St. Louis de Montfort: ‘God Will Raise up the Greatest Saints in the Latter Times’

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‘God Will Raise up the Greatest Saints in the Latter Times’
Taken from here.

In the 17th century, the world saw a great prophet of Our Lady and her coming Reign, which would be in the Latter Days of the history of the world. In his monumental work 'True Devotion to Mary,' St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort talks about the slaves of Mary to come, who “will surpass in holiness most other saints as much the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs.”

He proclaims that he brings an authentic message from God about the greater honor and wider knowledge and more prominent love that God has reserved for Our Lady in the Latter Times, the last era of the Church before the End Times, so that Christ might reign in society in her, through her and with her. To Jesus through Mary.

St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

All the rich among the people, to use an expression of the Holy Spirit as explained by St. Bernard, all the rich among the people will look pleadingly upon the countenance of Our Lady throughout all ages, and particularly as the world draws to its end. This means that the greatest saints, those richest in grace and virtue, will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as the perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them.

I said that this will happen especially towards the end of the world, and indeed soon, because Almighty God and His Holy Mother are to raise up great saints who will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs. …

These great souls filled with grace and zeal will be chosen to oppose the enemies of God who are raging on all sides. They will be exceptionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin. Illumined by her light, strengthened by her food, guided by her spirit, supported by her arm, sheltered under her protection, they will fight with one hand and build with the other.

With one hand they will give battle, overthrowing and crushing heretics and their heresies, schismatics and their schisms, idolaters and their idolatries, sinners and their wickedness. With the other hand they will build the temple of the true Solomon and the mystical City of God, namely, the Blessed Virgin, who is called by the Fathers of the Church the Temple of Solomon and the City of God.

By word and example they will draw all men to a true devotion to her and although this will make many enemies, it will also bring about many victories and much glory to God alone. This is what God revealed to St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419), that outstanding Apostle of his day, as he has amply shown in one of his works.

This seems to have been foretold by the Holy Spirit in Psalm 58: "The Lord will reign in Jacob and all the ends of the earth. They will be converted towards evening and they will be as hungry as dogs and they will go around the city to find something to eat." This city around which men will roam at the end of the world seeking conversion and the appeasement of the hunger they have for justice is the most Blessed Virgin, who is called by the Holy Spirit the City of God.

Continued

Taken from Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin, Part 1, n. 2. "Mary’s part in the sanctification of souls"

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Our Lady’s Part in the Latter Times

Here we continue St. Louis de Montfort's prophetic teaching on the role of Our Lady in the Latter Times, those times that indicate the Great Chastisement, the destruction of the Revolution and the re-establishment of the Reign of Christ on earth by and through the Virgin Mary. In his book True Devotion to Mary, he points out the absolute need for the Blessed Mother to be more known loved and honored in the Latter Times than she has ever been.

For this is it necessary that the elect, by the grace and light of the Holy Spirit, adopt the interior and perfect practice of True Devotion to Our Lady by consecrating themselves entirely to her service as slaves of love.

St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

The salvation of the world began through Mary and through her it must be accomplished.

Mary scarcely appeared in the first coming of Jesus Christ so that men, as yet insufficiently instructed and enlightened concerning the person of her Son, might not wander from the truth by becoming too strongly attached to her. This would apparently have happened if she had been known, on account of the wondrous charms with which Almighty God had endowed even her outward appearance.

So true is this that St. Denis (or Dionysius) the Areopagite tells us in his writings that when he saw her he would have taken her for a goddess, because of her incomparable beauty, had not his well-grounded faith taught him otherwise.

But in the second coming of Jesus Christ, Mary must be known and openly revealed by the Holy Spirit so that Our Lord Jesus Christ may be known, loved and served through her. The reasons which moved the Holy Spirit to hide his spouse during her life and to reveal but very little of her since the first preaching of the Gospel exist no longer.

God wishes to make Mary better known in the Latter Times

God wishes therefore to reveal Mary, His masterpiece, and make her more known in these Latter Times:

1. Because she kept herself hidden in this world and in her great humility considered herself lower than dust, having obtained from God, His Apostles and Evangelists the favor of being made known.

2. Because, as Mary is not only God's masterpiece of glory in Heaven, but also His masterpiece of grace on Earth, He wishes to be glorified and praised because of her by those living upon Earth.

3. Since she is the dawn which precedes and discloses the Sun of Justice Jesus Christ, she must be known and acknowledged so that Jesus may be known and acknowledged.

4. As she was the way by which Jesus first came to us, she will again be the way by which He will come to us the second time though not in the same manner.

5. Since she is the sure means, the direct and immaculate way to her Son Jesus and the perfect guide to Him, it is through her that souls who are to shine forth in sanctity must find Him. He who finds Mary finds life, that is, Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. But no one can find Mary who does not look for her. No one can look for her who does not know her, for no one seeks or desires something unknown. Mary then must be better known than ever for the deeper understanding and the greater glory of the Blessed Trinity.

6. In these Latter Times Mary must shine forth more than ever in mercy, power and grace; in mercy, to bring back and welcome lovingly the poor sinners and wanderers who are to be converted and return to the Catholic Church; in power, to combat the enemies of God who will rise up menacingly to seduce and crush by promises and threats all those who oppose them; finally, she must shine forth in grace to inspire and support the valiant soldiers and loyal servants of Jesus Christ who are fighting for His cause.

7. Lastly, Mary must become as terrible as an army in battle array to the Devil and his followers, especially in these latter times. For Satan, knowing that he has little time – even less now than ever – to destroy souls, intensifies his efforts and his onslaughts every day. He will not hesitate to stir up savage persecutions and set treacherous snares for Mary's faithful servants and children whom he finds more difficult to overcome than others ...

Devotion to Mary is especially necessary in the Latter Times

Finally, God in these times wishes His Blessed Mother to be more known, loved and honored than she has ever been.

This will certainly come about if the elect, by the grace and light of the Holy Spirit, adopt the interior and perfect practice of the devotion which I shall later unfold. Then they will clearly see that beautiful Star of the Sea, as much as faith allows.

Under her guidance they will perceive the splendors of this Queen and will consecrate themselves entirely to her service as subjects and slaves of love. They will experience her motherly kindness and affection for her children. They will love her tenderly and will appreciate how full of compassion she is and how much they stand in need of her help. In all circumstances they will have recourse to her as their advocate and mediatrix with Jesus Christ.

They will see clearly that she is the safest, easiest, shortest and most perfect way of approaching Jesus and will surrender themselves to her, body and soul, without reserve in order to belong entirely to Jesus.



Taken from 'Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin,' Part 4, "Mary's Part in the Latter Times"

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Who Will Be These Apostles of the Latter Days?
Taken from here.

After describing the importance of devotion to Our Lady [as above], St. Louis de Montfort asks this question in his monumental and prophetic work True Devotion to Mary. These apostles of the latter days – our times – will be gilded with gold so that they might accomplish their mission to destroy the Revolution and usher in the Reign of Mary.

St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

But what will they be like, these servants, these slaves, these children of Mary?

They will be ministers of the Lord who, like a flaming fire, will enkindle everywhere the fires of divine love. They will become, in Mary's powerful hands, like sharp arrows, with which she will transfix her enemies.

They will be as the children of Levi, thoroughly purified by the fire of great tribulations and closely joined to God. They will carry the gold of love in their heart, the frankincense of prayer in their mind and the myrrh of mortification in their body. They will bring to the poor and lowly everywhere the sweet fragrance of Jesus, but they will bring the odor of death to the great, the rich and the proud of this world.

They will be like thunder-clouds flying through the air at the slightest breath of the Holy Spirit. Attached to nothing, surprised at nothing, troubled at nothing, they will shower down the rain of God's word and of eternal life. They will thunder against sin, they will storm against the world, they will strike down the Devil and his followers and for life and for death, they will pierce through and through with the two-edged sword of God's word all those against whom they are sent by Almighty God.

They will be true apostles of the latter times to whom the Lord of Hosts will give eloquence and strength to work wonders and carry off glorious spoils from his enemies. They will sleep without gold or silver and, more important still, without concern in the midst of other priests, ecclesiastics and clerics. Yet they will have the silver wings of the dove enabling them to go wherever the Holy Spirit calls them, filled as they are with the resolve to seek the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Wherever they preach, they will leave behind them nothing but the gold of love, which is the fulfillment of the whole law.

Lastly, we know they will be true disciples of Jesus Christ, imitating his poverty, his humility, his contempt of the world and his love. They will point out the narrow way to God in pure truth according to the holy Gospel, and not according to the maxims of the world. Their hearts will not be troubled, nor will they show favor to anyone; they will not spare or heed or fear any man, however powerful he may be.

They will have the two-edged sword of the word of God in their mouths and the blood-stained standard of the Cross on their shoulders. They will carry the Crucifix in their right hand and the Rosary in their left, and the holy names of Jesus and Mary on their heart. The simplicity and self-sacrifice of Jesus will be reflected in their whole behavior.

Such are the great men who are to come. By the will of God Mary is to prepare them to extend his rule over the impious and unbelievers.

But when and how will this come about? Only God knows. For our part we must yearn and wait for it in silence and in prayer: "I have waited and waited."

Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin,
Chap 1, "Devotion to Mary is especially necessary in the latter times."