August - Month of the Immaculate Heart

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Yesterday in the First Saturday post, I made mention of the month of August being dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I also gave a link for more information, and perhaps some of you read the following:

Pope Paul VI, on the floor of the Vatican Council at the close of the third session, renewed publicly the consecration of the Church and the world to Mary’s Immaculate Heart. He said that his thoughts turned to the whole world “which our venerated predecessor Pius XII . . . not without inspiration from on high, solemnly consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. . . . O Virgin Mary, Mother of the Council, to you we recommend the entire Church.” When he visited Fatima on May 13, 1967, the same Pope recalled this “consecration which we ourselves have renewed on November 21, 1964 — we exhort all the sons of the Church to renew personally their consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of the Church and to bring alive this most noble act of veneration through a life ever more in accord with the divine will and in a spirit of filial service and of devout imitation of their heavenly Queen.”

Before making a consecration it is most desirable to make a careful preparation extending over some period of time. One good way to make that preparation is described in the last part of St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion book.

The most essential thing is not making an act of consecration, with or without some solemnity, though that is important. The essential thing is to live that consecration.

See HERE for more

 

[7_Sorrows]

Thank you!

 

[3DOCTORS]

Yes, thank you so much for sharing this! I have been thinking about the Immaculate Heart a lot lately and how much our Blessed Mother must be grieved by a lot of the stuff that’s been happening - the Culture of Death seems to be gaining a stranglehold on so many areas. But we must take comfort in the knowledge that Mother Mary cares for us and yearns for us to turn to her. Again, thanks for the link.

 

[Googler]

Too many still say, stubbornly — ‘Why this Marian consecration when I can go directly to Jesus?’

Dear sister, maybe you can remind us what Saint Louis de Montfort said about this. I’m a little more familiar with Saint Maximillian and here’s one of the many ways he tried to express this:

If we are of the Immaculata, then all that is ours belongs to her, and Jesus accepts everything that comes from us as if it came from her, as her own. Therefore, she cannot allow for those actions to remain imperfect, consecrated to her, even if it it does not explicitly address its thought to the Immaculata and directly offer to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus prayer, work, suffering, or any other matter, that soul will bring to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus a pleasure incomparably greater than it would if it were not consecrated to the Immaculata.
Since she is the property of Jesus in the most perfect way, while Jesus is God and the property of the eternal Father, all of our offerings, even if addressed directly to the eternal Father will be, by the nature of things, mad pure in the Immaculata. They will be raised up to infinate perfection in Jesus; and they will become the object of delight to the Holy Trinity.
That is why Satan anxiously strives to make sure that souls are diverted from union with the Immaculata, the heavenly Mother. For Satan knows that a soul that excludes the mediation of the Immaculata ends up giving up to Jesus offerings that are so rife with flaws that they deserve more punishment than reward. What is worse, these gifts are polluted with pride, since we believe we have no need for the Mother of God. I should underline that this does not apply to offerings given to Jesus directly, even if we forget about the Immaculata, as long as we do not exclude her, for we often neglect to mention what is already taken for granted. That is why a soul consecrated to the Immaculata must freely follow its heart’s inspiration and approach the tabernacle, the Cross, and the Most Holy Trinity with greater resolve, for it will not be approaching them alone, but together with the heavenly Mother, the Immaculata. Thus, we need to pray freely, both with ejaculatory prayers and with other prayers, wherever the wings of God’s love lead us, wherever the Holy Spirit blows, shattering all barriers.
Lucifer refused to pay tribute to the Man-God, but his resistance was even stronger at the idea of venerating a mere human creature, albeit the purest of all, the Immaculata. An echo of Satan’s attitude is found in heretics, who refuse to venerate the Immaculata, and in free thinkers who in their pride hurl poison at her…
It is absolutely necessary to win over the whole world to her, that the dominion of sin may end.
~Saint Maximillian Kolbe

 

[MariaChristi]

Thank you!

And thank you for your encouragement, dear 7 Sorrows.

Our Lady is so little appreciated in the world today. It is good to know you love her – let us pray to love her even more, each day growing in our thankfulness to God for the wonder of His work in her and His Infinite Love in sending His Son, to become Incarnate in her womb. She is God’s Mother and ours. She is His gift to us from the Cross.

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes, thank you so much for sharing this! I have been thinking about the Immaculate Heart a lot lately and how much our Blessed Mother must be grieved by a lot of the stuff that’s been happening - the Culture of Death seems to be gaining a stranglehold on so many areas. But we must take comfort in the knowledge that Mother Mary cares for us and yearns for us to turn to her. Again, thanks for the link.

Dear 3Doctors,

Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of Mary! What an infinite mystery of God’s Love and Humility to come to us so small as to rest beneath her heart! There is so much to ponder and to weep over seeing the lack of love towards her and toward the Life God continually offers us. While it may look to us that evil is gaining ground, we need to remember always that evil goes only as far as God permits. God is always in control. St. John Paul II told Servant of God Frank Duff, (Founder of the Legion of Mary): “Remember, victory will come through Mary”!

Let us continue to pray the Rosary and the Fatima prayer:

O my Jesus, pardon us and save us from the fires of hell. Draw all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of His Mercy

 

[Kurisu35712]

Interesting to know. I actually started saying a “decade” of the Seven Sorrows Chaplet every day starting last Monday, and started the First Five Saturdays devotion yesterday. Guess I picked a good month to start!

 

[MariaChristi]

Too many still say, stubbornly — ‘Why this Marian consecration when I can go directly to Jesus?’

Dear sister, maybe you can remind us what Saint Louis de Montfort said about this. I’m a little more familiar with Saint Maximillian and here’s one of the many ways he tried to express this:

…Since she is the property of Jesus in the most perfect way, while Jesus is God and the property of the eternal Father, all of our offerings, even if addressed directly to the eternal Father will be, by the nature of things, made pure in the Immaculata. They will be raised up to infinite perfection in Jesus; and they will become the object of delight to the Holy Trinity…

Dear Brother,

Thanks for the quote from St. Maximilian Kolbe. He is very much “in tune” with St. Louis de Montfort who wrote much earlier but with the same fervor and with great knowledge of the Scriptures. These champions of Mary need to be heard in our day, when the evil one continues to spread his hatred for Mary, knowing she only brings souls closer to Jesus. Here are some comments from the beginning pages of De Montfort’s treatise, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

From the Introduction by St. Louis De Montfort

…The very devils in hell, while fearing her, show her respect.

1. And yet in truth we must still say with the saints: De Maria numquam satis : We have still not praised, exalted, honoured, loved and served Mary adequately. She is worthy of even more praise, respect, love and service.

1. Moreover, we should repeat after the Holy Spirit, “All the glory of the king’s daughter is within”, meaning that all the external glory which heaven and earth vie with each other to give her is nothing compared to what she has received interiorly from her Creator, namely, a glory unknown to insignificant creatures like us, who cannot penetrate into the secrets of the king.

1. Finally, we must say in the words of the apostle Paul, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man understood” the beauty, the grandeur, the excellence of Mary, who is indeed a miracle of miracles of grace, nature and glory. “If you wish to understand the Mother,” says a saint, “then understand the Son. She is a worthy Mother of God.” Hic taceat omnis lingua : Here let every tongue be silent.

1. My heart has dictated with special joy all that I have written to show that Mary has been unknown up till now, and that that is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is not known as he should be.

If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of Jesus Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a necessary consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She who first gave him to the world will establish his kingdom in the world.

From Chapter One - Necessity of Devotion to Our Lady

…14. With the whole Church I acknowledge that Mary, being a mere creature fashioned by the hands of God is, compared to his infinite majesty, less than an atom, or rather is simply nothing, since he alone can say, “I am he who is”. Consequently, this great Lord, who is ever independent and self-sufficient, never had and does not now have any absolute need of the Blessed Virgin for the accomplishment of his will and the manifestation of his glory. To do all things he has only to will them.

1. However, I declare that, considering things as they are, because God has decided to begin and accomplish his greatest works through the Blessed Virgin ever since he created her, we can safely believe that he will not change his plan in the time to come, for he is God and therefore does not change in his thoughts or his way of acting.

I want to start another thread specifically on “Consecration”, God willing, maybe tomorrow.

 

[MariaChristi]

Interesting to know. I actually started saying a “decade” of the Seven Sorrows Chaplet every day starting last Monday, and started the First Five Saturdays devotion yesterday. Guess I picked a good month to start!

Dear Kurisu,

Thanks for sharing your devotion to Mary – every day, and every month is a good time to start but I’m happy you began now when the Church can be united in offering the Immaculate Heart of Our Mother love when so many others seem to be neglecting the most Faithful and Loving of all Mothers.

How can we neglect such a gift as Mary our Mother, given to us by Jesus from His Cross? It seems to me we can be deceived, or ignorant, or lazy, or something less than we are called to be as brothers and sisters of Jesus. Come Holy Spirit! Enlighten our minds and kindle our hearts with Your Love.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Dear 3Doctors,

Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of Mary! What an infinite mystery of God’s Love and Humility to come to us so small as to rest beneath her heart! There is so much to ponder and to weep over seeing the lack of love towards her and toward the Life God continually offers us. While it may look to us that evil is gaining ground, we need to remember always that evil goes only as far as God permits. God is always in control. St. John Paul II told Servant of God Frank Duff, (Founder of the Legion of Mary): “Remember, victory will come through Mary”!

Let us continue to pray the Rosary and the Fatima prayer:

Yes! :yup: I was at a friend’s house yesterday afternoon and EWTN was on - Scott Hahn and a priest and they were talking about how we view Mary as Catholics. It was a very good explanation. I mean, I’m a cradle Catholic and have studied apologetics so I know we don’t worship Mary but it was a great explanation for those who don’t understand. Anyway, Mary is our Mother and what a gift she is to us!

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes! :yup: I was at a friend’s house yesterday afternoon and EWTN was on - Scott Hahn and a priest and they were talking about how we view Mary as Catholics. It was a very good explanation. I mean, I’m a cradle Catholic and have studied apologetics so I know we don’t worship Mary but it was a great explanation for those who don’t understand. Anyway, Mary is our Mother and what a gift she is to us!

Thanks, 3Doctors,

My husband and I were at Franciscan University, Steubenville, for 2 years while he gained his Masters in Theology and Ministry. I was substitute teaching in local Catholic Schools the first year, so when I wasn’t teaching, the professors let me “sit in” on his classes. Dr. Scott Hahn was one of his teachers, so I know how well Dr. Hahn can explain things and how he can help many to appreciate their faith more. As a convert, he knows what he was missing for many years.

Our second year there, I began teaching full time and did not have as many opportunities to sit in on classes. My favorite professor of all, however, was Dr. John Crosby who taught Philosophy. I learned not only more philosophy than I had learned in my own courses previously, but I learned also how to be a better teacher. Dr. Crosby had a remarkable way of drawing out the best from every student. It was a great two years for us.

One comment from my husband, during our first year there was this – since I could spend more time in the Adoration Chapel, in the University Library, and auditing classes of my choice – with no papers to write or exams to take, he wondered who really got the “better education” Of course he actually did, but I thought it was rather “insightful” on his part.