To Imitate Me, Honor My Mother

Jesus:

My brother, I am the God before whom the angels veil their faces, whom they tremblingly adore. Nevertheless, I humbly honored Mary, for, although I am God, I am also her Son! It is I who gave the commandment, “Honor thy father and thy mother.” How could I do otherwise than keep this commandment Myself in all its perfection?

2. I have honored Mary because she is My Mother—a Mother incomparably holy and august, the representative of My Heavenly Father. Imagine, if you can, with what profound and tender respect I acted in her presence, greeted her, listened to her, spoke with her, and carried out her every wish when I was a Child, an Adolescent, or a Man.  How extremely happy she appeared at these marks of honor; she accepted them in all simplicity, because such was the Will of the Father, and kept repeating to herself the while, “He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; He hath exalted the humble.”

3. To honor her, I have done immensely more than give her these marks of deference. Was it not out of veneration for My Mother that I exempted her from the law of original sin, preserved her from concupiscence, surrounded her with so many safeguards that not the slightest breath ever tarnished the purity of her soul? Was it not from a feeling of infinite respect that I willed to preserve the integrity of her body at My Conception and My Birth, and to transport that virginal body to heaven before the corruption of the tomb could touch it? Was it not to exalt My Mother all the more that, from the moment of her Immaculate Conception, I overwhelmed her with a superabundance of graces,—graces superior to those of all other creatures united—that I associated her in My mission of redemption and crowned her Queen of heaven and earth? And, as I have already told you, those marks of honor which the Church, by the solemn teaching of her pastors or by the voice of an enthusiastic people, has not ceased to multiply from century to century, and will multiply still more in centuries to come—what are they if not a partial realization of My desire to honor Mary?

4. “Behold,” she cried one day under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, “all generations shall call me blessed.” Her prophecy must be accomplished; over the whole globe the name of My Father must be hallowed and the name of My Mother glorified!

5. In order to honor Mary as I have honored her, and as I wish her to be honored, begin by understanding her better. Do not cease contemplating her dignity, her privileges, her perfection, her mission. Then humble yourself in your nothingness and misery. The more you belittle yourself in your own eyes, the greater will be your capacity for understanding the grandeur of My Mother. Above all, take into your soul the dispositions of My soul: look at Mary with My eyes, admire her with My mind, rejoice in her beauty with My heart.

6. Honor her by your eagerness to take part in public prayers and feasts in her honor. Honor her by some practices of piety which you will faithfully offer her every day, by the sacrifices you make in order to aid in her glorification.  Honor her by making her known and loved round about you, by uniting yourself with other privileged sons of Mary, so as to serve her with them. Honor her by giving yourself to her, by fighting for her and under her direction. The way? She will reveal that to you later. Honor her above all by your conduct. Become a saint and you will thereby do more for her honor than if, while remaining a mediocre Christian, you composed learned books about her.

7. Honor her in My name and in your own name. Honor her for those who do not honor her: for pagans who have no knowledge of her, for heretics who blaspheme her, for bad Christians who fail to pray to her, for the consecrated souls who show themselves lukewarm in her service.

8. Honor her to the limit of your power, for she is beyond all praise and you will never sufficiently praise her. Honor her with no fear of excess. You will never honor her as much as I did, nor so much as I wish her to be honored.

The Faithful Soul:
Blessed be the name of the Virgin Mary, Now and forever!