guilt has been remitted, God sometimes withholds these graces; and therefore, our past sins, after they have been forgiven, may be the cause of our damnation, by preventing God from bestowing upon us certain graces without which we certainly shall be lost. Hence it is that the Holy Ghost tells us, not to be without fear about sins forgiven that you add sin upon sins (Ecclus. 5:5 ). In order then, to secure not only the pardon of all our past sins, but also the graces which may be withheld in punishment of them and particularly, the graces without which we should be lost, we must pray fervently and frequently for the complete and entire remission of all our sins, and of all the penalties due to them” 9.

On this issue, the Bible still presents some examples as lessons for us;(i) like the case of David-the Lord has put away your sin, you shall not die. Nevertheless…. (the punishments pronounced remains, ll Sam. 12:13-14). (ii) The case of Sampson, who did penance for three years, enduring the yoke of his enemies, before he recovered some graces, yet, because he could not recover all that he lost, he died together with his enemies in his last battle (Judg. 16). (iii) The case of Esau who abused his precious possession, and God withdrew it from him and gave it to Jacob, and the Bible warns; “Be careful that there is no immoral person, or anyone worldly minded like Esau, who sold his birthright for one single meal. As you know, when he wanted to obtain the blessing afterwards, he was rejected and, though he pleaded for it with tears, he could find no way of reversing the decision” (Heb. 12:1617).

Such is the preciousness of God’s saving graces which we human beings trifle with, and it is becoming clearer the gravity of this offence, and how the abuse of God’s graces render us unworthy of such precious gifts - “but as those who were invited proved to be

unworthy (Matt. 22:8), I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of My banquet” (Lk.14:24). At this point, the teaching of St. Augustine becomes so vital; citing the events that God revealed in the Bible between Job and his friends (Job 42:7-9) and Abraham with Abimelech (Gen. 20); he said that there are some graces that God does not grant (due to our stubbornness) except through the merit of an intercessor 10. The Israelites pleaded with Moses; intercede for us with God to save us from these serpents (Num. 21:7). Consequently, we must agree with St. Robert Ballarmine who said that we shall obtain through Mary’s intercession, that which we should not obtain by our own unaided prayers. Moreso, St. Anselm said,” if anyone is disregarded and condemned by Mary, he is necessarily lost. Therefore we may exclaim with reason; woe to those who despise its light; that is to say, all who despise devotion to Mary”. Our Lady of Fatima said to Sis. Lucia in 1929: “So many are the souls which the justice of God condemns for sins committed against me that I come to ask for reparation. Sacrifice yourself for this intention and pray” 11. Further, she appealed for first Saturday reparation - a devotion for every Catholic, yet many erroneously regard it as a C.W.O. devotion.

St. John Chrysostom said that another purpose for which the Blessed Virgin Mary was made the Mother of God was that she might obtain salvation for many who, on account of their wicked lives, could not be saved according to the rigor of Divine justice, but might be so with the help of her sweet mercy and powerful intercession 12. St. Bonaventure said that Mary is compared to the moon in the sacred canticles: “fair as the moon” (Songs. 6:10). For as the moon is between the heavens and the earth, so does Mary continually place herself between God and sinners in order to appease our Lord in their regard, and to enlighten them to return to Him.

MARY’S HOLY NAME, A PRE-DESTINED CHANNEL OF GRACE St Alphonses de Liguori while expressing the opinion of many authors and doctors said: “The great name of Mary, which was given to the Divine Mother, did not come to her from her parents, nor was it given to her by the mind or will of man as is the case with all other names that are imposed in this world; but it came from heaven and was given her by a Divine ordinance” 14. It was the plan of God from eternity that the children, whose mother she became at the foot of the Cross, should invoke and praise her sweet name which is full of Grace and still promises abundant graces in reward.

This will of God was made manifest in figurative ways in the past but later revealed in Mary at the right time (Lk. 1:48). The following Bible passages refer to Mary in prefiguration: “May you be blessed, my daughter by God Most High, beyond all women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, creator of heaven and earth, who guided you to cut off the head of the leader of our enemies! The trust which you have shown will not pass from human hearts, as they commemorate the power of God forever more. God grant, you may always be held in honour and rewarded with blessings” (Jdt. 13:18 -20);

“You are the glory of Jerusalem! You are the great pride of Israel! You are the highest honour of our race! May you be blessed by the Lord Almighty in all the days to come” (Jdt 15:9-10) ; “The King’s daughter is led within to the King… I will make your name endure from generation to generation, so nations will sing your praises forever and ever” (Ps. 45:16-17); “Her children stand up and proclaim her blessed… many women have done admirable things but you surpass them all… the woman who fears God is the one to praise” (Pro. 31:28-31); “Blessed is the womb that bore the Son of God and breast that fed Him, indeed, more blessed is that Immaculate creature in whom the will of God was perfectly accomplished” (cf. Lk.11:27-28). who fears God is the one to praise” (Pro. 31:28-31); “Blessed is the womb that bore the Son of God and breast that fed Him, indeed, more blessed is that Immaculate creature in whom the will of God was perfectly accomplished” (cf. Lk.11:27-28).

At the time of fulfillment of prophecies, Jesus always used the same word “woman” to address His Holy Mother in public so as to present to us the very woman to whom all these prophecies are referring to. Precisely, the Holy Ghost proclaims: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb … and blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord… for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me (Mary) blessed” (Lk. 1:42-48). That means, her children throughout the world shall be devoted to her and honour her in all generations from the time of the Incarnation.

THE VISION OF VENERABLE MARY OF AGREDA The most Holy Trinity gave the name Mary to the holy child and made promises to those who will venerate and honour that name: “Our chosen one shall be called MARY and this name is to be powerful and magnificent. Those that shall invoke it with devout affection shall receive most abundant graces; those that shall honour it and pronounce it with reverence shall be consoled and vivified, and will find in it the remedy of their evils, the treasures for their enrichment, the light which shall guide them to heaven. It shall be terrible against the power of hell; it shall crush the head of the serpent and it shall win glorious victories over the princes of hell” 15.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE DOCTORS AND THE SAINTS Blessed Henry Suso said: “O most sweet name! O Mary, what must thou thyself be, since thy name alone is thus amiable and gracious” 16. St Bernard said: “O great! O pious!

O thou Virgin Mary! Thy name is so sweet and amiable that it cannot be pronounced without inflaming those who do so with love towards thee and God” 17. In fine, thy name, O Mother of God, is filled with Divine graces and blessings, said St. Methodius. And St Bonaventure declares, thy name, O Mary, cannot be pronounced without bringing some graces to him who does so devoutly.

The saints have enormous accounts of the wonderful effect of devotion to Mary that they exceedingly loved her. Blessed Raymond Jordano joyfully exclaimed: “The power of thy most holy name, O ever Blessed Virgin Mary is such that it softens the hardness of human heart in a wonderful manner. By thee does the sinner recover the hope of forgiveness and of graces” 18. Thy most sweet name, O Mary according to St Ambrose is

a precious ointment which breathes forth the odor of Divine grace. Grant, O Lady that we may often remember to name thee with love and confidence; for this practice either shows the possession of Divine grace, or else is a pledge that we shall soon recover it 19.

The holy name of Mary is likened in the sacred canticles to oil: “Thy name is as oil poured out” (Songs. 1:3). On these words, Blessed Alan said that the glory of her name is compared to oil poured out; because oil heals the sick, sends out a sweet odour, and nourishes flames. Thus also does the name of Mary heal sinners, rejoice hearts, and inflames them with Divine love. As a confirmation to these pronouncements, in one of her revelations to St Bridget, the blessed Virgin Mary said that there is not on earth a sinner, however devoid he may be of the love of God, from whom the devil is not obliged immediately to fly, if he invokes her holy name with a determination to repent. Later she repeated, that all the devils venerate and fear her name to such a degree, that on hearing it they immediately loosen the claws with which they hold the soul captive. And in the same way as they fly away, the holy Angels draws nearer the soul that invokes Her name with devotion. Moreover, consoling indeed are the promises of help made by Jesus Christ to those who have devotion to the name of Mary; as it was revealed to Saint Bridget, He promised His Most Holy Mother that He would grant three special graces to those who invoke that holy name with confidence; first, that He would grant them perfect sorrow for their sins; second, that their crimes should be atoned for; and thirdly, they will be given strength to attain perfection, and at length the glory of paradise. For thy words, O my Mother are so sweet and agreeable to Me, that I cannot deny what thou asks 20. that He would grant three special graces to those who invoke that holy name with confidence; first, that He would grant them perfect sorrow for their sins; second, that their crimes should be atoned for; and thirdly, they will be given strength to attain perfection, and at length the glory of paradise. For thy words, O my Mother are so sweet and agreeable to Me, that I cannot deny what thou asks 20.

When we say “Hail Mary”, we are praising the exalted position of Mary as Queen, because as at the time the Angel greeted her with these words, only kings and queens were addressed with the word” Hail”. And that is why Mary wondered: “what manner of salutation this should be” (Lk. 1:29). When we say ”full of grace”, we are confessing the excellence of Mary over all creatures; that she was conceived Immaculate and lived without sin. Hence, only Jesus and Mary were regarded in the Bible as full of grace (cf.

Jn 1:14, Lk. 1:28). Meanwhile, fullness of grace also indicates the absence of sin. When we say ”blessed art thou among women and 26 blessed is the fruit of thy womb”, we are confessing with Elizabeth, the blessedness of the Word made flesh and the womb that bore Him (cf. Lk.1:42 & 11:27), thus, praising the wonders of God’s love for mankind. With all these lessons, you can therefore imagine the power of the holy Rosary, because whoever says at least five decades of the Rosary has invoked and venerated the holy names of Jesus and Mary fifty three times.

ESAU AND JACOB

St. Louis Maria de Montfort narrates: “Esau having sold his birthright, Rebecca, the mother of the two brothers, who loved Jacob tenderly, secured this advantage of the birthright for him many years afterward by a stroke of skill most holy but most full of mystery. Isaac, feeling very old, and wishing to bless his children before he died, called his son Esau, who was his favorite, and commanded him to go out hunting and get him something to eat, in order that he might afterward bless him. Rebecca promptly informed Jacob of what had passed, and ordered him to go and take two kids from the flock. When he had given them to his mother, she prepared for Isaac what she knew he liked. She clothed Jacob in the garments of Esau, which she kept, and covered his hands and his neck with the skin of the kids, so that his father, who was blind, even though he heard Jacob’s voice, might think by touching the skin of his hands that it was Esau (cf.Gen. 27).

The great theologian further summaries this Bible narration as follows: i.

Esau, the elder was strong and robust of body, adroit and skillful in drawing the bow. ii.

He hardly ever stayed in the house; and putting no confidence in anything but his own strength and address, he worked only out doors. iii.

He took very few pains to please his mother Rebecca, and indeed did nothing for that end. iv.

He was such a glutton and loved eating so much that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. v.

He was like Cain, full of envy against his brother, and persecuted him beyond measure.

In conclusion he said: now this is the daily conduct of the reprobates. They trust in their own strength and aptitude for temporal affairs. They are very strong, very able and very enlightened in earthly business; but very weak and very ignorant in heavenly things. It is on this account that they are never at all, at their own homes, that is to say, in their own interior, which is the inward and essential house which God has given to every man, the reprobates care nothing for devotion to our blessed Lady, the mother of the predestinates.

It is true that they do not hate her formally. Indeed they sometimes praise her and say they love her, but they cannot bear that we should love her tenderly, because they have not the tenderness of Jacob. The reprobates sell their birthright, that is to say, the pleasures of paradise. They sell it for a pottage of lentils, that is to say, for the pleasures of the earth or immediate needs of the body 13.

DEVOTIONS AND SPIRITUALITY These attitudes of Esua and Jacob can be seen clearly in our relationship with God. The tender and feeble ones do not trust in their own strength because of their unworthiness, rather they always seek the intercession of their holy Mother. They love their mother tenderly and always listen to her counsels (eg. In the messages and devotions she gives to the world) and that makes them to be more detached from the world. They follow the spirituality of their holy mother, which is solitude and interior contemplation —“As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). Jacob, as St. Montfort said, always listened and obeyed the counsels of his mother and that enabled him to receive the blessing he was unworthy of; even when his brother

persecuted and determined to kill him, he was saved through the counsels of his mother (cf. Gen. 27:41-45). In the same way, we can see that all the genuine devotions from heaven have some special graces promised through them for our souls. The one who made these promises is able to fulfilled them. Few examples; (i) The Scapular: whoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire. ii. The First Saturday Devotion: Whosoever shall faithfully keep all the obligations of the first Saturday for five consecutive times, Our Lady promised to assist at the hour of death, with all the graces necessary for salvation. iii. Four of the Fifteen Promises of the Holy Rosary: the third, the Rosary shall be a powerful amour against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. Fifth, the soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.

Tenth, the faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.

Fifteenth, devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination (Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan).

The tradition in the Bible is that God has always taught His people how they must approach Him and pray to Him (cf. Num. 6:22-27). There are many other examples in the Bible especially in the book of Numbers; where God gave instructions of how He must be worshiped. With His life, Jesus Christ laid example for us of the need for prayers and how we must pray- He went into a mountain alone to pray (Matt. 14:23). The disciples asked Jesus; Lord, teach us how to pray, and He taught them (cf. Lk. 11:1). It continued till today, Jesus and His Mother have revealed a lot of devotions to Their children through His Church. Human thought cannot conceive what pleases God more than God Himself. The treasure in these devotions cannot be felt by the senses but with the light of wisdom. The Almighty God took flesh and dwelt among us and pleased His Father in all areas in which we are weak and suffered horribly to atone for our sins. He then acquired merit for us in all aspects of His life and actions which are full of mysteries. They deserve to be appreciated and honoured: for as many as received (acknowledge) Him, He gave them power to be made the sons of God (Jn. 1:12). Our daily obligation of homage and gratitude to God is well satisfied when we through these devotions honour and adore the different aspects of the mysteries of our salvation, and thus gain the graces, merit and indulgences embedded in these mysteries for our souls.

But to deviate from the traditions which God Himself has taught us is an apostasy which often leads to irreverent use or abuse of God’s holy name in the Pentecostal man-made fellowships-a product of human imagination, the sacrifice of Cain (which now exist within the Catholic Church). The Bible says that any spirit which fails to acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of the antichrist (cf. 1Jn. 4:23). To acknowledge that God has come in human nature is to believe, honour and adore the mysteries of His life. when we through these devotions honour and adore the different aspects of the mysteries of our salvation, and thus gain the graces, merit and indulgences embedded in these mysteries for our souls. But to deviate from the traditions which God Himself has taught us is an apostasy which often leads to irreverent use or abuse of God’s holy name in the Pentecostal man-made fellowships-a product of human imagination, the sacrifice of Cain (which now exist within the Catholic Church). The Bible says that any spirit which fails

to acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of the antichrist (cf. 1Jn. 4:23).

To acknowledge that God has come in human nature is to believe, honour and adore the mysteries of His life.

The verbal howling and babbling of words, standing up to shout, singing of choruses, commanding, casting and binding can neither honour nor adore God, do not honour any aspect of the life of Christ and the mysteries of our salvation, have no heavenly promise or indulgence attached to them, neither can they obtain the spiritual favours for the soul. Consequently, the soul that depends on them ends up in spiritual emptiness, as St. Theresa has revealed to a holy soul. But sometimes miracles can happen, as it happened to the Israelites when they departed from God’s instructions to do their own will (cf.Num. 20:8-12). Infact, God miraculously provided their needs throughout the journey, yet He swore; “they would never enter My place of rest.” (Heb. 3:11). God sometimes can permit some of His temporal favours (the rain and the sun, cf. Matt. 5:45) to bless your life, but not His precious saving graces- “Let us have pity on the wicked, but he will not learn justice; in the land of the saints he hath done wicked things, and he shall not see the glory of the Lord “ (Isa. 26:10); “it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs” (Matt. 15:26). That is why it is important not to focus on miracles but on the most precious and most gracious gift of God, the faith we profess and its most important fruit, the life of grace - “They that trust in Him, shall understand the truth; and they that are faithful in love shall rest in Him, for grace and mercy are upon His holy ones” (Wis. 3:9); it is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign (Matt 12:39). Jesus Christ says; “On that day many will say to Me, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name? Then I will declare to them, I never knew you; go away from Me, you evildoers” (Matt.7:22-23). Miracles are for both the good and the bad (Matt. 5:45); and in some cases, they do not come from God (cf. II Thess.

2:9). in love shall rest in Him, for grace and mercy are upon His holy ones” (Wis. 3:9); it is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign (Matt 12:39). Jesus Christ says; “On that day many will say to Me, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name? Then I will declare to them, I never knew you; go away from Me, you evildoers” (Matt.7:22-23).

Miracles are for both the good and the bad (Matt. 5:45); and in some cases, they do not come from God (cf. II Thess. 2:9).

These irreverent and rebellious method of prayer was clearly condemned in the scriptures-“Speak not anything rashly, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few.

Dreams follow many cares and in many words shall be found folly” (Eccl. 5:1-2); “when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites, they love to say their prayer standing up ….but when you pray, go to your private room, shut yourselves in (i.e interior), and so pray to your Father who sees all that is done in secret, He will reward you. In your prayers do not babble as the gentiles do (i.e non Catholics), for they think that by using many words, they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:5-8).

While talking on this same issue to a mystic, St. Theresa said that at this level ( i.e

rebellious way of prayer)

no prayer is made. All that they call prayer is nothing but abuse and insult to the Almighty God. And the Bible says; “they behave like the enemies of Christ’s Cross. They are destined to be lost; their god is the stomach” (i.e immediate needs of the body, Phil. 3:18-19). They know nothing about merit and graces for the soul, which can only be acquired through the way of the Cross. They know nothing about penance, and to console their Saviour whom their sins crucify daily. They know nothing about humility and other virtues which is the ladder to heaven, and which must be sought for during prayers. They know nothing about mental prayers (i.e Interior recollection-compare Esau) which provide light and Divine counsels for the soul. St. Theresa said that 36 the holiest man among such people ends up in purgatory to stay for a very long time to learn how to love. She said, a good prayer must have the character of consolation, adoration, thanksgiving, sacrifice and acceptance of God’s will.

PERFECT ACTS OF DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Pope John Paul II said in the words of St. Loius Maria de Montfort: “Our entire perfection consists in being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus Christ. Hence, the most perfect of all devotions is undoubtedly that which conforms, unites and consecrates us most perfectly to Jesus Christ. Now, since Mary is of all creatures the one most conformed to Jesus Christ, it follows that among all devotions, that which most consecrates and conforms a soul to our Lord is devotion to Mary, His Holy Mother and that the more a soul is consecrated to her, the more will it be consecrated to Jesus Christ” 21 . St. Montfort added: “Hence it comes to pass that the most perfect consecration to Jesus Christ is nothing else but a perfect and entire consecration of ourselves to the blessed Virgin and this is the devotion which I teach, or in other words a perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy Baptism. This devotion consists, then in giving ourselves entirely to Our Lady in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her” 22.

A true lover of Mary must behave like Jacob; listen to the counsels of Mary our Mother and carry out her instructions, offer to her your freewill that she can accomplish in your soul the likeness of Jesus Christ. Those who listen to Mary since Fatima (1917) know the importance of this call for consecration, especially at this time. Meanwhile, there are some other acts of devotion to Mary that I will like to mention: (i) THE HOLY ROSARY: The Rosary is a prayer composed in heaven and sent down to us on earth, a prayer that praises the wonderful mysteries of God as accomplished in Mary and honour the different aspects of Christ’s life on earth. A prayer through which so much exploits can be achieved, as our Lady told St. Dominic while giving him the Rosary. The principal prayers are the Lord’s prayer and the Hail Mary (The Angelic Psalter). The Lord’s prayer was given to us by Christ as a perfect way to address the Father. The Hail Mary is an abridgment of the wonderful events of the Annunciation and the Visitation. The first half of the Hail Mary is divided into two, made up of God’s own words of praises in admiration of the wonders of His love in the mystery of the Incarnation; addressed to Mary through the Archangel Gabriel —“Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee “.The words that marked the fulfillment of the promises

and prophecies of the old testament; the words that marked the commencement of the mystery of our redemption through the “INCARNATION,” and became the foundation stone of the new testament, as our Lady told St. Dominic.

The second part of the Hail Mary was by the Holy Ghost through St. Elizabeth- “Blessed art thou among women and Blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus”. Prompted by the Holy Ghost, St. Elizabeth became the first person to honour and praise the blessedness of Jesus and Mary. We are obliged to continue these words of praises and benediction faithfully for these reasons: first, to show gratitude to God who has shown such love to humanity, second, to honour and adore the mystery of the Incarnation of God forever; third, in obedience to, and faithful fulfillment of the prophecy “All generations shall call Mary Blessed” (Lk.1:48). Fourth, that enough grace may be poured down for the victory of her Immaculate Heart and to rescue her children in this battle field, because just like Queen Esther of old (cf. Est. 4:15-17), the triumph of her Immaculate Heart depends on the response of her children to her appeals, indeed according to ancient writers, the role of Mary in our salvation was prefigured in Esther and Judith. If we faithfully and modestly continue to praise and honour these mysteries, it will bring about in our lives and in the Church, that same victory of the old Israelites when they were praising the marvelous deeds of God in Judith (Jdt.15). Already, the blessed Virgin herself has foretold that one day, through the Rosary and the scapular, she will save the world. The message of hope given at Fatima says: “In the end, My Immaculate Heart shall triumph”. foretold that one day, through the Rosary and the scapular, she will save the world. The message of hope given at Fatima says: “In the end, My Immaculate Heart shall triumph”. (ii) THE BROWN SCAPULAR: This is a garment of grace given to the world by Mary through St. Simon Stock at Mt. Carmel. The heavenly appeal to wear the scapular can be traced to the book of Numbers (15:38-40), where God commanded the old Israelites to make a tassels and wear, all the days of their lives, as a pledge and a source of strength to keep His commandments. Pope John XXIII said that scapular is a sign of our consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The promises and privileges enjoyed by a true Marian devotee who wears the scapular with proper enrollment into the confraternity is so great, but let us point out the conditions of wearing it meritorously: (1) You must wear it all the days of your life (2) You must observe the law of chastity according to your state of life (3) You will say the little office of the Immaculate conception, or in case of inability, get your priest’s permission to do penance on Saturdays in her honour. (iii) THE FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION: Our Lady of Fatima took the three visionaries to purgatory, hell and heaven. She showed them what happens to souls after life on earth, and on seeing hell, they were so terrified that they fainted. After the vision, Mary said: “You have seen Hell where the souls of poor sinners go; to save them, God wishes to establish in the world, devotion to my Immaculate Heart ….. if what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace” 23. She said that many

souls are condemned by Divine justice for sins against her Immaculate Heart. She mentioned the five blasphemes. (i) Blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception (ii) Blasphemies against her perpetual Virginity (iii) Blasphemies against her Divine Maternity, in refusing at the same time to recognize her as the Mother of men (iv) The blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the heart of children indifference, or scorn, or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother (v) The offenses of those who outrage Her directly in her holy images.

The requirements of first Saturday devotion are: (i) Confession (ii) Communion of reparation (iii) Recitation of the Rosary (iv) Fifteen minutes meditation on any part of the mysteries of the Rosary (v) All should be done with the intention of making reparation to her Immaculate Heart.

Apart from these three, there are many other beautiful acts of devotion to Mary; some of which I will like to point out: (1) The Angelus (2) The Catina (3) The little crown of the Blessed Virgin (4) To genuflect and say short prayers at Her Images (5) To enroll ourselves into Her confraternities (6) To gather and celebrate Her feast days (7) To sing praises in Her honour especially on Her feast days (8) To make altars in her honour in our homes. (9) To carry Her Image or picture in procession (10) To promote Her confraternities and awareness (11) To wear Her liveries like Rosary, scapular, little chain, medals or pictures, etc FALSE DEVOTION TO MARY St. Alphonsus de Liguori said: “When we say that it is impossible for a client of Mary to be lost, we must not be understood as speaking of those clients who take advantage of this devotion that they may sin more freely. And therefore, those who disapprove of the great praises bestowed on the clemency of this most Blessed Virgin, because it causes the wicked to take advantage of it to sin with greater freedom, do so without foundation, for such presumptive people deserve chastisement, and not mercy, for their rash confidence.

It is therefore to be understood of those clients who, with a sincere desire to amend, are faithful in honoring and recommending themselves to the mother of God. It is, I say, morally impossible that such as these should be lost” 24.

St Louis Maria de Montfort said: “How can we truly say that we love and honour our Blessed Lady when by our sins we are pitilessly piercing, wounding, crucifying and outraging Jesus Christ Her Son? If Mary laid down a law to herself, to save by her mercy this sort of people, she would be authorizing crime and helping crucify and outrage her son… I confess that, in order to be truly devout to our Blessed Lady, it is not absolutely necessary to be so holy as to avoid every sin, though this were desirable; but this much, at least is necessary and I beg you to lay it well to heart: (1) To have a sincere resolution to avoid at least all mortal sins, which outrages the mother as well as the Son; (2) To do violence to ourselves to avoid sin; (3) To enroll ourselves in Her confraternities to say the Rosary or other prayers, to fast on Saturdays and the likes” 25.

To be precise, a true lover of Mary in this modern world must avoid some common sins,

especially those for which our Lady has cried out frequently like: indecent dressing, birth control formulas/abortion, all forms of idolatry, betrayal of trust and truth in areas of work and trade, transactions, work and traveling on sundays and other holidays of obligation, creating deliberate evil occasions like sinful relationships and the consequential sins of the flesh etc.

There are seven groups of false devotees or devotions to Mary according to St. Louis de Montfort. These are (1) The critical devotees (2) The scrupulous devotees, (3) The external devotees, (4) The presumptuous devotees, (5) The inconstant devotees, (6) The hypocritical devotees, (7) The interested devotees. The little explanation given above dwell mainly on the forth group.

THE DIGNITY OF MARY AS THE MOTHER OF GOD A Theologian Benedict Fernandez said that the measure whereby we may know the greatness of the grace communicated to Mary is her dignity as the mother of God. The reason of this is evident; for, as the angelic doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, the nearer a thing approaches its author, the greater is the perfection it receives from him; and therefore Mary being of all creatures the nearest to God, she more than all others has partaken of His graces, perfections, and greatness. He said, “The blessed Virgin Mary was the nearest possible to Christ; for from her it was He received His human nature, and therefore she must have obtained a greater plenitude of grace from Him than all others.

Denis the Carthusian said that after the hypostatic union, there is no more intimate than that of the Mother of God with her Son. In the words of St. Thomas, “It is the supreme, the highest degree of union that a pure creature can have with God; it is a sort of supreme union with an infinite person’’. St. Peter Damian exclaimed, “let every creature be silent and tremble, and scarcely dare glance at the immensity of so great a dignity. God dwells in the Blessed Virgin with whom He has the identity of one nature”.

St Thomas of Villanova (a Bishop)said, “There is something infinite in being the mother of Him who is infinite”. This is in line with St. Bernardine who said that the state to which God exalted Mary in making her His mother was the highest state which could be conferred on a pure creature; so that He could not have exalted her more. This opinion is also shared by Blessed Albert the great, who said, that in bestowing on Mary the maternity of God, God gave her the highest gift of which a pure creature is capable. In a more clear terms, St Bonaventure declares; “to be the mother of God is the greatest grace that can be conferred on a creature. It is such that God could make a greater world, a greater heaven, but that He cannot exalt a creature more than making her His mother”. The testimony of these doctors are confirmed by these words: “He that is mighty had done great things in me” (LK. 1:49). On these words, St. Thomas of Villanove said, why not mention those great things conferred on her by God? Because they were inexplicable.

As the Mother of God, Mary has a certain peculiar right to her Son’s gifts, to dispense them to those for whom she prays, as St. Germanus said ”thou, who by thy maternal authority has great power with God, obtains the very great grace of reconciliation even for those who have been guilty of grievous crimes. It is

impossible that thou should not be graciously heard for God in all things complies with Thy wishes as being those of His true and spotless Mother”. Therefore, said St. Alphonsus de Liguori; the power to succour us is not wanting to Thee, O Mother of God, and Mother of us all. The angelic Doctor said that when God choose anyone for a particular dignity, He renders him fit for it; whence, he adds; that God, having chosen Mary for His Mother, He also by His grace rendered her worthy of this highest of all dignities. To be fit for this exalted office, God adorned Mary with the gift of her Immaculate Conception which empowered her to shine out brightly in sanctity and perfections more than every other creature of God. Fr. Karl Stehlin said that the Immaculata is the uppermost limit between creatures and God. She is a true image of God’s perfection and sanctity... we imitate good, virtuous, holy men and women, but none of them is without imperfections. Only She, Immaculata from the first moment of her existence, has experienced not even the slightest fall25B - ”Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in Thee “ (Songs 4:7). existence, has experienced not even the slightest fall 25B - ”Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in Thee “ (Songs 4:7).

As the original sin rendered all men corrupt and subject to sin (cf. Rom. 9:14-25, Gen.6:5), Mary the ”Woman” promised to crush the head of the serpent (cf. Gen. 3:15) and correct the error of Eve should not be subject to the consequences of the original sin; but most importantly, in view of Whom she is to be His Mother. It is necessary that she should not be under the dominion of sin, hence the Bible says; full of grace, while all other men are conceived in sin (cf. Ps. 51:5). Although, there are other virgins, but Mary is the only Immaculate Conception- ”Young maidens without number, one is my dove, my perfect one is but one... the daughters saw her and declared her most blessed” (Songs 6:7&8); ”Many daughters have gathered together riches; thou hast surpassed them all” (Pro. 31:29).

The mysteries of God accomplished in Mary deserves always to be celebrated, as the Muslim world celebrates Eid-el-Kabir to thank God for the sacrifice of Abraham, with his only son (cf. Gen. 22:9-14), which was a prefiguration of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, where the sorrowful heart of Mary was at the foot of the Cross receiving the bitterness of the hatred and sins of the world. The sorrow which God spared Abraham was actually accomplished in Mary. Hence, we rightly invoke her with the title Queen of Patriarchs.

THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTIONAs revealed to Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich “An Angel now removed something from the Ark of the Covenant, though without opening the door. It was the mystery of the Ark, the sacrament of the Incarnation, the Immaculate Conception, the consummation of the Blessing of Abraham. I beheld it under the appearance of a luminous body. The Angel Blessed or anointed Joachim’s forehead with the tip of his thumb and forefinger; then he slipped the shining body under Joachim’s garment and it entered into him, how I cannot say. He also gave him something to drink out of a glittering chalice which he held supported by two fingers. The Chalice was of the

same shape as that used at the last supper, but without a foot. Joachim was directed to take it with him and keep it at his home”.

“Joachim was by virtue of what he had received from the Angel quite radiant. He looked as if he had returned to the bloom of youth. Joachim was afterward conducted by the Priests to the entrance of the subterranean passage that ran under the Temple and under the Golden Gate. This was a passage set aside for special purpose. Under certain circumstances, penitents were conducted by it for purification, reconciliation, and absolution. The Priests parted from Joachim at the entrance and he went alone into the narrow, gradually widening and almost imperceptibly descending passage. In it stood pillars twined with foliage. They looked like trees and vines, and the green and gold decorations of the walls sparkled in the rosy light that fell from above. Joachim had accomplished a third part of the way when Anne met him in the center’ of the passage directly under the Golden Gate, where stood a pillar like a palm tree with hanging leaves and fruit. Anne had been conducted into the subterranean passage through an entrance at the opposite end by the Priest to whom she and her maid had brought the offering of doves in baskets, and to whom also she had told what the Angel had revealed to her. She was also accompanied by some women, among them the prophetess Anna. I saw Joachim and Anne embrace each other in ecstasy. They were surrounded by hosts of Angels, some floating over them carrying a luminous tower like that which we see in the pictures of the litany of Loretta.

The tower vanished between Joachim and Anne, both of whom were encompassed by brilliant light and glory. At the same moment the heavens above them opened, and I saw the joy of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Angels over the conception of Mary. Both Joachim and Anne were in a supernatural state. I learned that, at the moment in which they embraced and the light shone around them, the Immaculate Conception of Mary was accomplished. I was also told that Mary was conceived just as conception would have been effected, were it not for the fall of man” (an excerpt from The Life of Jesus Christ vol. I, P.137).

MARY EMBELLISHES OUR PRAYERS AND GOOD WORKS; ADORN THEM WITH HER OWN MERIT, SO AS TO BE PLEASING TO GOD. St. Louis Maria De Montfort said, “when we present everything to Jesus by ourselves, and relying on our own efforts and dispositions, Jesus examines the offering, and often rejects it because of the stains it has contracted through self love, just as of old He rejected the sacrifices of the Jews when they were full of their own will”. In summary he said, “Our best actions are ordinarily stained and corrupted by our corrupt nature”.

Indeed the Bible says that all our righteous deeds are like a dirty cloth before God (Isa. 64:6). Meanwhile, Jesus Christ instructed us, “if you are going to offer your gift to God and remember that you have something against your brother, keep your gift, go and reconcile with your brother first, before you offer your gifts to God” (Matt 5:2324). In other words, our offering to God must be pure and spotless (cf. Rom12:1).

Indeed, our bodies are referred to as bodies of sin, which must be crucified on the cross of mortification and put to death with Christ (cf. Rom 6:6-7); we are conceived in sin (Ps

51:5) and nourished in sin, so much so that when I want to do something good, I see myself doing evil that I hate (cf. Rom 7:19). Our good works are often stained with that law of sin which lives in our body, bearing fruits in the field of lust, anger, envy, pride, sloth, glutton, blindness of spirit etc. These are the root causes of self-love which hold sway over the descendants of Adam. Consequently, the mouth and tongue we use to pray and sing praises to God are also employed in blasphemy, criticizing and condemning our neighbors (cf. Jm. 3:10); our works of Charity are often exploited by our carnal nature into vain-glory and self ego. The same heart that conceive all our pious deeds also conceive at the same time wicked thoughts of envy, Jealousy, revenge, lust and all forms of impurities (cf. Gen. 6:5). These are some of the tools which our enemies (demons) use to stain our goodworks and deprive them of merits and graces. St Louis Maria De Montfort said, “if we do not die to ourselves, and if our holiest devotions do not incline us to this necessary and useful death, we shall bring forth no fruit worth anything (Rom 6:7) and our devotion will become useless. All our good works will be stained by self-love and our own will; and this will cause God to hold in abomination the greatest sacrifices we can make and the best actions we can undertake; so that at our death we shall find our hands empty of virtues and of merits and we shall not have one spark of pure love, which is only communicated to souls dead to themselves, souls whose life is hidden with Jesus Christ in God’’ (Col. 3:3). A good example was the sacrifice of Cain which was rejected because it was not in line with God’s will (cf. Gen. 4:3-5) Further, we read from St. Montfort: “we must remark that in as much as our good works pass through the hands of Mary, they receive an argumentation of purity, and consequently of merit and of satisfactory and impetratory value. On this account they become more capable of solacing the souls in purgatory and of converting sinners than if they did not pass through the virginal and liberal hands of Mary. It may be little that we give by our Lady; but, in truth, if it is given without self-will and with a disinterested charity, that little becomes very mighty to turn away the wrath of God and to draw down His mercy’’. It is therefore necessary that we need intercessors with God; as He has revealed to us in the Bible (Rev. 8:3-4, 6:8, Tobit 12:12-15). If the Angels and Archangels are needed to present our prayers before God, think then of the exalted position of the Queen of all Angels being the only creature that is so intimately united to God as His mother. Jacob received the blessing of his father (Isaac) through the skills and pains of his mother (Rebecca); who said to him, my son follow my counsel, bring me two kids (which St. Montfort interprets as giving to Mary our body and soul)

that I may make of them meal for thy father, such as he gladly eats (Gen. 27:8-9). At a point when Jacob was afraid that his father might curse him, his mother said, “Let your curse be on me my son, only obey my words” (Gen. 27:13); she covered his hands with the skins of the kids and prepared for him the food that Isaac liked. Thus Jacob was able to win favour from his father through the skills of his mother. In this way, the Bible reveals how our prayers and good works offered through the hands of Mary by her devotees can earn more merits and always win God’s approval.

THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON (The Battle Line) According to the visions of Ven. Mary of Agreda, the major stumbling block for Lucifer was the decree constituting him inferior to the Mother of the Incarnate Word, which he opposed horribly, and after his disobedience, God pronounced His verdict: “The woman whom thou refuses to honour; shall crush thy head and 58

by Her shall thou be vanquished and annihilated. And if, through thy pride, death enters into the world, life and salvation of mortals shall enter through the humility of this woman”. You can imagine the kind of hatred he has for this woman from then onwards.

That informed why he targeted Eve in the garden, hoping that she was the promised woman.

After the temptation and the fall of Adam and Eve, God gave another verdict: “I will put enmities between thee (serpent) and the woman, thy seed and her seed; she shall crush thy head, and thou shall lie in wait for her heel “ (Gen. 3:15, Douay Rheims).

While explaining this, St. Louis de Montfort said:’’ God has not only set on enmity, but enmities, not simply between Mary and the devil, but between the race of the Holy Virgin and the race of the devil; that is to say, God has set enmities, antipathies and secret hatreds between the true children and servants of Mary and the children and slaves of the devil” 26. This prophecy was not referring to Eve who was already defeated, but a “woman” yet to come, as also the case with many other places in the Bible, where Mary is referred to as the woman. The battle is between Mary ”the woman”, and the serpent, the battle that started from the test and fall of the angels, of which God has predicted that through the merits of Jesus Christ that Mary will crush the head of the serpent.

This battle is so clear in the book of Revelation. “A great sign appeared in the heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, standing on the moon and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and in labour crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth “(Rev.12:1-5). For a clearer understanding, reflect on these words of St. Montfort: “It was with her, in her and of Her that the Holy Ghost produced His masterpiece, which is God made man, and that He goes on producing daily, to the end of the world, the predestinates and the members of the Body of that adorable Head. This is the reason why the more He finds Mary in any soul, the more active He becomes in producing Jesus Christ in that soul” 27. Mary gave birth to Christ, and through Christ the Church, and in the Church she continues to bring to birth the elects.

“Then a second sign appeared in the sky: there was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was at the point of giving birth, so that it could eat the child as soon as it was born. The woman was delivered of a boy, the Son who is to rule all nations with an iron scepter. So the serpent vomited water from his mouth, like a river, after the woman, to sweep her away in the current (i.e All the attempts made to bury Marian Devotions, to neglect and dishonour her. while she fled into the hearts of those who are consecrated to her-Our Lady to Fr. Gobbi ). Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children” (Rev. 12:5-17).

At this point, you can discern the source and aim of all the false teachings targeted on Mary and the honour due to her. The major task of Mary is to rescue the poor children of Eve; that is to say, help them recover the grace they lost in Adam and Eve, and posses the merits of Jesus Christ (cf. Rom.8:29-20). That is why the major consequence of the absence of Mary in a soul is heresy (i.e loss of the truth) and loss of grace —“If anybody does not remain in the teaching of Christ but goes beyond it, he does not have God with him “ (ll Jn.vs 9). Any victim of this two fold evil is always used as instrument to persecute Mary and her servants knowingly or unknowingly. St Louis de Montfort said that the most infallible and indisputable sign by which we may distinguish a heretic, a man of bad doctrine, a reprobate from one of the predestinate is that the heretic and the reprobate have nothing but contempt and indifference for our Lady, endeavoring by their words and example to diminish the honour and love of Her, openly or otherwise and sometimes by misrepresentation. Alas! God the Father has not told Mary to dwell in them for they are Esaus.

The Bible clearly says: “There are many deceivers at large in the world, refusing to acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in human nature (i.e to adore the mysteries of His life). They are the deceivers; they are the Antichrist… if anyone comes to you bringing different doctrine, you must not receive him into your house or even give him a greeting. Whoever greets him has a share in his wicked activities” (ll Jn. 1:7-11). What we believe and profess is so necessary such that, the Bible says that believing in falsehood, despite all our efforts will profit nothing to the soul (cf. I Cor. 15:2). The Blessed Virgin Mary said to a mystic: “the battle is revealed, and all must now choose which side they shall pledge their allegiance to. There exists no area that is neutral, if I am not allowed to possess the heart, I promise, Satan shall not allow it to remain dormant; he shall own it in the moment it has denied me” 28.

REFERENCES/FOOTNOTES 1. True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis Maria De Montfort, Montfort Publishers, Bay shore New York.

1B. The Immaculata our ideal - Fr. Karl Stehlin as translated by Michael J. Miller 1C.The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - Fr. Michael Muller, C.SS. R 2. The Glories of Mary- St. Alphonsus De Ligouri; Tan Books and publishers, Inc Rockford Illinois.

3. Ibid 4. Ibid 5. Ibid 6. Ibid 7. Ibid 8. Mystical City of God, Page 569-Mary of Agreda; Tan Books and publishers, Inc. Rockford Illinois.

8B.The Immaculata our ideal - Fr. Karl Stehlin as translated by Michael J. Miller 9. The Holy sacrifice of the Mass, Page 305Rev. Fr. Michael Muller, C.SS.R. Tan Books and publishers.

10. The Catechism of the Council of Trent Page 371/372. (Also The Sermons of St. Alphonsus De Liguori for all Sundays of the year-Tan Books and publishers).

11. The Fatima Crusaders-Fr. Nicholas Gruner.

12. The Glories of Mary-St. Alphonsus De Liguori.

13. True Devotion to Mary, Page 124-St. Louis Maria De Montfort Tan Books and publishers.

14. The Glories of Mary-St. Alphonsus De Liguori.

15. Mystical City of God, Page 93- Mary of Agreda.

16. The Glories of Mary-St. Alphonsus De Liguori.

17. Ibid 18. Ibid 19. Ibid 20. Ibid 21. Apostolic Letter; Rosarium Virginis Mariae Pope John Paul ll 66 22. True Devotion to Mary-St. Louis Maria De Montfort.

23. The Fatima Cruseders Fr. Nicholes Gruner.

24. Glories of Mary-St. Alphonsus De Ligouri.

25. True Devotion to Mary-St. Louis Maria De Montfort.

25B. The Immaculata our ideal - Fr. Karl Stehlin as translated by Michael J. Miller; other quotations on this topic are from the glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus De Liguori.

26. True Devotion to Mary-St. Louis Maria De Montfort.

27. Ibid 28. Consecration preparation for the triumphant victory of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

for the Triumph, St. Thomas more center. Queenship publishing company.

The authentic version of the Bible is recommended, Douay – Rheims

APPENDIX THE DOGMA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY �For the honour of the Holy and undivided Trinity, for the glory and adornment of the Virgin Mother of God, for the exaltation of the Catholic faith and the increase of the Christian religion, we declare, pronounce and define, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and our own that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary in the first instant of her conception, was, by the singular grace and privilege of God, in view of the merits of Christ Jesus, the Saviour of the human race, preserved free from every stain of original sin, has been revealed by God and is therefore to be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful. Wherefore, if any should presume, which God forbids, to think otherwise in their hearts than we have defined, let them know and be certain that they have been condemned by their own judgment, that they have made shipwreck in faith, that they have fallen away from the unity of the Church, and furthermore, that, should they dare to manifest in word or writing, or in any other external way, what they think in their hearts, they subject themselves by this very act to the penalties prescribed by the law�. (Given by Pope Pius IX, December 8, 1854)

PRAYERS THE LITTLE CROWN OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY The Creed: I believe in God ...

I. CROWN OF EXCELLENCE. (To honour the maternity of the Blessed Virgin, her ineffable Virginity, her purity without stain and her innumerable virtues), Our Father. Hail Mary ... Blessed art thou. O Virgin Mary who didst bear the Lord the creator of the world; thou didst give birth to him who made thee and remainest a virgin forever Rejoice. O Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

2. Hail Mary.:.

O Holy and Immaculate Virgin. I know not with what praise to extol thee since thou didst bear in thy womb, the very one whom the heavens cannot contain.

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; Rejoice a thousand times!

Hail Mary ...

Thou art all fair O Virgin Mary. and there is no stain in thee Rejoice O Virgin Mary; rejoice. a thousand times!

Hail Mary ...

Thy virtues O Virgin surpass the stars in number. RejoiceO Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times! Glory be to the Father ...

II. CROWN OF POWER (To honour the royalty of the Blessed Virgin, her magnificence, her universal mediation and the strength of her rule) Our Father ... Hail Mary ...

Glory be to thee. 0 Empress of the world Bring us with thee to the joys of Heaven. -. Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

Hail Mary ...

Glory be to thee, O treasure house of the Lord’s graces, grant us a share in thy riches. Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

Hail Mary ....

Glory be to thee. O Mediatrix between God and 70 man, through thee may the Almighty be favorable to us Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

Hail Mary ....

Glory be to thee who destroys heresies and crushes demons; be thou our loving guide Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times! Glory be to the Father...

III. CROWN OF GOODNESS (To honour the mercy of the Blessed Virgin toward sinners, the poor, the just and the dying) Our Father .. : Hail Mary...

Glory be to thee, a refuge of sinners, intercede for us with God. Rejoice, a Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

Hail Mary ...

Glory be to thee, a Mother of orphans. Render the Almighty favorable to us .

Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

Hail Mary ...

Glory be to thee, O joy of the just, Lead us with thee to the joys of Heaven.

Rejoice, 0 Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times!

Hail Mary ...

Glory be to thee, who art ever ready to assist us in life and in death, lead us with thee to the kingdom of Heaven Rejoice, a Virgin Mary; rejoice a thousand times! Glory be to the Father ...

Let us Pray: Hail Mary, Daughter of God the Father; Hail Mary, Mother of God the Son, Hail Mary Spouse of the Holy Ghost, Hail Mary, Temple of the most Holy Trinity, Hail Mary, my treasure, my Mistress, my joy, Queen of my heart, my Mother, my life, my sweetness, my dearest hope, yea, my heart and my soul! I am all thine and all that I have are Thine, 0 Virgin blessed above all things, let thy soul be in me to magnify the Lord. Let thy Spirit be in me to rejoice in God. Set thyself O faithful Virgin, as a seal upon my heart that in thee and through thee I may be found faithful to God. Receive. me O gracious Virgin among those whom thou loves and teaches, whom thou leads, nourishes and protects as thy children. Grant that for love of thee, I may despise all earthly consolations and ever cling to those of Heaven until through the Holy Ghost thy faithful spouse and through thee, His faithful spouse Jesus Christ thy Son be formed in me for the glory of the Father. Amen.

HAIL MARY OF GOLD Hail Mary, White Lily of the glorious and always serene Trinity. Hail Brilliant Rose of the Garden of heavenly delights. 0 you, by whom God wanted to be born and by whose milk the king of heaven wanted to be nourished! Nourish our souls with effusions of Divine grace. Amen!

(The blessed virgin Mary gave a wonderful promise to St. Gertrude the great for the souls that will greet her with this prayer. These beautiful prayers can be used to honour Mary in a special way on Her feast days).