St. Montfort on the Apostles of the Latter Times
St. Louis de Montfort, who blessed the world with the Total Consecration to Jesus in Mary spirituality, also known as the Holy Slavery, prophecied that in the “latter times,” it would be those who practiced and lived this consecration that would be instrumental in going to battle against the antichrist. He said this consecrated remnant would be the greatest saints that that world had ever seen.
My hope and prayer is that these statements from St. Montfort would inspire in you the desire to practice this devotion, which is really a way of life for those who enter deeply into it. True devotion to Mary is not just another devotion to pick up off the Catholic shelf. It is pivotal for these times in which we are living, and for the days to come. It is a response of love to Our Queen and Our Mother, who wishes to form us into great and mighty saints of powerful holiness, conformed to the image of her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Mary has produced, together with the Holy Ghost, the greatest thing which has been or ever will be—a God-Man; and she will consequently produce the greatest saints that there will be in the end of time.” Referencing “the apostles of the latter times,” he writes “Their task will be double: to destroy sin and to build up the Kingdom of Jesus.”
“But what will they be like, these servants, these slaves, these children of Mary? They will be ministers of the Lord who, like a flaming fire, will enkindle everywhere the fires of divine love. They will become, in Mary’s powerful hands, like sharp arrows, with which she will transfix her enemies… They will be true apostles of the latter times to whom the Lord of Hosts will give eloquence and strength to work wonders and carry off glorious spoils from his enemies.”
“They will be true disciples of Jesus Christ, imitating his poverty, his humility, his contempt of the world and his love. They will point out the narrow way to God in pure truth according to the holy Gospel, and not according to the maxims of the world.”
“In these latter times Mary must shine forth more than ever in mercy, power and grace; in mercy, to bring back and welcome lovingly the poor sinners and wanderers who are to be converted and return to the Catholic Church.”
“They will step on the head of the enemy… directing their ardent prayers towards Heaven, taking them into their hand as powerful instrument for the conversion of sinners.”
“She will also achieve the greatest works in the latter times: the formation and education of the greatest saints, who will live in the end times, is reserved to Her, because only this singular and miraculous Virgin can realize, in union with the Holy Spirit, those most singular and extraordinary things.”
“Mary has received from God a far-reaching dominion over the souls of the elect. Otherwise she could not make her dwelling-place in them as God the Father has ordered her to do, and she could not conceive them, nourish them, and bring them forth to eternal life as their mother. She could not have them for her inheritance and her possession and form them in Jesus and Jesus in them. She could not implant in their heart the roots of her virtues, nor be the inseparable associate of the Holy Spirit in all these works of grace. None of these things, I repeat, could she do unless she had received from the Almighty rights and authority over their souls. For God, having given her power over his only-begotten and natural Son, also gave her power over his adopted children – not only in what concerns their body – which would be of little account – but also in what concerns their soul.”
“They will have the two-edged sword of the word of God in their mouths and the blood-stained standard of the Cross on their shoulders. They will carry the crucifix in their right hand and the rosary in their left, and the holy names of Jesus and Mary on their heart. The simplicity and self-sacrifice of Jesus will be reflected in their whole behavior.”
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We love you. Save souls. Amen.
