Devil’s most dreadful enemy

“God only made or formed one irreconcilable enmity which would last, and indeed grow, until the end: the enmity between Mary His worthy Mother, and the devil; between the children and servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the children and followers of Lucifer. Therefore, the most dreadful enemy of the devil created by God is Mary, his holy Mother. Humbled Mary will always have victory over Satan even to crushing his head where his pride resides for the final triumph of Jesus Christ.”

Above is an excerpt of the writing of a great Marian theologian, St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, quoted by Cristina Siccardi in her article found on page 10-11 of St. Rita’s Monthly bulletin (August-September 2002 issue of “From the Bees to the Roses”).

In the article of Rev. Stefano De Fiores SMM posted on Mary’s Touch online site, expounded on this role of Mary. He wrote: “Our Lady is the antithesis of Lucifer: “What Lucifer lost by pride, Mary won by humility. What Eve ruined and lost by disobedience, Mary saved by obedience. By obeying the serpent, Eve ruined her children as well as herself and delivered them up to him. Mary by her perfect fidelity to God saved her children with herself and consecrated them to his divine majesty” (TD [True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin] 53). Satan has been conquered by Mary’s “Yes,” and therefore, she is the enemy of the devil: “The magnificence of the devil is even more humbled to see himself under the feet of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the most humble person who has ever been, than to feel crushed by the arms of the Almighty” (N [Notebook] 70; cf.TD 52).”

There could be male and female members of the Christian faith who find these theological discourses so tedious, irrelevant and passé. They give less concern on thoughts about Mary, the Mother of God, whose birth it is the Catholic Church commemorates this very day, nine months after the Immaculate Conception which is celebrated on December 8. Perhaps for them, Mary just happened to be the instrument for Jesus to be born in this world, like any mother from whose womb a child comes to this world. Unless they realize the significance of Mary, Our Lady, in the aspect of her humility, obedience to God and willingness to serve the people without expecting any favor in return, they will continue to pay least regard to Mary’s divinity.

Who is Mary in this modern world where obscene acts between opposite sex or among same sex are simply considered PDA (public display of affection)? Who is Mary among citizens in this technologically advanced world where pornography thrives not simply within the four walls of the room or in print but in the cyberspace? Who is Mary now among women and lasses whose consciousness towards women’s liberation, women’s rights and gender equality is taking toll on the preservation of the family being the most fundamental unit of church or civilly speaking the basic unit of society? Does she remain an influential factor in every Catholic’s relationship with his brethrens regardless of religious persuasion, economic condition or political affiliation?

Mary, oftentimes named Our Lady, is the epitome of womanhood and motherhood. She is peculiar like everyone else, yet she is extraordinary to the point that she was decreed by the Holy Roman Catholic as born without original sin. She was common like anyone else who would initially have reservation on unusual challenges in life, yet her strong faith in God made very special. She was like any girl who would grow up falling in love with a man, in her case St. Joseph, yet Mary was chaste and pure, which explains her “virgin birth” of Christ. She was like any wife who would sometimes have misunderstanding with the husband but she was most admirable because in the end she tried to understand his reasons and help strengthen the family, as accounts of her life convey. Our Lady was like any mother who would at times censure his son but Mary was laudably exceptional because she did it in a doting manner.

Siccardi wrote, “The story of salvation began with the birth of Our Lady. Nothing would have been accomplished if this very special creature had not come on earth who became the bride of God, the Mother of God, but also the number one enemy of sin and the devil. Her most holy name did not stand out because of her own wishes, but through the will of the Father. Although hidden in work and prayer, in love and sacrifice, she was spoken about from the very beginning.”

Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, is not only a model of perfect womanhood and motherhood.

She is our succor, a very powerful intercessor of our petitions to Christ Jesus, Who is the only way to God, the Father. She is a very distinctive creation of God worth emulating. If only all men and women on Earth are as meek and humble and obedient to God as Mary was, living on Earth could be less worrisome. Peace will finally govern. If people are as caring to others and very much willing to be of service to humanity at all times, there will be no more corrupt leader and no unscrupulous entrepreneur, who devil’s advocates on Earth.

“Mary, with your loving Son, please bless each and everyone of us. Amen.”

By: Eileen Nazareno-Ballesteros

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