Mary, be the mistress of all that is mine, Mary: Day 126

Mary, be the mistress of all that is mine

In the affairs of his life, St. Louis is much more confident of Mary’s wisdom and competence than his own. So he asks her to take charge of all that he is and all that he has.

Hail, Mary, beloved daughter of the Eternal Father! Hail, Mary, admirable mother of the Son! Hail Mary, faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit!

Hail, Mary, my dear mother, my loving mistress, my powerful sovereign! Hail, my joy, my glory, my heart, and my soul!

You are all mine by mercy, and I am all yours by justice. But I am not yet sufficiently yours. I now give myself wholly to you without keeping anything back for myself or others. If you still see in me anything that does not belong to you, I beg you to take it and to make yourself the absolute mistress of all that is mine. Destroy in me all that may be displeasing to God. Root it out and bring it to nothing; place and cultivate in me everything that is pleasing to you.

May the light of your faith dispel the darkness of my mind. May your profound humility take the place of my pride. May your sublime contempla- tion check the distractions of my wandering imagination. May your continuous sight of God fill my memory with his presence. May the burning love of your heart enflame this lukewarm heart of mine. May your virtues take the place of my sins. May your merits be my only adornment in the sight of God and make up for all that is lacking in me. —St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
How, in practical terms, would I go about placing Mary in charge of my affairs? Might it require a frequent turning to her in prayer for wisdom, and a frequent refer- ence to her example as my model of conduct?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a prayer of St. John of Damascus: I implore you, Mary, deliver me from the burden of my sins, dispel the darkness of my mind, banish earthly affections from my heart, repress the temptations of my enemies, and so rule my whole life that by your means and under your guidance I may attain the eternal happiness of heaven.

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