“I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother”(True Devotion, 233).
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 Magnificat today and the accompanying Scripture texts as you meditate and
PRAY THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES,
THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES,
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES and
ALL THE GLORIOUS 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).
6. Here are the last suggestions St. Louis de Montfort offers regarding our day of consecration:
“On the day of consecration, either fast, give alms, or offer a votive candle for the good of another (or all of the
above); do some spiritual penance and approach consecration in the spirit of mortification.
Now go to Confession (or, if that is not possible, go during the 8 days prior) and then receive Communion with the
intention of giving yourself to Jesus, as a slave of love, by the hands of Mary.
We have come to an end of our preparation!!!
A preparation of the imperfect…
A
preparation that has been at times intense, hard and overwhelming, but
hopefully always grace-filled and ultimately, through the grace of God
and through the intercession of Mary: life-changing.
I know I have
shared much with you… purposefully, I have shared more than most of us
could have time to read, watch or assimilate … with the hope of
showing the great immensity of grace, goodness, knowledge and wisdom
of Total Consecration. For I have felt called
to present a treasury of wisdom and grace that would exceed us… that
would lead us to go back… to reread and to savor again and again…
with the opportunity to always go deeper, to go more fully into God
through and with and in the help of Mary.
I pray that during
these 33 days each of us has grown in knowledge and trust of God,
prayer,
that each of us has grown in the understanding of how vitally important
this is not only for our own souls, but for the souls of all those God loves ….
pray it has led us to deeper humility and abandonment of God…
I
will end these days sharing the same words I used as I began them (as
well as some key concepts I believe God wants to leave you with):
It is vital because:
“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society, or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel, between Christ and the antichrist. The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God’s Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take up, and face courageously.” (St. John Paul II, 1976 Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia)
Giving ourselves – entrusting ourselves – completely to God in and through and with Mary is the most important thing we can do
to know and love Jesus more deeply,
to fully become the saints whom God created us to be,
while “being the quickest, easiest, surest and most perfect means” of doing so –
and because it is God’s will for us to do so in order to save the world.
Sister Lucia, one of the visionaries who saw Mary in Fatima in 1917, stated:
“…look, above all, at the great prophecies of [Louis-Marie
Grignion de Montfort] on these times, the era of Mary, the era of the
antichrist. For Montfort, the era of Mary and the era of the antichrist
are one and the same thing – Mary appears on the battlefield precisely
in order to vanquish the antichrist forces which are the forces of evil
that operate throughout history and against the apostles, the apostles
chosen by Mary whom she forms – Montfort calls these the apostles of the
last times.” Radio Maria’s Father Livio
This is one of the reasons why I believe it is so transformative!
And
this is also why I see it as the easiest and surest way of both living
out the Divine Will and also helping to bring God’s Kingdom about –
because when we give ourselves completely to God through Mary, He is
able to have His Way with us, so that He is able to live inside of us
and through us and work within us – in a way He never was able to before
(with the help and love and prayers of our Mother)
– So, that then
we and our lives and prayers are able to impact the world around us in
ways that we can never conceive or imagine!!
Remember, Mary told us
in Fatima that Consecration to her Immaculate Heart was God’s desire for
us and that it would be our hope and the means through which He would
save us and the world!
is such a powerful means to greater union with God and
because it’s so vitally important not only for us but for the whole world,
know that you will be greatly tempted not to finish this consecration
There will be thoughts that come to you against this devotion.
There will be thoughts against making it again as you’ve done it before… and to what use?
There will be thoughts against Mary
or thoughts against ourselves because satan tells us we are unable or unworthy or too sinful,
or thoughts against each other regarding the same…
There will be things, activities, commitments that come up – you may miss days – but I encourage you:
Do not let any of this, or anything stop you!
No other plans are more important.
And once you’ve begun, if you miss a day, don’t give into the temptation to stop.
Begin again… catch up.
Know God will meet us where we are!
None of us can or will do this perfectly.
This is not about perfection, but growing in faith and trust.
It is not a test, but a journey with and in the School of Our Lady.
It
is a time to draw closer to God and to Truth – in and through His
Mother -who is our secret weapon against satan, who is absolutely
crushed by her humility as Genesis foretells us: “and she will crush your head” Gen. 3:15.
Let
us be confident, therefore, that if we make this commitment for 33
days, Mary will be with us as our advocate. And because she is never
outdone in generosity – if we give all that we can, (although little and
insignificant and filled with faults) – she will outdo us in giving
back to us far greater graces than we can ever imagine. And, she will
also help make up for what we’re lacking – by making even the little we
can offer into a beautiful gift for God.
Remember, it isn’t
without reason that many of the greatest of saints, including St. John
Paul II, called making this consecration the turning point of his life.
Consecration not only was a turning point, but it became the heart and
soul of his life and pontificate, evidenced in making the essence of
consecration his papal motto: “Totus Tuus”, which means Totally Yours.
He even even taught that Consecration is not an optional devotion, but
rather that: “this “perfect devotion” is indispensable to anyone who
means to give himself without reserve to Christ and to the work of
redemption.”
definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed
to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be
told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between
persons.
do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth
in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.
am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him,
in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may
serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away
my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make
my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is
about.”
creating this amount of teaching each day has been challenging (to say the least) … I will miss this time together that we’ve had! Please
keep in touch and let me know how God has touched you through this
devotion and what He is calling you to do – as the irrepeatable image of
God that you are!!! I look forward to hearing from you!
Let us begin by praying the
which St. Louis recommends below and is prayed daily in evening prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. 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: Day 33 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
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 11
That the Blood of Christ and the Holy Scriptures
Are Most Necessary unto a Faithful Soul
O most sweet Lord Jesus, how great is the pleasure of the devout soul that feasteth with Thee in Thy banquet;
where there is set for her no other food to be eaten but Thyself, her only Beloved, and most to be desired above
all the desires of her heart! To me also it would be indeed sweet, in Thy presence to pour forth tears from the very
bottom of my heart, and with the grateful Magdalene to wash Thy feet with tears (Luke 7:38). But where is that
devotion? Where that bountiful flowing of holy tears? Surely in the sight of Thee and Thy holy Angels, my whole
heart ought to burn, and to weep for joy. For in this Sacrament I have Thee mystically present, hidden under
another shape. For to look upon Thee in Thine own Divine brightness, mine eyes would not be able to endure; nor
could even the whole world stand in the splendor of the glory of Thy majesty. Herein then Thou hast regard to my
weakness, that Thou dost hide Thyself under this Sacrament.
From True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nos. 261-265
In Mary
261. We must do everything in Mary. To understand this we must realise that the Blessed Virgin is the true earthly
paradise of the new Adam and that the ancient paradise was only a symbol of her. There are in this earthly
paradise untold riches, beauties, rarities and delights, which the new Adam, Jesus Christ, has left there. It is in
this paradise that he “took his delights” for nine months, worked his wonders and displayed his riches with the
magnificence of God himself.In this earthly paradise grows the real Tree of Life which bore our Lord, the fruit of
Life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which bore the Light of the world. In this divine place there are trees
planted by the hand of God and watered by his divine unction which have borne and continue to bear fruit that is
pleasing to him. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the truths that these material objects symbolise. 262. The Holy
Spirit speaking through the Fathers of the Church, also calls our Lady the Eastern Gate, through which the High
Priest, Jesus Christ, enters and goes out into the world. Through this gate he entered the world the first time and
through this same gate he will come the second time.
For Mary
265. Finally, we must do everything for Mary. We take Mary for our proximate end, our mysterious intermediary
and the easiest way of reaching him. Relying on her protection, we should undertake and carry out great things
for our noble Queen. We must defend her privileges when they are questioned and uphold her good name when it
is under attack. We must attract everyone, if possible, to her service and to this true and sound devotion. As a
reward for these little services, we should expect nothing in return save the honour of belonging to such a lovable
Queen and the joy of being united through her to Jesus, her Son, by a bond that is indissoluble in time and in
eternity.
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.
Litany of the Holy Name of JesusV. Lord, have mercy on us. |
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.
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 261-265.
261. We must do everything in Mary. To understand this we must realise that the Blessed Virgin is the
true earthly paradise of the new Adam and that the ancient paradise was only a symbol of her. There are in
this earthly paradise untold riches, beauties, rarities and delights, which the new Adam, Jesus Christ, has
left there. It is in this paradise that he “took his delights” for nine months, worked his wonders and
displayed his riches with the magnificence of God himself. This most holy place consists of only virgin and
immaculate soil from which the new Adam was formed with neither spot nor stain by the operation of the
Holy Spirit who dwells there. In this earthly paradise grows the real Tree of Life which bore our Lord, the
fruit of Life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which bore the Light of the world.
which have borne and continue to bear fruit that is pleasing to him. There are flower-beds studded with a
variety of beautiful flowers of virtue, diffusing a fragrance which delights even the angels. Here there are
meadows verdant with hope, impregnable towers of fortitude, enchanting mansions of confidence and many
other delights.
Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the truths that these material objects symbolise. In this place the
air is perfectly pure. There is no night but only the brilliant day of the sacred humanity, the resplendent,
spotless sun of the Divinity, the blazing furnace of love, melting all the base metal thrown into it and
changing it into gold. There the river of humility gushes forth from the soil, divides into four branches and
irrigates the whole of this enchanted place. These branches are the four cardinal virtues.
262. The Holy Spirit speaking through the Fathers of the Church, also calls our Lady the Eastern Gate,
through which the High Priest, Jesus Christ, enters and goes out into the world. Through this gate he entered
the world the first time and through this same gate he will come the second time.
The Holy Spirit also calls her the Sanctuary of the Divinity, the Resting-Place of the Holy Spirit, the
Throne of God, the City of God, the Altar of God, the Temple of God, the World of God. All these titles and
expressions of praise are very real when related to the different wonders the Almighty worked in her and the
graces which he bestowed on her. What wealth and what glory! What a joy and a privilege for us to enter
and dwell in Mary, in whom almighty God has set up the throne of his supreme glory!
263. But how difficult it is for us to have the freedom, the ability and the light to enter such an exalted
and holy place. This place is guarded not by a cherub, like the first earthly paradise, but by the Holy Spirit
himself who has become its absolute Master. Referring to her, he says: “You are an enclosed garden, my
sister, my bride, an enclosed garden and a sealed fountain.” Mary is enclosed. Mary is sealed. The
unfortunate children of Adam and Eve driven from the earthly paradise, can enter this new paradise only by
a special grace of the Holy Spirit which they have to merit.
264. When we have obtained this remarkable grace by our fidelity, we should be delighted to remain in
Mary. We should rest there peacefully, rely on her confidently, hide ourselves there with safety, and
abandon ourselves unconditionally to her, so that within her virginal bosom:
1) We may be nourished with the milk of her grace and her motherly compassion.
2) We may be delivered from all anxiety, fear and scruples.
3) We may be safeguarded from all our enemies, the devil, the world and sin which have never
gained admittance there. That is why our Lady says that those who work in her will not sin, that is, those
who dwell spiritually in our Lady will never commit serious sin.
4) We may be formed in our Lord and our Lord formed in us, because her womb is, as the early
Fathers call it, the house of the divine secrets where Jesus and all the elect have been conceived. “This one
and that one were born in her.”
For Mary
265. Finally, we must do everything for Mary. Since we have given ourselves completely to her service,
it is only right that we should do everything for her as if we were her personal servant and slave. This does
not mean that we take her for the ultimate end of our service for Jesus alone is our ultimate end. But we take
Mary for our proximate end, our mysterious intermediary and the easiest way of reaching him.
Like every good servant and slave we must not remain idle, but, relying on her protection, we
should undertake and carry out great things for our noble Queen. We must defend her privileges when they
are questioned and uphold her good name when it is under attack. We must attract everyone, if possible, to
her service and to this true and sound devotion. We must speak up and denounce those who distort devotion
to her by outraging her Son, and at the same time we must apply ourselves to spreading this true devotion.
As a reward for these little services, we should expect nothing in return save the honour of belonging to such a lovable Queen and the joy of being united through her to Jesus, her Son, by a bond that is
indissoluble in time and in eternity. Glory to Jesus in Mary! Glory to Mary in Jesus! Glory to God alone!
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