Here is one of many works from Carthusian authors on the subject of devotion to the Blessed Mother of God.Devotion to Mary and love for her was established in the Church. It was, so to speak, a sacrament of grace for souls. The reason for it was obvious: it was that Mary might be loved as Jesus loved her.
We see the end of all things which are passing; but the divine commandment made to us in the person of Saint John – to love our Lady – goes beyond all time. ‘I have seen the end of all perfection; Your commandment is exceeding great’ (Psalm 118:96).
The Carthusian author of La Clef du Ciel said: ‘What we see in the homage paid by the Church to the glorious Queen of Heaven is still and always will be the love of Jesus for her. It is her, it is His Soul on fire with the ardour of the Holy Spirit, which secretly touches our hearts, as a musician plucks the strings of his lyre, to the glory of the most noble of all creatures’.
It is the desire of this Son, so tenderly drawn to His Mother, that we should imitate the zeal and devotion that He has shown, in order to give glory to His Blessed Mother. Out of the thirty-three years which were to make up His life on earth, thirty were consecrated to the sanctification of Mary.
Who will reveal to us all that passed in the intimacy of Nazareth – the love of the Mother for the Son – their wonderful union! This uninterrupted union should serve as a model to our zeal. We need have no fear of going beyond our ideal. All the angels and all the blessed in heaven will never equal the love and glory of the first kiss the Child Jesus gave His Mother, for it was the kiss of God. After that we can understand the exclamations of certain of the saints; their enthusiasm. We need never be afraid of honouring our Lady too much; we shall never honour her enough!
