Day 1
St. Louis de Montfort and the Spirit of True Devotion
On the first day of our 33-day journey, we meet St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, the great apostle of Marian consecration. His life and writings reveal the heart of what it means to give ourselves entirely to Jesus through Mary. For De Montfort, devotion to the Blessed Virgin is not sentimental or shallow — it is a total, living commitment to follow Christ as she did: humbly, obediently, and with complete trust.
He teaches that Mary’s role is to form us into true images of her Son. Just as she gave birth to Jesus in the flesh, she now desires to bring Him forth spiritually in each of us. When we entrust ourselves to her, we are not moving away from Jesus, but drawing closer — for everything in Mary leads to Him.
Fr. Gaitley explains that this is the essence of De Montfort’s message: to live in union with Mary, so she can help us love Jesus with her own pure heart. Through her, we learn perfect humility, purity, and surrender — the foundation of all holiness.
As we begin this journey, we are invited to open our hearts completely, asking Mary to guide us into deeper intimacy with her Son. True devotion begins here: a willing “yes” to be formed by her love.
