Notes

Preface §

• We learn that this book has been translated from French
• There are mentions of other books written by Saint Louis de Montfort

Unveiled to the Devout Soul §

• It start by saying it is about to share a secret that “the Most High” has shared with the author and this secret is not found in any book.
• It also says it is shared to us the readers via the “Holy Ghost”.
  • The interesting part is that the author has conditions we must meet or adhere to
• Here are the conditions
  • Only share it to certain people who deserve it (the text does not make it clear who these people are)
  • That you use it to become holy and heavenly
    • It doesn’t define either one
  • It says that the secret is only good if you use it. It warns that if you do not use it, it will be fatal to me and will be a condemnation to me.
  • Thank God that he taught you the reader a secret you did not deserve to know.
• It then says before you continue to read the following prayers so that God will give you grace to understand and relish its divine mystery.
  • Ave Mary Stella (hymn about the Virgin Mary)
  • Veni creator (some sort of hymn and payer)

David commentary: §

So far the book has done a really good job at making the reader think it has a very valuable “secret” to reveal. So far no bible verses have been quoted. The secret was told by God to the author. This obviously raises suspicion as we are left with just trusting the author is telling us the truth. The other concerning piece is that is literally says that this secret will be fatal and will condemn the reader if they do not use the secret that is shared.

I expected the prayers to not be from the bible and since the book is about the virgin Mary, it is not surprising one of the prayers is about Mary.

To my family, the word of God is found in the bible. All of the secrets are there. stay away from anyone who says they got a revelation or some sort of secret from God/Angels in a dream. God does talk to people in dreams and various ways. Ask the Holy spirit, ask Jesus to help you determine what is truth and what is not just in case you are not sure.

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• The author states that a person’s purpose in life/what they have been created for is to become holy like God
  • The author says it is only by God and his grace that this is possible
• The author keeps referring the reader as “soul”
• The author says that holiness and salvation come from the gospels
  • He also seems to define “arrive at perfection” to be:
    • humility of heart
    • continual prayer
    • complete mortification (self-denial)
    • surrendering completely to God
    • aligning ones life with God’s desires
  • He closes by saying the things above is what is needed to gain salvation and holiness
  • He also repeats it is by grace you attain salvation and holiness
  • He finally concludes that the key is to find grace and according to the author the easiest way to find Grace from God is to find Mary.

David commentary: §

The first time I read the section above it was kind of confusing. The sentences were jam packed and the author even added old english/ King James style writing which made it even harder to comprehend.

The author interestingly combined grace and holiness as something we must strive to attain. He doesn’t define these terms, but he does state what is needed to get there.

This part of the book does have topics that are Christian (Being saved, needing grace, being holy because he is holy, mentions the Gospels).

The book officially crosses the line from a book that may be considered “Christian” to something that I have not found the correct word for. As soon as it said that in order to get grace from God, you need to find Mary, this book went in a direction that is no where near the bible. We will need to keep reading to see where the author is trying to lead us to.

To my family, we are all saved by grace. God came down as a man (as Jesus), he lived a life free of Sin, he paid the price of our Sin when he was crucified and killed on the cross. We did not deserve it, we could not do it ourselves, but it is this free gift, grace, that we have the opportunity to be set free of our sin and be welcomed in the Kingdom of God.

How are we saved, Romans 10:9 says “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The Gospels talk about the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

While Mary was a special woman, the one who God chose to give birth to Jesus. She has nothing to do with our salvation and the grace we received from God.

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The author states the following about Mary (yes, this is a real book…)

• Mary alone found grace for herself and for every man. It specifically says that not even the patriarchs, the prophets, and the saints could not fond this grace.
• Since Mary gave life to Jesus (the author of Grace), she is called the mother of grace
• God has given Mary all his grace
• God choose Mary to give her all his Grace and all his gifts. The author says Mary gives to whom she wills, she likes, and as much as she likes
• Mary decides who the real Christians are
• God gave Mary a special dominion over souls in order to nourish them and make them grow up in God
• He mentions some secret world where angels cry out to Mary, Holy, Holy, Holy
• Mary was made only for God
• He says to never go to our Lord, except by Mary
• By Mary God came into the world the first time, by Mary God will come a second time

David commentary: §

I find it very interesting that the strategy the author uses to implant the idea that we need to go through Mary to talk to Jesus by simply stating the lie and putting the name of Jesus in the same sentence. The author is in essence continuing to place over and over the name of Mary Next to Jesus. He is also giving attributes of God to Mary and it seems to me that he is ultimately trying to replace the name of Jesus with the name of Mary.

This part of the book is wild. No bible verses or even references to any Holy books at all. Where did the author get these ideas from? Apparently we are supposed to believe “the Most High” shared with him these secrets.

Again I want to emphasize that the author here is specifically telling us Mary has very similar authorities than that of Jesus (dominion over souls, decides who to give grace to, angels worship her).

To my family, Jesus is God (read the first chapter of John), he created everything and everything was created for him. Jesus told us the is the only way to God. The bible does not tell us to pray to Mary, worship her, it does not tell us she was given any power of any kind. It is Jesus who decided to come to earth by Mary, it is Jesus who will come a second time on the white horse, it is Jesus who will judge the living and the dead.