Embracing A Life of Virtues

Objectives

At the end of the assembly, MFC members are expected to:

1. Realize the importance of growing in devotion to Mother Mary

2.  Reflect on the ten principal virtues of Mother Mary

3. Commit to follow Mother Mary’s example and to grow in these virtues

Expanded Outline

I. Introduction

The month of May is particularly dedicated to the Blessed Mother, marked by numerous celebrations in her honor. It is a time for prayer and devotion to Our Lady, offering an opportunity to deepen our connection with Mary, who serves as our heavenly Mother and an ideal model of faith and discipleship.

Being a virtuous follower of Christ can be challenging, especially in today's world where we are constantly confronted with messages that contradict the gospel. Life can become chaotic, and we may sometimes struggle with our foundation. In our fast-paced culture, we seek role models to guide us. There is no better example than Mother Mary, who gently embraces us as we honor and pray to her, guiding us toward her Son Jesus.

II. Growing In Devotion 

“From Mary, we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ, her Son. Learn from her to be always faithful, to trust that God’s Word to you will be fulfilled, and that nothing is impossible with God.” – Saint John Paul II

To remain faithful to God’s call is not easy. But it possible through having a devotion to Mother Mary. She serves as our spiritual guide who models how to live a life completely aligned to God’s will. By following her example, we can find the strength and grace needed to stay true to our calling. She invites us to unite ourselves to Jesus through her heart. Mary invites us to unite ourselves with Jesus through her heart, which serves as a bridge to a closer relationship with her Son. Through her immaculate heart, we can gain a deeper understanding of Jesus' love and sacrifice.

Devotion to Mary often involves prayer, meditation, and contemplation of her life and virtues. Practices such as the Rosary can help us focus on key moments in the lives of Jesus and Mary, deepening our connection to both. As we align ourselves with Mary's heart, we experience a profound sense of peace and clarity, which strengthens our resolve to remain faithful to God's call. 

By embracing a life of devotion to Mary, we open ourselves to her guidance and intercession. She can lead us to a stronger, more intimate relationship with Jesus, empowering us to overcome challenges and stay steadfast in our faith. 

III. Mother Mary’s Ten Virtues

When life gets tough, we are to remain unchanging in our faithfulness to God. During these times, we can seek Mary’s intercession for the grace to embody her virtues. In his renowned work, True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort emphasizes ten key virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, referred to as "the ten principal virtues of the most Holy Virgin Mary.” Let us reflect on each of these virtues:

“…True devotion to our Lady is holy, that is, it leads us to avoid sin and to imitate the virtues of Mary. Her ten principal virtues are: deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom.”  - True Devotion to Mary #108

1. Deep Humility

A humble person acknowledges that all the good they accomplish stems from God's presence in their life. Mary exemplified profound humility by referring to herself as the servant or handmaid of the Lord. In her beautiful song of praise known as The Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55), Mary declares that God has shown favor to her humility. Let us ask Mary for a gentle and humble heart, so that like her, we may credit everything we have to God. 

2. Livenly Faith

Faith is one of the three theological virtues—faith, hope, and charity. Faith is believing in God without seeing with our eyes. Mary is a woman of great faith. Even though Mary witnessed the passion, suffering, and death of Jesus, she believed that He would conquer death. In moments of doubt, let us turn to Mary, the woman of faith, and beg for her most powerful intercession.

3. Blind Obedience

In the Annunciation, when Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word" (Lk 1:38), she demonstrated full surrender and obedience to God's Word, trusting in His divine will. When we feel the urge to rebel and turn away from God, we can seek Mary's prayers and follow her example to align our hearts with God's will.

4. Unceasing Prayer

Besides Jesus, the best example of a life of continuous prayer is that of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Bible tells us that “Mary pondered these things in her heart” (Lk 2:19). She kept God at the forefront of her thoughts and loved Him with all her heart, maintaining constant communication with the Holy Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May Our Lady inspire us to remain committed, passionate, and steadfast in our prayer life. 

5. Constant Self-Denial

Mary consistently denied and sacrificed herself in all circumstances, allowing God to work fully in every aspect of her life. In Mary's apparitions at Lourdes and Fatima, she emphasized not only the importance of prayer but also sacrifice. By practicing self-denial and making sacrifices, we follow Mary's example and turn our focus away from ourselves and towards God. Mary always prioritized God over herself. Let us strive to live this way too.

6. Surpassing Purity

One of the most sublime virtues that characterizes the most Blessed Virgin Mary is that of her spotless purity; Mary is known as the Immaculate One. In Fatima, Our Lady expressed sorrow over the fact that many souls are lost to the fires of hell due to sins against the virtue of holy purity. Also, Mary remained perpetually virgin—before, during, and after the birth of Jesus.  True devotion to Mary can assist us in upholding our purity, and if we have lost it, guide us to seek restoration through Sacramental Confession. Reflecting on an image, painting, or statue of Our Lady can inspire us to strive for nobler aspirations of purity.

7. Ardent Love

Among all the virtues we are encouraged to cultivate, ardent love—also known as charity—is the most important. Mary consistently loved God above all else. Yet, she demonstrated her love for God through her deep love for others. At the Annunciation, Mary’s "Yes" revealed her complete and unreserved love for God. In her swift journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth, Mary displayed profound love for her neighbor. Let us embrace this dual commandment to love God and neighbor and make it a part of our daily lives.

7. Heroic Patience

Think of Mary during her pregnancy, enduring the long journey to Bethlehem and facing rejection—what remarkable patience! Losing the twelve-year-old Jesus for three days before finding Him in the Temple was another example of her heroic patience. Above all, as she accompanied Jesus through His Passion, Crucifixion, and death, Mary showed unparalleled patience. When we struggle with patience, we can turn to Mary for her support. She will always be there for us.

9. Angelic Kindness

Mary exudes joy and kindness to everyone she meets. This is evident in her warm greeting to Elizabeth during the Visitation and her appearances to the mystics at Guadalupe, Fatima, and Lourdes, among other places. People are always amazed by her beauty and radiance. May Mary show us the true meaning of kindness and inspire us to live it out daily.

10. Heavenly Wisdom

One of Mary's esteemed titles in her beautiful Litany is "Seat of Wisdom." A wise person understands what truly matters in life. Deep love for God and a passionate desire for the salvation of souls are defining characteristics of genuine wisdom. Mary possessed an intense love for God and a fervent desire for sinners to be converted and achieve eternal salvation. We ask for the intercession of Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, to grant us wisdom now and to help us persevere in this virtue until the end.

IV. Conclusion

In every action then, we should consider how Mary performed it or how she would perform it if she were in our Place. For this reason, we must examine and meditate on the great virtues she practiced during her life.” - St. Louis de Montfort 

As Catholics, we are called to follow Christ in all aspects of our lives, which can be very challenging. However, we find hope in the example of our Blessed Mother, who perfectly modeled her life after her son and conformed entirely to God's will. Our Mother will assist us in our journey towards heaven.

Mary's life was a testament to her many virtues, allowing God's grace to thrive within her. Let us earnestly seek to know, love, and follow in the footsteps of our Blessed Mother. One effective approach is to choose one of Mary's ten virtues and observe how that virtue can empower and guide you in your own life. As Saint Jose Maria Escriva puts it beautifully, “Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle.”

Let us earnestly ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for the grace to understand and embrace these ten virtues, as well as the strength to integrate them into our daily lives. May we commit to meditating deeply and consistently on Mary's virtues and strive to embody them throughout our lives

Discussion Question

1. Do you have a devotion to Mother Mary? How are you growing in your devotion to her?

2. Which of Mother Mary's ten virtues resonates most with you? How can you grow more in this virtue?