“I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother”
DAY 22 of 33:
into the 7 last words of Jesus and Mary
Contemplating the Sorrowful Mysteries with Mary, St.
Maximilian Kolbe, St. Mother Teresa and St. Louis de Montfort as our guides.
1. Resolve to pray a complete set of mysteries of the Rosary every day – as an
act of love to God and in fulfillment of Mary’s requests to us. So, therefore,
PRAY the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary today and every day – see day 8 for instructions/ guidance on how
to fit this into your day.
2. Skim through the accompanying pictures and the extraordinary wisdom of St.
Louis de Montfort and St. Mother Teresa and read through as much (below) as possible.
3.
Continue to choose to enter more deeply into the daily prayer program (below)
at least in this way:
Ponder
and pray The Nicene Creed today and the accompanying Scripture texts as you
meditate and PRAY THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES AND ALL THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY – while praying for the grace to
listen, to hear and respond to God as Mary does.
And to pray for the grace to surrender whatever is keeping us from responding
fully to God – in and through and with Mary’s love and help.
Begin to take steps to make the Mass the center of your life.
There is so much to contemplate in considering the words of Jesus and Mary. May they be a grace to you!
“The
last words someone speaks before their death are important. This must
be especially true for the Jesus’ last words. The Words of Jesus spoken
in agony from the Cross are steeped in meaning and power, and provide us
with a means of looking directly into Our Savior’s Heart – into the
depth of His love for us. While utilizing the insight gained from the
saints and teachers of the Church, this day also seeks to provide an
opportunity to reflect on what Jesus is saying to us through these
Words. For every Word spoken by Christ is living and effective and has
the power to transform us, as it did Mother Teresa, whose life became
consumed with seeking to fulfill Jesus’ cry “I Thirst!” Pope Benedict. Jesus of Nazareth Crucifixion and Burial of Jesus, Pp 202-
- Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. (Luke 23:34)
- Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
- Woman, behold your son. Son Behold your mother. (John 19:26–27)
- My God, My God, have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34)
- I thirst. (John 19:28)
- It is finished. (John 19:29-30)
- Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. (Luke 23:46)
1. Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?” (Luke 1:34)
2. And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38)
3. In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country,
to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari’ah and greeted
Elizabeth. (Luke 1:39)
(She most likely said, “Shalom, Elisheva”)
4. And Mary said:
“My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;
for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. (Luke 1:46-55)
5. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” (Lk 2:48)
6. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” (John 2:3)
7. His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you”. (John 2:5)
Action:
1. Resolve to pray a complete set of mysteries of the Rosary every day – as an
act of love to God and in fulfillment of Mary’s requests to us.
So, therefore,
PRAY the Joyful mysteries of the Rosary today and every day – see day 8 for instructions/ guidance on how
to fit this into your day.
2. Skim through the accompanying pictures and the extraordinary wisdom of St.
Louis de Montfort and St. Mother Teresa and read through as much (below) as possible.
3.
Continue to choose to enter more deeply into the daily prayer program (below)
at least in this way:
Ponder
and pray The Nicene Creed today and the accompanying Scripture texts as you
meditate and PRAY THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES AND ALL THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY – while praying for the grace to
listen, to hear and respond to God as Mary does.
And to pray for the grace to surrender whatever is keeping us from responding
fully to God – in and through and with Mary’s love and help.
Begin to take steps to make the Mass the center of your life.
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Daily Prayer Program for these 33 Days:
is important to make a commitment to strive to pray more deeply, more
intensely and with more of your heart during these days of preparation.
Here are some guidelines and suggestions for how to live these days.
Pray about how you can grow in each of these areas listed below and
while living out this prayer program it is especially important to
• To Jelena: “I’m going to reveal a spiritual secret to you:
if you want to be stronger than evil, make yourself a plan of personal
prayer. Take a certain time in the morning, read a text from Holy
Scripture, anchor the Divine word in your heart, and strive to live it
during the day, particularly during the moment of trials. In this way,
you will be stronger than evil.” (Our Lady of Medjugorje, April 19,
1984)
• St. Louis de Montfort – Mary will form the greatest saints
who ever lived – easiest shortest most sure way to sanctity
PART 2: Day 22 Readings and Prayers for St. Louis de Montfort’s 33 Day of Consecration to Jesus through Mary – An Online Guide
Readings and Prayers for St. Louis-Marie de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary
SECOND WEEK
THEME FOR THE WEEK: KNOWLEDGE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
of love, pious affection for the Blessed Virgin, imitation of her
virtues, especially her profound humility, her lively faith, her blind
obedience, her continual mental prayer, her mortification in all things,
her surpassing purity, her ardent charity, her heroic patience, her
angelic sweetness, and her divine wisdom: “there being,” as St. Louis De
Montfort says, “the ten principal virtues of the Blessed Virgin.”
We
must unite ourselves to Jesus through Mary – this is the characteristic
of our devotion; therefore, Saint Louis De Montfort asks that we employ
ourselves in acquiring a knowledge of the Blessed Virgin.
Mary
is our sovereign and our mediatrix, our Mother and our Mistress. Let us
then endeavor to know the effects of this royalty, of this mediation,
and of this maternity, as well as the grandeurs and prerogatives which
are the foundation or consequences thereof. Our Mother is also a perfect
mold wherein we are to be molded in order to make her intentions and
dispositions ours. This we cannot achieve without studying the interior
life of Mary; namely, her virtues, her sentiments, her actions, her
participation in the mysteries of Christ and her union with Him.
Day 20 of 33:
Meditation From True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nos. 106-110
Marks of authentic devotion to our Lady
from the esteem in which we hold her, the high regard we have for her greatness, and the love we bear her.
107. Second, it is trustful, that is to say, it fills us with confidence in the Blessed Virgin, the confidence that a child
has for its loving Mother. It prompts us to go to her in every need of body and soul with great simplicity, trust and
affection.
108. Third, true devotion to our Lady is holy, that is, it leads us to avoid sin and to imitate the virtues of Mary. Her
ten principal virtues are: deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial,
surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom.
109. Fourth, true devotion to our Lady is constant. It strengthens us in our desire to do good and prevents us from
giving up our devotional practices too easily. It gives us the courage to oppose the fashions and maxims of the
world, the vexations and unruly inclinations of the flesh and the temptations of the devil. Thus a person truly
devoted to our Blessed Lady is not changeable, fretful, scrupulous or timid.
110. Fifth, true devotion to Mary is disinterested. It inspires us to seek God alone in his Blessed Mother and not
ourselves. The true subject of Mary does not serve his illustrious Queen for selfish gain. He does not serve her for
temporal or eternal well-being but simply and solely because she has the right to be served and God alone in her.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Father all powerful, have mercy on us
Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, save us.
Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of both, sanctify us.
Holy Trinity, hear us
Holy Ghost, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Holy Ghost, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us.
Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us
Author of all good, have mercy on us
Source of heavenly water, have mercy on us
Consuming fire, have mercy on us
Ardent charity, have mercy on us
Spiritual unction, have mercy on us
Spirit of love and truth, have mercy on us
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, have mercy on us
Spirit of counsel and fortitude, have mercy on us
Spirit of knowledge and piety, have mercy on us
Spirit of the fear of the Lord, have mercy on us
Spirit of grace and prayer, have mercy on us
Spirit of peace and meekness, have mercy on us
Spirit of modesty and innocence, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, the Comforter, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, Who governest the Church, have mercy on us
Gift of God, the Most High, have mercy on us
Spirit Who fillest the universe, have mercy on us
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, inspire us with horror of sin.
Holy Ghost, come and renew the face of the earth.
Holy Ghost, shed Thy light in our souls.
Holy Ghost, engrave Thy law in our hearts
Holy Ghost, inflame us with the flame of Thy love.
Holy Ghost, open to us the treasures of Thy graces
Holy Ghost, teach us to pray well.
Holy Ghost, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations.
Holy Ghost, lead us in the way of salvation
Holy Ghost, grant us the only necessary knowledge.
Holy Ghost, inspire in us the practice of good.
Holy Ghost, grant us the merits of all virtues.
Holy Ghost, make us persevere in justice.
Holy Ghost, be Thou our everlasting reward.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Send us Thy Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, pour down into our
souls the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, grant us the Spirit of
wisdom and piety.
V. Come, Holy Ghost! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful,
R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
Let Us Pray
Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit may enlighten, inflame and
purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us
fruitful in good works, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with
Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth and reigneth forever and
ever. R. Amen.
God’s own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin,
Gate of heavenly rest.
Which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us,
Changing Eva’s name.
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
May the Word Divine,
Born for us thy Infant,
Hear our prayers through thine.
Mildest of the mild,
Freed from guilt, preserve us,
Pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
Make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus
Joy forevermore.
Through the highest heaven
To the Almighty Three,
Father, Son and Spirit,
One same glory be. Amen.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary,
pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins,
pray for us.
Mother of Christ,
pray for us.
Mother of divine grace,
pray for us.
Mother most pure,
pray for us.
Mother most chaste,
pray for us.
Mother inviolate,
pray for us.
Mother undefiled,
pray for us.
Mother most amiable,
pray for us.
Mother most admirable,
pray for us.
Mother of good counsel,
pray for us.
Mother of our Creator,
pray for us.
Mother of our Savior,
pray for us.
Virgin most prudent,
pray for us.
Virgin most venerable,
pray for us.
Virgin most renowned,
pray for us.
Virgin most powerful,
pray for us.
Virgin most merciful,
pray for us.
Virgin most faithful,
pray for us.
Mirror of justice,
pray for us.
Seat of wisdom,
pray for us.
Cause of our joy,
pray for us.
Spiritual vessel,
pray for us.
Vessel of honor,
pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion,
pray for us.
Mystical rose,
pray for us.
Tower of David,
pray for us.
Tower of ivory,
pray for us.
House of gold,
pray for us.
Ark of the Covenant,
pray for us.
Gate of Heaven,
pray for us.
Morning star,
pray for us.
Health of the sick,
pray for us.
Refuge of sinners,
pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted,
pray for us.
Help of Christians,
pray for us.
Queen of angels,
pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs,
pray for us.
Queen of prophets,
pray for us.
Queen of apostles,
pray for us.
Queen of martyrs,
pray for us.
Queen of confessors,
pray for us.
Queen of virgins,
pray for us.
Queen of all saints,
pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin,
pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven,
pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary,
pray for us.
Queen of peace,
pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we Thy Servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, be delivered from present sorrow and enjoy eternal happiness. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father! Hail Mary, admirable
Mother of the Son! Hail Mary, faithful spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail
Mary, my dear Mother, my loving Mistress, my powerful sovereign! Hail my
joy, my glory, my heart and my soul! Thou art all mine by mercy, and I
am all thine by justice. But I am not yet sufficiently thine. I now give
myself wholly to thee without keeping anything back for myself or
others. If thou still seest in me anything which does not belong to
thee, I beseech thee to take it and to make thyself the absolute
Mistress of all that is mine. Destroy in me all that may be displeasing
to God, root it up and bring it to nought; place and cultivate in me
everything that is pleasing to thee.
His presence; may the burning love of thy heart inflame the
lukewarmness of mine; may thy virtues take the place of my sins; may thy
merits be my only adornment in the sight of God and make up for all that is wanting in me. Finally, dearly beloved Mother, grant, if it be possible, that I may have no other spirit but thine to know Jesus and His divine will; that I may have no other soul but thine to praise and glorify the Lord; that I may have no other heart but thine to love God with
a love as pure and ardent as thine I do not ask thee for visions,
revelations, sensible devotion or spiritual pleasures. It is thy privilege to see God clearly; it is thy privilege to enjoy heavenly bliss; it is thy privilege to triumph gloriously in Heaven at the right hand of thy Son and to hold absolute sway over angels, men and demons; it is thy privilege to dispose of all the gifts of God, just as thou willest.
given thee and which shall never be taken away from thee–and this
thought fills my heart with joy. As for my part here below, I wish for
no other than that which was thine: to believe sincerely without
spiritual pleasures; to suffer joyfully without human consolation; to
die continually to myself without respite; and to work zealously and
unselfishly for thee until death as the humblest of thy servants. The
only grace I beg thee to obtain for me is that every day and every moment of my life I
may say: Amen, So be it–to all that thou didst do while on earth;
Amen, so be it–to all that thou art now doing in Heaven; Amen, so be
it–to all that thou art doing in my soul, so that thou alone mayest
fully glorify Jesus in me for time and eternity. Amen.
Read:
St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary paragraphs 183-190.
BIBLICAL FIGURE OF THIS PERFECT DEVOTION:
REBECCA AND JACOB
183. The Holy Spirit gives us in Sacred Scripture, a striking allegorical figure of all the truths I have
been explaining concerning the Blessed Virgin and her children and servants. It is the story of Jacob who
received the blessing of his father Isaac through the care and ingenuity of his mother Rebecca.
Here is the story as the Holy Spirit tells it. I shall expound it further later on.
The Story of Jacob
184. Several years after Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob, Rebecca, their mother, who loved Jacob tenderly, secured this blessing for him by a holy stratagem full of mystery for us.
Isaac, realising that he was getting old, wished to bless his children before he died. He summoned
Esau, who was his favourite son, and told him to go hunting and bring him something to eat, in order that he
might then give him his blessing. Rebecca immediately told Jacob what was happening and sent him to
fetch two small goats from the flock. When Jacob gave them to his mother, she cooked them in the way Isaac liked them. Then she dressed Jacob in Esau’s clothes which she had in her keeping, and covered his
hands and neck with the goat-skin. The father, who was blind, although hearing the voice of Jacob, would
think that it was Esau when he touched the skin on his hands.
closer. Isaac felt the hair on the skin covering Jacob’s hands and said that the voice was really like Jacob’s
but the hands were Esau’s. After he had eaten, Isaac kissed Jacob and smelt the fragrance of his scented
clothes. He blessed him and called down on him the dew of heaven and the fruitfulness of earth. He made
him master of all his brothers and concluded his blessing with these words, “Cursed be those who curse you
and blessed be those who bless you.”
Isaac had scarcely finished speaking when Esau came in, bringing what he had caught while out
hunting. He wanted his father to bless him after he had eaten. The holy patriarch was shocked when he
realised what had happened. But far from retracting what he had done, he confirmed it because he clearly
saw the finger of God in it all. Then, as Holy Scripture relates, Esau began to protest loudly against the
treachery of his brother. He then asked his father if he had only one blessing to give. In so doing, as the
early Fathers point out, Esau was the symbol of those who are too ready to imagine that there is an alliance
between God and the world, because they themselves are eager to enjoy, at one and the same time, the
blessings of heaven and the blessings of the earth. Isaac was touched by Esau’s cries and finally blessed him
only with a blessing of the earth, and he subjected him to his brother. Because of this, Esau conceived such
a venomous hatred for Jacob that he could hardly wait for his father’s death to kill him. And Jacob would
not have escaped death if his dear mother Rebecca had not saved him by her ingenuity and her good advice.
Interpretation of the story
185. Before explaining this beautiful story, let me remind you that, according to the early Fathers and the
interpreters of Holy Scripture, Jacob is the type of our Lord and of souls who are saved, and Esau is the type
of souls who are condemned. We have only to examine the actions and conduct of both in order to judge
each one.
(1) Esau, the elder brother, was strong and robust, clever, and skillful with the bow and very
successful at hunting.
(2) He seldom stayed at home and, relying only on his own strength and skill, worked out of doors.
(3) He never went out of his way to please his mother Rebecca, and did little or nothing for her.
(4) He was such a glutton and so fond of eating that he sold his birthright for a dish of lentils.
(5) Like Cain, he was extremely jealous of his brother and persecuted him relentlessly.
186. This is the usual conduct of sinners:
(1) They rely upon their own strength and skill in temporal affairs. They are very energetic, clever and well- informed about things of this world but very dull and ignorant about things of heaven.
187. (2) And they are never or very seldom at home, in their own house, that is, in their own interior, the
inner, essential abode that God has given to every man to dwell in, after his own example, for God always
abides within himself. Sinners have no liking for solitude or the spiritual life or interior devotion. They
consider those who live an interior life, secluded from the world, and who work more interiorly than
exteriorly, as narrow-minded, bigoted and uncivilized.
188. (3) Sinners care little or nothing about devotion to Mary, the Mother of the elect. It is true that they
do not really hate her. Indeed they even speak well of her sometimes. They say they love her and they
practise some devotion in her honour. Nevertheless, they cannot bear to see anyone love her tenderly, for
they do not have for her any of the affection of Jacob; they find fault with the honour which her good
children and servants faithfully pay her to win her affection. They think this kind of devotion is not
necessary for salvation, and as long as they do not go as far as hating her or openly ridiculing devotion to
her they believe they have done all they need to win her good graces. Because they recite or mumble a few prayers to her without any affection and without even thinking of amending their lives, they consider they
are our Lady’s servants.
pleasures of this world. They laugh, they drink, they eat, they have a good time, they gamble, they dance
and so forth, without taking any more trouble than Esau to make themselves worthy of their heavenly
Father’s blessing. Briefly, they think only of this world, love only the world, speak and act only for the
world and its pleasures. For a passing moment of pleasure, for a fleeting wisp of honour, for a piece of hard
earth, yellow or white, they barter away their baptismal grace, their robe of innocence and their heavenly
inheritance.
190. (5) Finally, sinners continually hate and persecute the elect, openly and secretly. The elect are a
burden to them. They despise them, criticise them, ridicule them, insult them, rob them, deceive them,
impoverish them, hunt them down and trample them into the dust; while they themselves are making
fortunes, enjoying themselves, getting good positions for themselves, enriching themselves, rising to power
and living in comfort.
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