Will

“There are great men who are to come; but Mary is the one who, by order of the Most High, shall fashion them for the purpose of extending His empire over that of the impious, the idolaters and the Mahometans.” (Saint Louis De Montfort, “True Devotion to Mary” at page 27).

Virgin Mary in Prayer (Rebecca Mike)

Sometimes I try really really hard to change my ways.  Sometimes I think to myself that there must be a better way to please my Beloved.  On those days I wake up in the morning with the strongest of intentions to love my Lord and God with all my heart and with all my mind and with all my soul.  And then, one of my children stretches my patience, or someone overtakes in a silly or dangerous manner on the road, or a client says something rude or derogatory, and I lose all thought of God and think only of the hurt inside my own soul.

And on those days, I am tempted – very seriously – to give up entirely.  After all, if I were to rely on my own merits then I would achieve nothing at all.  It does not take me even a full hour to begin my sins.  Perhaps the Evil One sees my paltry efforts and exerts his superhuman strength against me – tempting and testing me – and me in my miserable and weak state am simply no match at all for the Evil One…

And I have been thinking about that today.  You see, the Evil One does not need to do very much to win.  All he really needs to do is to discourage me a little bit.  Just a little bit of discouragement and I will give up and stop trying.  After all, what was the TRUE sin of Judas Iscariot?  Was it the betrayal of Christ?  No.  Saint Simon Peter betrayed Christ and ran away – all His friends and disciples left Him with the exception of Saint John the Beloved and His Blessed Mother and none of them were told that it would be better for them if they had never been born…  So betrayal must not be the worst sin.  Judas Iscariot’s sin was the sin of despair.  He simply gave up the hope of forgiveness.  He considered his very human weakness to be bigger than God’s very INFINITE power.

And that is the real danger of my own failings…  After all, the only thing required for my damnation is my unwillingness to ask for forgiveness…

And today I pray for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, who can help me to return to my God OVER and OVER again…

“There are great men who are to come; but Mary is the one who, by order of the Most High, shall fashion them for the purpose of extending His empire over that of the impious, the idolaters and the Mahometans. But when and how shall this be? God alone knows.” (Saint Louis De Montfort, “True Devotion to Mary” at page 27).

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.