“People outside the Church cannot endure our calling Mary our hope. They say that God alone is our hope, and that He curses those who put their trust in creatures, according to the prophet Jeremiah: Cursed is the person who trusts in human beings (Jer. 17:5). Mary, they argue, is a creature, and how can a creature be our hope? But in spite of this the Church recommends that all priests and religious raise their voices every day in the name of all the faithful and call Mary by the sweet name of ‘Our Hope’--- the hope of all. St. Thomas says that we can place our hope in a person in two ways --- as a principal cause and as a mediate cause. Thus those who expect something from a king put their trust in him as their sovereign, and in his ministers or his favorite as intercessors. When the favor is granted, it comes really from the king, though the favorite is the intermediary. Hence the petitioners have a right to call the minister or favorite through whom they received it their ‘hope’. The King of Heaven, being infinite Goodness, desires in the highest degree to enrich us with His graces. But because confidence is a necessary condition for being heard, and because He wants to increase our confidence, He has given us His own Mother as our Mother and intercessor, and has granted her all power to help us. So it is that He wishes us to place our hope for salvation and every blessing in her. Those who put their hope in creatures alone, apart from God, as sinners do, and who do not hesitate to outrage the Divine Majesty, just to gain the friendship and patronage of another human being, are certainly cursed by God in the sense intended by Jeremiah.But those who put their trust in Mary, who (being the Mother of God) is able to secure grace and eternal life for them, are truly blessed and acceptable to the heart of God. Surely He desires to see this greatest of His creatures honored, since she loved and honored Him in this world more than all human beings and angels together .Therefore it is perfectly reasonable to call the Blessed Virgin our hope. We trust, as St. Robert Bellarmine says that we shall obtain through her intercession the graces we would not obtain through our own unaided prayers.”
Strikingly, a brief look into the annals of history discloses how the Blessed Virgin Mary has been a reliable aid when her children called out to Her for help.
Holy saints like Saint John Capistrano, heroic warriors like John Hunyadi, who directed the forces of the Kingdom of Hungary to curb the advances of the Ottoman Empire, King Jan III Sobieski (who defeated the Turks at the Battle of Vienna), and Don Juan of Austria (who defeated the Turks at the famous Battle of Lepanto) rose to protect Christendom from the threat of the Turks. Notably, all these saints and warriors had recourse to the most holy Mother of God in their battles.
In the 16th century, clashes between Catholic Europe and Islam reached new heights. Historian and author Diane Moczar, in her book , “Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know: The Divine Surprises and Chastisements That Shaped the Church and Changed the World”, talks about the significant threat the Turkic Ottomans posed to Christian Europe, with their “well-organized state system and powerful military”. Regarding Islam’s ambitions in Europe, Moczar adds:
“In 1453, the Ottoman Turks succeeded in taking the unconquerable city of Constantinople, and Sultan Mehmed made no secret of his future plans: ‘The empire of the world must be one, one faith and one kingdom,’ he said.”
Thanks be to God, holy saints like Saint John Capistrano, heroic warriors like John Hunyadi, who directed the forces of the Kingdom of Hungary to curb the advances of the Ottoman Empire, King Jan III Sobieski (who defeated the Turks at the Battle of Vienna), and Don Juan of Austria (who defeated the Turks at the famous Battle of Lepanto) rose to protect Christendom from the threat of the Turks. Notably, all these saints and warriors had recourse to the most holy Mother of God in their battles.
Likewise, in our ongoing battles with the enemies of our holy Catholic religion today, we can turn to Mary Immaculate, the Victorious Commander-in-Chief, for refuge and direction, just as our Catholic forefathers did.
The world is in a mess today, just as it was centuries ago when Islam was at Europe’s gates. However, we need not despair nor sink into depression. Apparent setbacks and defeats need not translate into defeatism.
In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima Herself told the three children that despite the world’s sins, Her Immaculate Heart will triumph in the end. Given this promise from the Holy Mother of God Herself, we do not have to fear.
Indeed, 1917 was a significant year in the history of the Catholic Church and the world.
This year witnessed the hostile takeover of Russia by godless Communists as well, marking the start of a long and bloody persecution of Christians in Russia and beyond.
Our Lady made her final appearance in Fatima on October 13, 1917, and showcased to thousands of onlookers the famous “Miracle of the Sun”. Three days later, in Rome, Italy, a Polish Franciscan friar, Maximilian Maria Kolbe (and a future Saint) founded the Militia Immaculatae (MI) Catholic evangelization movement to “win the world for Christ through the Immaculata”, by exhorting souls to consecrate themselves totally to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially under Her title of “Immaculate Conception”.
Fortunately however, the Virgin Mary appeared seven times between May 13 and October 13, 1917 to three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal, calling on them to pray for the conversion of poor sinners and to make sacrifices for them. Notably, Our Lady made her final appearance on October 13, 1917, and showcased to thousands of onlookers the famous “Miracle of the Sun”.
Three days later, in Rome, Italy, a Polish Franciscan friar, Maximilian Maria Kolbe (and a future Saint) founded the Militia Immaculatae (MI) Catholic evangelization movement to “win the world for Christ through the Immaculata”, by exhorting souls to consecrate themselves totally to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially under Her title of “Immaculate Conception”.
What prompted St. Maximilian to set up a Catholic evangelical movement to promote the Blessed Virgin Mary and to win souls for Our Lord Jesus Christ were the egregious affronts of communists and freemasons in Rome on Catholicism. To combat the evils of the world, especially those against our holy Catholic religion, St. Maximilian decided to dedicate his apostolate to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as sinners can be best converted through Our Lady’s powerful and unfailing intercession.
Subsequently, St. Maximilian began a monthly magazine and two evangelization centers dedicated to Mary Immaculate, namely, Niepokalanów, the “City of the Immaculata,” in Poland, as well as Mugenzai no Sono in Japan. (Readers can access the official site of the MI here.) Interestingly, there is an MI site run by those affiliated with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and led by renowned Mariologist (especially in Poland and Eastern Europe), Fr. Karl Stehlin, as well.
No doubt, St. Maximilian is right in that if we hope to conquer souls for God, we can best and most effectively do so under the patronage of Mary Immaculate, who is Virgin Most Powerful (Virgo Potens).
After all, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the God-man, Jesus Christ. As on earth, and now in Heaven, Mary remains eternally the Mother of God. Conversely, our Divine Savior Jesus Christ remains the son of Mary (filii Mariae) forever.
Thus, when the Blessed Virgin Mary turns to Jesus Christ to intercede for us, she does not, like the other saints and angels, as a “servant”, but makes her request as “the Mother of God”.
As the enemies of Holy Mother Church are rebelling against the dignity of Almighty God Himself by their pride and hardness of heart, we can best disarm their wiles by the humble yet powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Our Lady’s pleas carry far greater weight than that of any saint or angel.
Note that Our Lord Jesus Christ spent a good thirty years (out of thirty three, as is traditionally believed) of his earthly life in the company of His Mother Mary. Following the finding of Jesus Christ in the Temple by the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, Jesus Christ returned to Nazareth with them.
“And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them.” (Luke 2: 51)
Moreover, God is certain to hear the prayers of His Mother, for the Blessed Virgin Mary’s will was completely in union with God’s. Besides, just as Our Lady totally united Her will to God’s in her earthly life, so now does our generous God glorify His Mother who currently reigns as Queen of heaven, earth, and hell.
“Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.”
“Let it be done to me according to Thy Word. (Luke 1:38).
Following the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, God, in His infinite mercy, promised to send a Redeemer (Our Lord Jesus Christ) and prophesied the power of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: She shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
It is far more humiliating for the ancient serpent to be defeated by the Blessed Virgin Mary, a creature, a human being of the fairer sex (“the Woman”), than by Almighty God Himself. Yet, God, in His infinite wisdom, has chosen to humble the proud serpent through his Holy Mother Mary.
As the enemies of Holy Mother Church are rebelling against the dignity of Almighty God Himself by their pride and hardness of heart, we can best disarm their wiles by the humble yet powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and by assiduously promoting devotion to the glorious Mother of God. As Our Lady Herself proclaimed in Her glorious Magnificat:
“My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.”
As Our Lady of Victory, the Blessed Virgin Mary is certain to aid us, for She is a powerful and most solicitous Mother.
If Mary Immaculate is for us, who can be against us?
Admittedly, in our efforts to restore the rightful status of Our Lord Jesus Christ in our homes and in society, we are dealing with diabolical (and not merely human) forces attacking our Catholic faith and morals.
As the Mother of our Savior Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary is far more invested in saving our souls and those of our family members, friends and enemies, than we are.
(Gabriel Castillo, an American lay Catholic evangelist and ardent devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary, has this encouraging talk here about the power of Our Lady.)
Admittedly, in our efforts to restore the rightful status of Our Lord Jesus Christ in our homes and in society, we are dealing with diabolical (and not merely human) forces attacking our Catholic faith and morals. As the Apostle Saint Paul tells us:
“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.”
The great Apostle of the Gentiles adds:
“Therefore take unto you the armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect.”
One way in which Catholics can take unto ourselves “the armor of God” is by taking up our Rosaries, our “spiritual armor”. Our Lady Herself testified that the Rosary “shall be a powerful armor against hell” as “It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies”.
In one of his many encyclicals on the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Supremi Apostolatus Officio, the great Pope Leo XIII wrote:
“It has always been the habit of Catholics in danger and in troublous times to fly for refuge to Mary, and to seek for peace in her maternal goodness; showing that the Catholic Church has always, and with justice, put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God. And truly the Immaculate Virgin, chosen to be the Mother of God and thereby associated with Him in the work of man’s salvation, has a favor and power with her Son greater than any human or angelic creature has ever obtained, or ever can gain. And, as it is her greatest pleasure to grant her help and comfort to those who seek her, it cannot be doubted that she would deign, and even be anxious, to receive the aspirations of the universal Church. This devotion, so great and so confident, to the august Queen of Heaven, has never shone forth with such brilliancy as when the militant Church of God has seemed to be endangered by the violence of heresy spread abroad, or by an intolerable moral corruption, or by the attacks of powerful enemies. Ancient and modern history and the more sacred annals of the Church bear witness to public and private supplications addressed to the Mother of God, to the help she has granted in return, and to the peace and tranquility which she had obtained from God. Hence her illustrious titles of helper, consoler, mighty in war, victorious, and peace-giver. And amongst these is specially to be commemorated that familiar title derived from the Rosary by which the signal benefits she has gained for the whole of Christendom have been solemnly perpetuated.”
No difficulties would be too great to overcome with Our Lady. Only when Catholics remain close to, or even better, totally united with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, can we proclaim, together with Saint Maximilian: “I see Mary everywhere. I see difficulties nowhere.”
In another part of the same encyclical, the saintly pontiff continues:
“Since, therefore, it is clearly evident that this form of prayer is particularly pleasing to the Blessed Virgin, and that it is especially suitable as a means of defense for the Church and all Christians, it is in no way wonderful that several others of Our Predecessors have made it their aim to favor and increase its spread by their high recommendations. Thus Urban IV, testified that “every day the Rosary obtained fresh boon for Christianity.” Sixtus IV declared that this method of prayer “redounded to the honor of God and the Blessed Virgin, and was well suited to obviate impending dangers;” Leo X that “it was instituted to oppose pernicious heresiarchs and heresies;” while Julius III called it “the glory of the Church.” So also St. Pius V., that “with the spread of this devotion the meditations of the faithful have begun to be more inflamed, their prayers more fervent, and they have suddenly become different men; the darkness of heresy has been dissipated, and the light of Catholic faith has broken forth again.” Lastly Gregory XIII in his turn pronounced that “the Rosary had been instituted by St. Dominic to appease the anger of God and to implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
Catholics involved in the fight against the enemies of the Faith can also practice the devotion to the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. By meditating and compassionating God’s Mother in Her sorrows, we can be confident that we can please the Sacred Heart of Jesus very much, as Our Lord Jesus Christ certainly loves Our Lady infinitely more than we do. Besides, how can our merciful God resist the tears and signs of his Dolorous Mother? (By the way, TAN Books has an excellent booklet on the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, which can be purchased.)
With an ever-increasing devotion for the Holy Virgin Mary, we Catholics involved in the struggle against the “world, the flesh, and the devil” can be confident to emerge triumphant. “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much,” St. Maximilian said. “You can never love her more than Jesus did.”
No difficulties would be too great to overcome with Our Lady. Only when Catholics remain close to, or even better, totally united with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, can we proclaim, together with Saint Maximilian:
“I see Mary everywhere. I see difficulties nowhere.”
Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
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