I didn’t mean to rush through “True Devotion to Mary”. But I did.
At the end of winter, I got sick for nearly three weeks. And while I tried to catch up with life afterward—work, chores, all the responsibilities—I found myself returning to True Devotion to Mary with a sense of guilt.
I’d been trying to hurry through it. I thought, “Why can I breeze through other saints’ writings, but not this one?”
And now I see it clearly.
This book is like a three-patty burger—rich, layered, heavy. It requires slow, thoughtful chewing. Every sentence is packed with spiritual insight. It’s meant to be savored.
So I’ve decided to stop racing to the finish. I want to let the journey form me.
Chapter 2: Why Devotion to Mary?
Right now, I’m in Chapter 2, titled Motives of this Perfect Devotion. It unpacks why anyone would want to consecrate themselves to the Blessed Virgin.
The first motive?
“It devotes us entirely to the service of God.”
And that line made me pause.
Do I really want to serve God?
Why should I want to?
What does that even mean?
St. Louis’ Answer in “True Devotion to Mary”
St. Louis de Montfort didn’t seem to struggle with that question. He was a priest burning with love for Jesus and Mary. For him, serving God was the most obvious thing in the world.
And if we take Jesus at His word—”You will know them by their fruits”—then we can look at one fruit of this book: St. John Paul II. That tells us this devotion is no passing idea. It changes lives.
St. Louis writes:
“If the least servant of God is richer, more powerful, and more noble than all the kings and emperors of this earth… Not all the gold of the earth nor all the beauties of heaven can repay him.”
That line reminded me of the song Never Enough from The Greatest Showman:
‘Cause darling, without you
All the shine of a thousand spotlights
All the stars we steal from the night sky
Will never be enough
So… Do I Love God?
And there it is. The real question.
Do I love God?
If I do, then it makes sense that I’d want to serve Him—not out of fear or obligation, but love. Because when you love someone, you want to give them everything.
But what if you’re not sure? What if you don’t feel that love yet?
St. Louis reminds us that Jesus gave Himself to us without reserve—body, soul, virtues, graces, everything.
And if we don’t feel that love yet, all we need to do is ask.
“Lord Jesus, what is that love?”