“I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother”(True Devotion, 233).
DAY 31 of 33:
SECTION 4: ENTERING INTO GREAT HEIGHTS OF HOLINESS DESTINED FOR THOSE CONSECRATED TO MARY
Today
we will contemplate the holiness Mary leads us to
…taking Mary herself, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Mother Teresa and St.
Louis de Montfort as our guides.
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 – 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 Glory Be today and the accompanying Scripture texts as you meditate and
PRAY THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES,
THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES and
THE SORROWFUL 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.
4. Take steps to make the Mass the center of your life – begin to strive to participate in daily Mass as often as possible.
5. In preparation for our consecration, go to confession beforehand (or within 8 days afterward) – then choose to make the sacrament a regular part of your life (i.e. at least monthly).
Mary goes before us to be reunited with her Son and the Most Holy Trinity on high – as well as all the angels and saints who had gone before her and who awaited her coming!
Imagine the reunion! It truly is a glorious mystery!
Mary being taken up to heaven is a great sign and hope for all of us who believe!
At our death, we likewise will have the opportunity to be taken up to heaven!
Not in both body and soul as Mary is-
(until the final coming of Christ – when He will be all in all – and our bodies will rise from our graves to meet our souls on high) –
but our souls, who have been faithful and have clung to Jesus and Mary and abandoned themselves into their care –
can be assured of one day assuming our own place in heavenly glory!
In fact, I have often foreseen Mary reaching down to clasp us by the hand – drawing us to herself in heaven at the moment of our death – especially all who have consecrated themselves to her, including all our loved ones whom we’ve consecrated to her in great hope for their salvation! (although we may need to be purified and purged first before attaining heavenly glory).
Let us hold fast to that hope – especially in times when we are in great distress.
Today, also, as our consecration draws so near, I’ve included below more information and wisdom from St. Maximilian Kolbe and from his method of consecration for us to ponder and consider before our upcoming consecration day, which includes an option of redemptive suffering – an offering of all our sufferings united to Jesus’ and Mary’s sufferings for the redemption of the world. It is an additional and optional “Knight at the Foot of the Cross” consecration.
And, please note the importance of going to confession in order to prepare well for our consecration. It is noted below, but also I’ve noted it above as well.
Lastly, I encourage each of us to watch Dr. Brant Pitre’s teaching on Mary’s identity as Queen Mother sometime before (or after) our consecration:
https://watch.formed.org/lectio-mary-with-dr-brant-pitre/season:1/videos/the-queen-mother
Let us begin by praying the
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. 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
• LIVE Grace and Renew our Baptism – renounce sin and Satan
• Mass and the Eucharist the Center of our lives
• Confession frequently
• 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)
• Rosary – With and in Mary, contemplating Scripture and the mysteries of God
• God is sending Mary to earth for she is the Crusher of Satan. Listen to her words.
• St. John Paul II – example of life given over – Totus Tuus
• St. Maximilian Kolbe – Militia Immaculata every soul consecrated to Mary will save the world
• St. Louis de Montfort – Mary will form the greatest saints
who ever lived – easiest shortest most sure way to sanctity
• St. Mother Teresa and many more
PART 2: Total Consecration to the Immaculate According to St. Maximilian Kolbe
In a few days we’ll have the opportunity to make our Total Consecration to Jesus through the Immaculate!
In these days of preparation we have tried to prepare ourselves for this day of Consecration.
Now it is time to consider more fully what this entails:
What is Total Consecration to the Immaculate?
“Consecration “began at the foot of the cross when John was entrusted
to Mary.
Consecration means setting yourself aside for service to God. The
Church has always advocated consecrating yourself to Jesus Christ
through the Blessed Virgin Mary, the perfect model of discipleship.
One of the best known advocates of Marian consecration is St. Louis
de Montfort (d. 1716). Modem day promoters include Pope John Paul II,
who recommended an “act of entrustment” to Mary (his papal motto was an
enthusiastic Totus Tuus-“Totally Yours.”)
All methods are equally
worthy…”
Total Consecration is a fulfillment of Our Lady’s requests at Fatima:
Our Lady told the children: “Pray, pray, very much, make sacrifices
for sinners. Remember that many souls are lost because there is nobody
to pray and to make sacrifices for them” (Fatima Apparition of August
19, 1917). By offering up our prayers and sacrifices in Total
Consecration to Our Lady, we give Her everything we do for the salvation
of souls and to win all souls for Christ the King for all eternity. (https://saintmaximiliankolbe.com/faqs/)
Marian consecration, therefore, is no archaic spirituality but is a
living and active means of advancing the Faith as a People of God. It is
not just another “devotion,” but is a complete spirituality, one not
lightly undertaken.
St. John Paul endorsed the Kolbean example of Marian Consecration
as a critical element of the “New Evangelization” for the third
Christian millennium, and St. Maximilian as a primary intercessor. In 1992 the Holy Father developed our understanding of this
consecration even further. By dying for another and “consecrating his
life to the lmmaculate Virgin,” St. Maximilian has become, suggested the
Holy Father, a “prophet and a sign of the new era, the civilization of
love.”
St.
Maximilian Kolbe adds this strong missionary dimension to Marian
consecration, because he believed a vast Army of Mary – of souls fully consecrated to the Immaculate – would bring the Kingdom of God here on earth:
“The
reason why the world does not recognize Jesus Christ as King is because
it does not know the Immaculate. It’s commonly said ‘No Mary, No Jesus;
Know Mary, Know Jesus’…. St. Maximilian knew that as soon as the Immaculate was known to all
hearts, the Kingdom of the Sacred Heart would reign in the world.” (https://saintmaximiliankolbe.com/faqs/) Thus,
THE MILITIA OF THE IMMACULATA (MI) encourages a total consecration to Mary Immaculate as a means of
spiritual renewal for individuals and society. Marian consecration in
the MI is a formal act of self-giving that does not stop at Mary but is
Christ-directed. It is really consecration to Jesus. The MI motto is “To
lead every individual with Mary to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
The MI employs prayer as the main weapon in the spiritual battle with
evil. MIs also immerse themselves in apostolic initiatives throughout
society, either individually or in groups, to deepen the knowledge of
the Gospel and our Catholic Faith in themselves and in others.
By joining the MI, members become willing instruments of Our Lady,
the handmaid of the Lord and the immaculate instrument of God. You
become a member of an international movement sharing in the maternal
mission of Mary the conversion and sanctification of all souls. The
goals of the MI are personal sanctification, the conversion of the world
and ultimately the universal reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The MI is one of the few Vatican approved public associations
whose mission, like that of the Catholic Church, is universal.
Distinctive Features of the Kolbean Method:
It requires no set formulation. Nonetheless, St. Maximilian has
identified four elements normally reflected in such an act of love.
1. Invocation of the Immaculate as such. In this
invocation St. Maximilian insists repeatedly on invoking Mary precisely
under her title as the Immaculate, especially in respect to the grace of
total consecration.
2. Total consecration is unlimited and unconditional. The
response is unlimited, precisely because total consecration to the
Immaculate achieves a complete identification in the subject with the
will of the Immaculate. The degree of our consecration to her is the
measure of our response or reaction to God’s prior love for us, and when
that identification with her total consecration to God, i.e. with her
as the Immaculate Conception, is total on our part, then our charity is
perfect as it can be. In obtaining this grace for us, her total
consecration, i.e. her reaction-surrender qua Immaculate to the
love of Father and Son for her as the most perfect fruit of a perfect
redemption becomes in turn an “action” provoking an “equal and contrary
reaction” in each believer to the love of the Father and the Incarnate
Word, her Son.
3. Obedience. Total consecration as identification
with the will of the Immaculate is not merely an affective
identification, but a thoroughly effective, practical love, that is to
say, total obedience to the Immaculate, a willingness and a readiness to
do whatever she asks one to do.
As her reaction to His salvific love was the inspiration for His
obedience to His Father’s command to die on the Cross to establish the
order of salvation, viz. the Church, so it is for us the stimulus to the
perfect implementation of Christ’s commands and instruction for our
salvation in the Church, and thus in practice animates the system of
obedience to a sacerdotal hierarchy established by Christ in the Church
for the salvation of souls.
The term “possession by Mary Immaculate to describe the state of the
soul totally consecrated to her is one particularly stressed by St.
Maximilian. He notes that this state has also been described as a kind
of childhood and as a kind of slavery. He acknowledges the validity of
both descriptions, but adds that the term possession precludes
misunderstandings easily attached to both, viz. that the one making such
a consecration obtains some special rights with Our Lady, or in some
way acts under compulsion, whereas in fact total consecration places one
totally at the disposition of the Immaculate in a quite willing
fashion. He does not mean to deny that Mary has a motherly care for each
one of us in accord with Our Lord’s request on the Cross that she
should be our Mother. But she exercises this responsibility, even if we
have not made total consecration to her. Rather the focus of total
consecration and the obedience it implies is the formation of an
instrument, a true militia perfected by an effective obedience, whereby
the Immaculate may obtain those ends proper to her as the Woman who
crushes the head of the serpent, the father of lies.
The preference for the term possession by the Immaculate to describe
this state suggest an underlying scriptural-liturgical parallel: we are
only fully free of the influence or possession of Satan, when we are
fully possessed by Mary Immaculate. Personal independence, in the
intellectual order the principle of private judgment, so well symbolized
by the ethos of freemasonry, is a gross deception, making a basic
slavery to the prince of this world. Total humility is the only sure way
to freedom. Between these two choices there is no third ground on which
to stand.
4. Scope. In general the scope of total consecration
is to know, love and serve the Immaculate as much as possible, and to
make her known, loved and served in the same way by others, especially
through her commands to pray and to do penance for the conversion of
sinners and the triumph of the Sacred Heart of her Son: in a word to
make her aims totally one’s own.
It is important to observe the stress place by St. Maximilian on two texts:
- Allow me to praise you, Holy Virgin; give me strength against your enemies
– where enemies are first of all understood as enemies of faith, viz.
heretics, and in a particular way the quintessence of all heresy, the
exercise of self-will on principle in the use of the intellect, called
by St. Francis the poison of self-will (Admonitions, 6), and otherwise known as the principle of private judgment. - You have destroyed all heresies in the whole world. The focal point of the battle and its outcome is expressed well in this text, often cited by St. Maximilian.
Herein is the precise task… to oppose this principle so fundamental
to the success of the stratagems of the father of lies in seeking to
undermine the faith of the Church and of Christians, its exact contrary,
i.e., heroic obedience to the desires of the Mother of Truth, the
Immaculate. The humility of true obedience will always unmask the
slavery of false freedom.
St. Maximilian expressed the purpose of the Militia Immaculata in this way: (KW 987C and 1080)
Truly supreme and incomparable joy is infused by the Holy Spirit, when one suffers for love of Christ.
[The purpose of the MI] is to make humanity happy, by instilling into each soul—which thirsts and craves for happiness every moment of its life—the love of the one who can and wants to introduce peace and joy into each heart, during this earthly exile, in the midst of the confusion that surrounds us, of the concerns and headaches that beset us everywhere, of the pain that reaches the very depths of our hearts. Those who truly love the Immaculata and flee to her with filial love and affection at times of temptation and hardship in life, will surely take down all the obstacles on the road to happiness, and foretaste the joys of heaven. Those who in their lifetime have worked with zeal to expand the reign of the Immaculata will be happy at death.
But, some may be asking:
Am I Ready to Consecrate Myself Totally to Mary and Join the MI?
THE SPIRIT of the MI is the spirit of continual
conversion. Not everyone … understands perfectly,
in the beginning, the power of this consecration. But when lived in the
spirit of willingness and humility, the Immaculata will elevate our
natural gifts and inspire us to holiness and fruitful service within the
Church.
As Jesus said to those who would stand up and follow him: “Even greater things than these will you do.”
For those who have struggles in understanding consecrating ourselves completely to Mary, here is an excerpt of a letter Maximilian wrote addressing just this concern:
“My dear, these are lofty things and we, with our human minds, and
even less so with out imagination, often are not able to arrive at
understanding them, but for this reason too, it is necessary not to ever
lose peace. God is a God of peace. Turmoil does not come from God…
It seems that I’ve gone through your whole letter now.
Your difficulty comes from the fact that you confuse feeling,
remembering or understanding with the will. If only our will wants
everything to be according to the Will of God, then by that very same
fact it is so, even if we were not to understand or remember this, nor
to feel it. At a given moment we can think of one thing alone, develop
our feelings in one direction alone. Give yourself freely then to the
devotion which at a given moment you’re drawn by, but remember that the
essence of the love of God lies exclusively in fulfilling the Will of
God in every moment. The more difficult this fulfillment will be, the
more disgust and repugnance [we have to overcome], the greater will the
manifestation of love be. But not even these difficulties belong to the
essence [of love], and without them there can be an equal love. They
serve only to manifest this love.
The fact that one consecrated totally and unlimitedly to the
Immaculate, though he knows that he belongs to Her, even though he might
not think of it, when going to visit Our Lord in the Most Blessed
Sacrament, often explicitly gives the whole visit to the Immaculate just
the same, be it even by means of just one [invocation] “Mary,” is
another matter; he knows that in such a way he will bring to Our Lord
the greatest possible pleasure, that then all the more She performs this
visit in him and through him and he in Her and through Her.
Similarly, there is no better preparation for Holy Communion than
that of giving the whole matter to the Immaculate (at the same time
doing everything we can on our part, of course). She will prepare our
hearts in the best way and we will be certain that we will procure Our
Lord the height of happiness, that in such a way we will show Him the
greatest love. And similarly in many other activities. I repeat though:
even without at the present moment giving ourselves [to the Immaculate]
we still belong to Her, because we have consecrated ourselves to Her and
we have never revoked it.
One more thing. Our Lord has said that we will know a tree by its
fruits [cf. Mt 7:20]. If something then causes you confusion, and all
the more – as you write – if it was the cause of a cooling of fervor,
then certainly it does not come from God. Hence all of this lack of
peace is heavily suspect and it is necessary to always strive for
fidelity in fulfilling the Will of God, even in the smallest things, and
for peace. Our Lord has also said: “My peace I leave you, my peace I
give you” [Jn 14:27].
If on the other hand something were to detract you from Our Lady
under whatever pretense, even if for the sake of a higher devotion, take
it as a suspect ploy, though it seem to be ever so holy.
In Her and through Her we certainly arrive at the Heart of Jesus, but
without Her (according to the above meaning [of without Her])
everything is only a deception of Satan calculated to leading a soul to
ruin. A beautiful illustration of this is the vision of St. Francis of
the two ladders, the red and the white, which the brothers were climbing
to heaven…[6]
May the Immaculate hold you ever closer to Her Immaculate Heart.”
St. Maximilian had no set formula or stipulations on how to make our Total consecration. As he states in the letter above, simply saying “Mary” can be an act of consecration…
But, here are some ideas to utilize today, if you able:
On Our Consecration Day:
- Recite the official act of
consecration composed by St. Maximilian and give yourself
wholeheartedly to Our Lady so as to let the Holy Spirit guide you on the
path to holiness with her! - Gain A PLENARY INDULGENCE – the complete remission of
temporal punishment in purgatory due to sin. (This special grace was bestowed by Pope Pius XI in 1926 upon joining the MI):To receive the indulgence, you must:- Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation on the consecration day or within the eight days before (or after).
- Attend Mass and receive Holy Communion
- Pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father, and
- Renounce all attachment to sin, even venial sin, on your enrollment date. By renouncing all attachment to sin you will be making an effort to remove all
obstacles to Our Lady making you her own in the Holy Spirit.
- Ask Our Lady and St. Maximilian to show you how you can best serve the Lord from this moment on.
- Enroll in the Militia Immaculata online at: missionimmaculata.com (When clicking on the link above to enroll in the Militia Immaculata, it gives you the option to also enroll as a Knight at the Foot of the Cross. See more information about this apostolate of redemptive suffering at the end of the article.
- Wear the Miraculous Medal and recite it’s prayer. “Hearing of the miraculous conversion of the agnostic
Alphonse Ratisbonne through the medal, St. Maximilian made wearing it
and giving it away an integral part of his movement. He called the
Miraculous Medal “a ‘bullet’ with which the faithful soldier hits the
enemy, that is evil, and thus rescues souls.”(Those who join the MI movement receive a complimentary medal from the National Center along with a membership certificate). - Pray the Rosary faithfully.
THE PRAYERS:
Daily Miraculous Medal Prayer
O MARY, conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to you, and for all who do not have recourse to you,
especially the enemies of the Church and those recommended to you.
Ml Prayer of Marian Consecration
(Composed by St. Maximilian Kolbe)
O IMMACULATA, Queen
of Heaven and earth, refuge of
sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire
order of mercy to you. I, (name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at
your feet, humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have,
wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me,
of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity,
whatever most pleases you.
If it pleases you, use all that I am and
have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: “She
will crush your head,” and “You alone have destroyed all heresies in the
whole world.” Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and
merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum
in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as
far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and growth
in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us
from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
V. Allow me to praise you, O Sacred Virgin
R. Give me strength against your enemies.
As stated previously, “we may consecrate ourselves to the Immaculata in various ways and
this consecration may be formulated in different words; indeed, a simple
interior act of the will is sufficient, since in this is included the
essence of our consecration to the Immaculata.
(To contemplate each line of Maximilian’s act of consecration, see: http://missionimmaculata.com/index.php/marian-spirituality-consecration/what-is-consecration)
In
living out your consecration, please consider making these devotions
suggested in making your solemn Consecration a part of your daily life –
in particular daily Mass and frequent confession, as well as these
charitable dispositions perscribed by St. Maximilian Kolbe in order to experience a taste of paradise here on earth (KW 1065):
The following is additional information for reflection to utilize if interested:
SELECT the date on which you want your name
recorded in the official register of the MI, preferably a Marian feast
day, enroll online at missionimmaculata.com
- January 1 Solemnity of the Mother of God
- February 11 Our Lady of Lourdes
- March 25 Annunciation
- May 13 Our Lady of Fatima
- May 31 Visitation
- Monday after Pentecost Sunday, Mary Mother of the Church
- June 27 Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- July 16 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
- August 15 Assumption
- August 22 Queenship of Mary
- September 8 Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- September 15 Our Lady of Sorrows
- October 7 Our Lady of the Rosary
- November 21 Presentation of Mary
- December 8 Immaculate Conception
- December 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe
Who are the Knights at the Foot of the Cross?
THE KNIGHTS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS (KFC) is an
outreach within the MI movement, comprised of Catholics afflicted by the
cross of suffering – physical, spiritual or emotional. As MI members,
KFCs consecrate themselves to Mary. As did Mary at the Cross of her Son,
they also participate in “redemptive suffering” (also called
sacrificial or reparational suffering). This means they offer some of
their daily prayers and trials to Jesus and Mary, who apply these gifts
where grace is needed most, such as to convert hearts and save souls, to
make amends for the sins of others, and ultimately to bring about the
reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
KFCs especially offer up their difficulties for the success of the
Ml. They thus become a special core group or vanguard within the
movement. Though often unable to actively evangelize because of
infirmity, nonetheless KFCs generate untold graces as they link their
sufferings with those of Christ. Through the intercession of Mary, they
offer up all to the Father as a “sacrifice of praise.”
Supernaturally, KFCs are perhaps the most important members of the MI – a spiritual powerhouse.
How was the KFC Started?
ENVISIONED EARLlER in the writings of St. Maximilian
Kolbe, the KFC was founded May 31, 1983. On the feast of Mary’s
Visitation, six teenaged and sick Conventual Franciscan friars, all MI
members, decided to make use of their ailments and encourage others to
do the same.
Sensing a good idea, the friars asked, “Why not harvest the immense
reparational potential within the suffering MI community at large?” Thus
a spiritual vanguard was formed: individuals no longer isolated or
frustrated in sickness or agedness, working in solidarity for the
conversion of the entire world. The very first Knight at the Foot of the
Cross was Fr. Simeon Kaczmarek, OFM CONV. Bedridden for two years with
cancer, Father offered his pain and prayers for the KFC cause while it
was still being organized.
Theology of Redemptive Suffering
SACRIFICIAL SUFFERING is a rich Christian
faith expression, modeled after Christ himself It is a partial answer to
the age-old question, “Why does God allow human suffering?”
The Church has always taught that physical pain, mental distress,
even minor annoyances, are not meaningless but are meant to be put to
valuable use. As Jesus used the anguish of his Passion and the agony of
Calvary to accomplish our salvation, so do our sufferings have
supernatural value when joined to His Cross. By willingly accepting our
struggles and presenting them back to God as a “burnt offering” for the
intentions of others, we cooperate with Christ and become real
participators in the mystery of his saving act.
Mary and Maximilian: Models of Reparational Suffering
Mary Immaculate is a special model of reparational suffering.
Standing at the Cross in interior distress, her soul “pierced by a
sword” (Lk 2:35), she offered all to the Father in a silent, “Thy will
be done.” She invites us, and strengthens us, to do the same through our
MI consecration as a KFC.
St. Maximilian Kolbe also is a model of reparational suffering.
Imprisoned at the Auschwitz death camp, Maximilian “emptied himself” for
the Gospel (Phil 2:7). He shared his meager food and water with fellow
prisoners while tending to their spiritual needs. He persevered in
charity toward his Nazi captors though they singled him out for special
brutalities as a Catholic priest. He willingly endured the torture of
the starvation bunker by taking the place of another prisoner. In this
way, Maximilian became “another Christ,” laying down his life for
another.
According to St. John Paul II, St. Maximilian’s holy example has made
him a sign and a prophet of the new era, the civilization of love.”
Knights at the Foot of the Cross Consecration Prayer
O IMMACULATA, queen of heaven and earth, health of
the sick, and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the
entire order of mercy to you. You stood at the foot of the Cross,
uniting your self with the sufferings of Jesus, and so you became for
all the Church a model of compassion.
I, (name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet, humbly
imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself
as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of
soul and body, of my daily sufferings and crosses, of my whole life,
death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.
If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly
to accomplish what was said of you: “She will crush your head, and “You
alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world.” Through my
prayers and sufferings, let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate
and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the
maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help, to
extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart
of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and
growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come
to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus
V. Allow me to praise you, 0 Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against your enemies
Prayer of KFC Consecration Daily Renewal Prayer
IMMACULATA, Mother of the Church, I renew my
self-consecration to you as a “Knight at the Foot of the Cross.” I
desire to magnify the Lord with you this day in a special way by
offering you my sufferings. Joined with you in faith at the foot of
Christ’s Cross, may I ever be an unselfish instrument for the spread of
the Militia of the Immaculata movement and the growth of the Church.
Amen.
O MARY conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.
THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL owes its origins to the
apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the chapel of the Rue du Bac,
Paris, in 1830. She appeared to Catherine of Laboiuré, showing the young
nun and future canonized saint the design of a medal that serves as a
mini-catechism of the Church’s teaching on Our Lady.
In a vision, Mary stood on a globe with brilliant light streaming
from her jeweled fingers. “Behold the symbol of graces shed upon those
who ask for them,” she said, representing herself as Mediatrix of All
Graces. Surrounding her a banner read, “O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to you,” symbolizing her Immaculate
Conception. The vision reversed, showing the letter “M” entwined with a
cross above the Sacred Hearts. This image represents Mary as
Co-redemptrix, a unique participator in Jesus’ saving act of
redemption.
Millions of medals have been distributed and untold graces given “to
those who wear it around the neck” as the Virgin promised to St.
Catherine.
I compiled much of today’s post from these sources:
http://missionimmaculata.com/index.php/marian-spirituality-consecration/how-to-make-your-consecration-to-mary
http://missionimmaculata.com/index.php
http://missionimmaculata.com/images/Documents/St-Maximilian-Kolbe-Novena-Militia-of-the-Immaculata-USA.pdf
https://saintmaximiliankolbe.com/distinctivefeatures/
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PART 3: Day 31 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
THIRD WEEK
THEME FOR THE WEEK: KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST
During
this period we shall apply ourselves to the study of Jesus Christ. What
is to be studied in Christ? First the God-Man, His grace and glory;
then His rights to sovereign dominion over us; since, after having
renounced Satan and the world, we have taken Jesus Christ for our Lord.
What next shall be the object of our study? His exterior actions and
also His interior life; namely, the virtues and acts of His Sacred
Heart; His association with Mary in the mysteries of the Annunciation
and Incarnation, during His infancy and hidden life, at the feast of
Cana and on Calvary.
Day 31 of 33:
Meditation Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis: Book 4, Chapter 2
That the Great Goodness and Love of God Is Exhibited to Man in This Sacrament
In confidence of Thy goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I draw near, sick to the Healer, hungry and thirsty to the
Fountain of life, needy to the King of Heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to the Creator, desolate to my own
tender Comforter. “But whence is this to me,” that Thou comest unto me (Luke 1:43)? What am I, that Thou
shouldest grant me Thine own self? how dare a sinner appear before Thee?
And how is it that Thou dost vouchsafe to come unto a sinner? Thou knowest Thy servant, and art well aware that
he hath in him no good thing, for which Thou shouldest grant him this. I confess therefore mine own vileness, I
acknowledge Thy goodness, I praise Thy tender mercy, and give Thee thanks for Thy transcendent love.
From True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nos. 243-254 243.
Loving slaves of Jesus in Mary should hold in high esteem devotion to Jesus, the Word of God, in the great
mystery of the Incarnation, March 25th, which is the mystery proper to this devotion, because it was inspired by
the Holy Spirit for the following reasons:
a) That we might honour and imitate the wondrous dependence which
God the Son chose to have on Mary, for the glory of his Father and for the redemption of man. This dependence
is revealed especially in this mystery where Jesus becomes a captive and slave in the womb of his Blessed
Mother, depending on her for everything.
b) That we might thank God for the incomparable graces he has
conferred upon Mary and especially that of choosing her to be his most worthy Mother. This choice was made in
the mystery of the incarnation. These are the two principal ends of the slavery of Jesus in Mary.
245. a) Since we live in an age of pride when a great number of haughty scholars, with proud and critical minds,
find fault even with long-established and sound devotions, it is better to speak of “slavery of Jesus in Mary” and to
call oneself “slave of Jesus” rather than “slave of Mary”. We then avoid giving any pretext for criticism. In this way,
we name this devotion after its ultimate end which is Jesus, rather than after the way and the means to arrive
there, which is Mary. However, we can very well use either term without any scruple, as I myself do.
246. b) Since the principal mystery celebrated and honoured in this devotion is the mystery of the Incarnation
where we find Jesus only in Mary, having become incarnate in her womb, it is appropriate for us to say, “slavery
of Jesus in Mary”, of Jesus dwelling enthroned in Mary, according to the beautiful prayer, recited by so many
great souls, “O Jesus living in Mary”.
249. Those who accept this devotion should have a great love for the Hail Mary, or, as it is called, the Angelic
Salutation. Few Christians, however enlightened, understand the value, merit, excellence and necessity of the
Hail Mary. Our Blessed Lady herself had to appear on several occasions to men of great holiness and insight,
such as St. Dominic, St. John Capistran and Blessed Alan de Rupe, to convince them of the richness of this
prayer.
Litany of the Holy Ghost
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, 0 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.
Ave Maris Stella
Hail, bright star of ocean,
God’s own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin,
Gate of heavenly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave
Which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us,
Changing Eva’s name.
Break the captives’ fetters,
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother;
May the Word Divine,
Born for us thy Infant,
Hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,
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.
THIRD WEEK
this period we shall apply ourselves to the study of Jesus Christ. What
is to be studied in Christ? First the God-Man, His grace and glory;
then His rights to sovereign dominion over us; since, after having
renounced Satan and the world, we have taken Jesus Christ for our Lord.
What next shall be the object of our study? His exterior actions and
also His interior life; namely, the virtues and acts of His Sacred
Heart; His association with Mary in the mysteries of the Annunciation
and Incarnation, during His infancy and hidden life, at the feast of
Cana and on Calvary.
Meditation Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis: Book 4, Chapter 2
That the Great Goodness and Love of God Is Exhibited to Man in This Sacrament
Fountain of life, needy to the King of Heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to the Creator, desolate to my own
tender Comforter. “But whence is this to me,” that Thou comest unto me (Luke 1:43)? What am I, that Thou
shouldest grant me Thine own self? how dare a sinner appear before Thee?
he hath in him no good thing, for which Thou shouldest grant him this. I confess therefore mine own vileness, I
acknowledge Thy goodness, I praise Thy tender mercy, and give Thee thanks for Thy transcendent love.
From True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nos. 243-254 243.
mystery of the Incarnation, March 25th, which is the mystery proper to this devotion, because it was inspired by
the Holy Spirit for the following reasons:
God the Son chose to have on Mary, for the glory of his Father and for the redemption of man. This dependence
is revealed especially in this mystery where Jesus becomes a captive and slave in the womb of his Blessed
Mother, depending on her for everything.
conferred upon Mary and especially that of choosing her to be his most worthy Mother. This choice was made in
the mystery of the incarnation. These are the two principal ends of the slavery of Jesus in Mary.
find fault even with long-established and sound devotions, it is better to speak of “slavery of Jesus in Mary” and to
call oneself “slave of Jesus” rather than “slave of Mary”. We then avoid giving any pretext for criticism. In this way,
we name this devotion after its ultimate end which is Jesus, rather than after the way and the means to arrive
there, which is Mary. However, we can very well use either term without any scruple, as I myself do.
where we find Jesus only in Mary, having become incarnate in her womb, it is appropriate for us to say, “slavery
of Jesus in Mary”, of Jesus dwelling enthroned in Mary, according to the beautiful prayer, recited by so many
great souls, “O Jesus living in Mary”.
Salutation. Few Christians, however enlightened, understand the value, merit, excellence and necessity of the
Hail Mary. Our Blessed Lady herself had to appear on several occasions to men of great holiness and insight,
such as St. Dominic, St. John Capistran and Blessed Alan de Rupe, to convince them of the richness of this
prayer.
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, 0 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.
Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus
| V. Lord, have mercy on us. R. Christ, have mercy on us. V. Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us. R. Jesus, graciously hear us. V. God the Father of Heaven R. Have mercy on us. V. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, R. Have mercy on us. V. God the Holy Spirit, R. Have mercy on us. V. Holy Trinity, one God, R. Have mercy on us. V. Jesus, Son of the living God, R. Have mercy on us. Jesus, splendor of the Father, [etc.] Jesus, brightness of eternal light. Jesus, King of glory. Jesus, sun of justice. Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary. Jesus, most amiable. Jesus, most admirable. Jesus, the mighty God. Jesus, Father of the world to come. Jesus, angel of great counsel. Jesus, most powerful. Jesus, most patient. Jesus, most obedient. Jesus, meek and humble of heart. Jesus, lover of chastity. Jesus, lover of us. Jesus, God of peace. Jesus, author of life. Jesus, example of virtues. Jesus, zealous lover of souls. Jesus, our God. Jesus, our refuge. Jesus, father of the poor. Jesus, treasure of the faithful. Jesus, good Shepherd. Jesus, true light. Jesus, eternal wisdom. Jesus, infinite goodness. Jesus, our way and our life. Jesus, joy of Angels. Jesus, King of the Patriarchs. Jesus, Master of the Apostles. Jesus, teacher of the Evangelists. Jesus, strength of Martyrs. Jesus, light of Confessors. Jesus, purity of Virgins. Jesus, crown of Saints. V. Be merciful, R. spare us, O Jesus. V. Be merciful, R. graciously hear us, O Jesus. V. From all evil, R. deliver us, O Jesus. From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus. From Your wrath, [etc.] From the snares of the devil. From the spirit of fornication. From everlasting death. From the neglect of Your inspirations. By the mystery of Your holy Incarnation. By Your Nativity. By Your Infancy. By Your most divine Life. By Your labors. By Your agony and passion. By Your cross and dereliction. By Your sufferings. By Your death and burial. By Your Resurrection. By Your Ascension. By Your institution of the most Holy Eucharist. By Your joys. By Your glory. V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. spare us, O Jesus. V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. graciously hear us, O Jesus. V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. have mercy on us, O Jesus. V. Jesus, hear us. R. Jesus, graciously hear us. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, You have said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you.” Grant, we beg of You, to us who ask it, the gift of Your most divine love, that we may ever love You with our whole heart, in word and deed, and never cease praising You. Give us, O Lord, as much a lasting fear as a lasting love of Your Holy Name, for You, who live and are King for ever and ever, never fail to govern those whom You have solidly established in Your love. R. Amen. |
St. Louis’ Prayer to Mary
Hail
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.
May the light of thy faith dispel the darkness of my mind; may thy profound humility take the place of my pride; may thy sublime contemplation check the distractions of my wandering imagination; may thy continuous sight of God fill my memory with
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.
Such is, O heavenly Mary, the “best part,” which the Lord has
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.
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.
O Jesus Living in Mary
O Jesus, living in Mary,
Come and live in Thy servants,
In the spirit of Thy holiness,
In the fullness of Thy might,
In the truth of Thy virtues,
In the perfection of Thy ways,
In the communion of Thy mysteries.
Subdue every hostile power
In Thy spirit, for the glory of the Father.
Amen.
Come and live in Thy servants,
In the spirit of Thy holiness,
In the fullness of Thy might,
In the truth of Thy virtues,
In the perfection of Thy ways,
In the communion of Thy mysteries.
Subdue every hostile power
In Thy spirit, for the glory of the Father.
Amen.
Read:
St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary paragraphs
249-254.
5. Saying the Hail Mary and the Rosary
249. Those who accept this devotion should have a great love for the Hail Mary, or, as it is called, the Angelic Salutation.
Few
Christians, however enlightened, understand the value, merit,
excellence and necessity of the Hail Mary. Our Blessed Lady herself had
to appear on several occasions to men of great holiness and insight,
such as St. Dominic, St. John Capistran and Blessed Alan de Rupe, to
convince them of the richness of this prayer.
They
composed whole books on the wonders it had worked and its efficacy in
converting sinners. They earnestly proclaimed and publicly preached that
just as the salvation of the world began with the Hail Mary, so the
salvation of each individual is bound up with it. This prayer, they
said, brought to a dry and barren world the Fruit of Life, and if well
said, will cause the Word of God to take root in the soul and bring
forth Jesus, the Fruit of Life. They also tell us that the Hail Mary is a
heavenly dew which waters the earth of our soul and makes it bear fruit
in due season. The soul which is not watered by this heavenly dew bears
no fruit but only thorns and briars, and merits only God’s
condemnation.
250. Here
is what our Blessed Lady revealed to Blessed Alan de Rupe as recorded
in his book, The Dignity of the Rosary, and as told again by Cartagena:
“Know, my son, and make it known to all, that lukewarmness or negligence
in saying the Hail Mary, or a distaste for it, is a probable and
proximate sign of eternal damnation, for by this prayer the whole world
was restored.”
These
are terrible words but at the same time they are consoling. We should
find it hard to believe them, were we not assured of their truth by
Blessed Alan and by St. Dominic before him, and by so many great men
since his time. The experience of many centuries is there to prove it,
for it has always been common knowledge that those who bear the sign of
reprobation, as all formal heretics, evil-doers, the proud and the
worldly, hate and spurn the Hail Mary and the Rosary. True, heretics
learn to say the Our Father but they will not countenance the Hail Mary
and the Rosary and they would rather carry a snake around with them than
a rosary. And there are even Catholics who, sharing the proud
tendencies of their father Lucifer, despise the Hail Mary or look upon
it with indifference. The Rosary, they say, is a devotion suitable only
for ignorant and illiterate people.
On
the other hand, we know from experience that those who show positive
signs of being among the elect, appreciate and love the Hail Mary and
are always glad to say it. The closer they are to God, the more they
love this prayer, as our Blessed Lady went on to tell Blessed Alan.
251. I
do not know how this should be, but it is perfectly true; and I know no
surer way of discovering whether a person belongs to God than by
finding out if he loves the Hail Mary and the Rosary. I say, “if he
loves”, for it can happen that a person for some reason may be unable to
say the Rosary, but this does not prevent him from loving it and
inspiring others to say it.
252. Chosen
souls, slaves of Jesus in Mary, understand that after the Our Father,
the Hail Mary is the most beautiful of all prayers. It is the perfect
compliment the most High God paid to Mary through his archangel in order
to win her heart. So powerful was the effect of this greeting upon her,
on account of its hidden delights, that despite her great humility, she
gave her consent to the incarnation of the Word. If you say the Hail
Mary properly, this compliment will infallibly earn you Mary’s good
will.
253. When
the Hail Mary is well said, that is, with attention, devotion and
humility, it is, according to the saints, the enemy of Satan, putting
him to flight; it is the hammer that crushes him, a source of holiness
for souls, a joy to the angels and a sweet melody for the devout. It is
the Canticle of the New Testament, a delight for Mary and glory for the
most Blessed Trinity. The Hail Mary is dew falling from heaven to make
the soul fruitful. It is a pure kiss of love we give to Mary. It is a
crimson rose, a precious pearl that we offer to her. It is a cup of
ambrosia, a divine nectar that we offer her. These are comparisons made
by the saints.
254. I
earnestly beg of you, then, by the love I bear you in Jesus and Mary,
not to be content with saying the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin,
but say the Rosary too, and if time permits, all its fifteen decades,
every day. Then when death draws near, you will bless the day and hour
when you took to heart what I told you, for having sown the blessings of
Jesus and Mary, you will reap the eternal blessings in heaven.
St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary paragraphs
249. Those who accept this devotion should have a great love for the Hail Mary, or, as it is called, the Angelic Salutation.
Few
Christians, however enlightened, understand the value, merit,
excellence and necessity of the Hail Mary. Our Blessed Lady herself had
to appear on several occasions to men of great holiness and insight,
such as St. Dominic, St. John Capistran and Blessed Alan de Rupe, to
convince them of the richness of this prayer.
They
composed whole books on the wonders it had worked and its efficacy in
converting sinners. They earnestly proclaimed and publicly preached that
just as the salvation of the world began with the Hail Mary, so the
salvation of each individual is bound up with it. This prayer, they
said, brought to a dry and barren world the Fruit of Life, and if well
said, will cause the Word of God to take root in the soul and bring
forth Jesus, the Fruit of Life. They also tell us that the Hail Mary is a
heavenly dew which waters the earth of our soul and makes it bear fruit
in due season. The soul which is not watered by this heavenly dew bears
no fruit but only thorns and briars, and merits only God’s
condemnation.
250. Here
is what our Blessed Lady revealed to Blessed Alan de Rupe as recorded
in his book, The Dignity of the Rosary, and as told again by Cartagena:
“Know, my son, and make it known to all, that lukewarmness or negligence
in saying the Hail Mary, or a distaste for it, is a probable and
proximate sign of eternal damnation, for by this prayer the whole world
was restored.”
These
are terrible words but at the same time they are consoling. We should
find it hard to believe them, were we not assured of their truth by
Blessed Alan and by St. Dominic before him, and by so many great men
since his time. The experience of many centuries is there to prove it,
for it has always been common knowledge that those who bear the sign of
reprobation, as all formal heretics, evil-doers, the proud and the
worldly, hate and spurn the Hail Mary and the Rosary. True, heretics
learn to say the Our Father but they will not countenance the Hail Mary
and the Rosary and they would rather carry a snake around with them than
a rosary. And there are even Catholics who, sharing the proud
tendencies of their father Lucifer, despise the Hail Mary or look upon
it with indifference. The Rosary, they say, is a devotion suitable only
for ignorant and illiterate people.
On
the other hand, we know from experience that those who show positive
signs of being among the elect, appreciate and love the Hail Mary and
are always glad to say it. The closer they are to God, the more they
love this prayer, as our Blessed Lady went on to tell Blessed Alan.
251. I
do not know how this should be, but it is perfectly true; and I know no
surer way of discovering whether a person belongs to God than by
finding out if he loves the Hail Mary and the Rosary. I say, “if he
loves”, for it can happen that a person for some reason may be unable to
say the Rosary, but this does not prevent him from loving it and
inspiring others to say it.
252. Chosen
souls, slaves of Jesus in Mary, understand that after the Our Father,
the Hail Mary is the most beautiful of all prayers. It is the perfect
compliment the most High God paid to Mary through his archangel in order
to win her heart. So powerful was the effect of this greeting upon her,
on account of its hidden delights, that despite her great humility, she
gave her consent to the incarnation of the Word. If you say the Hail
Mary properly, this compliment will infallibly earn you Mary’s good
will.
the Hail Mary is well said, that is, with attention, devotion and
humility, it is, according to the saints, the enemy of Satan, putting
him to flight; it is the hammer that crushes him, a source of holiness
for souls, a joy to the angels and a sweet melody for the devout. It is
the Canticle of the New Testament, a delight for Mary and glory for the
most Blessed Trinity. The Hail Mary is dew falling from heaven to make
the soul fruitful. It is a pure kiss of love we give to Mary. It is a
crimson rose, a precious pearl that we offer to her. It is a cup of
ambrosia, a divine nectar that we offer her. These are comparisons made
by the saints.
254. I
earnestly beg of you, then, by the love I bear you in Jesus and Mary,
not to be content with saying the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin,
but say the Rosary too, and if time permits, all its fifteen decades,
every day. Then when death draws near, you will bless the day and hour
when you took to heart what I told you, for having sown the blessings of
Jesus and Mary, you will reap the eternal blessings in heaven.