Thus alleviating their fatigue by humble and courteous contentions, the most holy Mary and saint Joseph continued on their journey, (traveling to visit Elisabeth and Zacharias) making good use of each single moment. They proceeded alone, without accompaniment of any human creatures; but all the thousand angels, which were set to guard the couch of Solomon, the most holy Mary, attended upon them (Cant. 3, 7). Although the angels accompanied them in corporeal form, serving their great Queen and her most holy Son in her womb, they were visible only to Mary. In the company of the angels and of saint Joseph, the Mother of grace journeyed along, filling the fields and the mountains with the sweetest fragrance of her presence and with the divine praises, in which She unceasingly occupied herself. Sometimes She conversed with the angels and, alternately with them, sang divine canticles concerning the different mysteries of the Divinity and the works of Creation and of the Incarnation. Thus ever anew the pure heart of the immaculate Lady was inflamed by the ardors of divine love. In all this her spouse saint Joseph contributed his share by maintaining a discreet silence, and by allowing his beloved Spouse to pursue the flights of her spirit; for, lost in highest contemplation, he was favored with some understanding what was passing within her soul. –‘The Mystical City of God’, Venerable Mary of Agreda.

…true devotion to Our Lady is interior
…it comes from within the mind
and the heart
and follows from the esteem
in which we hold her,
the high regard
we have for her greatness,
and the love we bear her.

…it is trustful,
…it fills us with confidence
in the Blessed Virgin,
the confidence that a child
has for its loving Mother.
It prompts us to go to her
in every need of body
and soul with great simplicity,
trust and affection.
We implore our Mother’s help always,
everywhere, and for everything.

We pray to her
to be enlightened in our doubts,
to be put back on the right path
when we go astray,
to be protected
when we are tempted,
to be strengthened
when we are weakening,
to be lifted up
when we fall into sin,
to be encouraged
when we are losing heart,
to be rid of our scruples,
to be consoled in the trials,
crosses and disappointments of life.

In all our afflictions of body and soul,
we naturally turn to Mary for help,
never a fear of importuning her
or displeasing our Lord.

‘True Devotion to Mary’
St Louis De Montfort

Saint of the Day – 28 April – St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716) Priest, Founder, Confessor, Writer,  Poet, Apostle of the Holy Eucharist and Adoration, Apostle of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Apostle of the Holy Rosary, Preacher, Missionary Apostolic.   St Louis was born on 31 January 1673 at Montfort-La-Cane, Brittany, France – he Died on 28 April 1716 at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sovre, France of natural causes.   He was Canonised on 20 July 1947 by Pope Pius XII.   Patronages: preachers,  Brothers of Saint Gabriel,  Company of Mary, Daughters of Divine Wisdom. AnaStPaul.

“But you’ve got to do that, if you want to be a saint quickly. Father Grignion said so. “Now, listen. Suppose you want to make a statue. How would you go about it?”

Mary Lou stared. Had Elizabeth taken leave of her senses?

“I haven’t the least desire to make a statue,” she said uncooperatively. “As for knowing how to go about it…”

“Well, there are two ways you can make one. You can get some stone, and a hammer and chisel, and pound and cut on your statue. That’s the hard way, because one slip of the tools and everything may be ruined. Besides, stone isn’t easy to work with. And it’s expensive, too. Or you can get a mold—one that a real artist has made—and pour in some material, like plaster or clay. When it hardens, you’ll have a perfect statue with scarcely any trouble or expense.”

Then, as Mary Louise continued to stare in silent amazement, Elizabeth went on eagerly to explain. The Blessed Virgin, according to St Augustine and Father Grignion, was “the living mold of God”. Christ had been formed in her without losing any of the divine perfection of the Father or of the Holy Spirit. And a person who wanted to be as perfect as possible—that is, a saint, or another Christ—would do well to remember this.

“Father Grignion says it’s foolish to try to make ourselves perfect just by our own efforts, and even run the risk of failing, when Our Lady is so anxious to do the work for us,” she declared emphatically.

–St Louis De Montfort: The Story of Our Lady’s Slave” Mary Fabyan Windeatt