Introduction When we praise her, love her, honor her, or give anything to her, it is God who is praised, God who is loved, God who is glorified.
˜St. Louis de Montfort Why has the Church since its beginnings given such praise and honor to Mary? She is, of course, the mother of our Lord. She carried Jesus in her womb, cared for him as a toddler and young boy, and stood by him at the foot of the cross. As the one who was closer to Jesus than any other human being that ever lived, we would naturally want to give Mary all honor and praise. It’s also true, as St. Louis de Montfort notes in one of the selections in this book, that when we praise and honor Mary, it is God who is praised and loved. We can’t celebrate Mary without also celebrating God’s love and mercy. Our Father loved us so much that he sent his Son into the world to save it. Mary said yes to God, and so the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Each of the one hundred “praises and prayers” in this book, gathered from both ancient and contemporary sources, highlights one aspect of the Blessed 13
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