Day 13 - Mar 4

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we begin a week that can be most difficult, as we continue our journey. In the preliminary 12 days completed yesterday, we tried to "rid ourselves of the spirit of the world" and in a sense we dealt with "exterior" things. We began to observe more closely how the spirit of the world differs from the spirit of Jesus and Mary.

By God's Grace, now we take a step deeper into our own interior lives. This week, spent in seeking a greater knowledge of ourselves, can be difficult because we often do not want to see our true faults. It can be easier to look at the world and see how things outside of us can be wrong; but we may not want to see ourselves in the light of God's piercing Truth. The Truth can hurt, sometimes.

At least that has been my experience. Please let us continue praying for one another, and all God's children, that we may learn God's Truth about ourselves and better cooperate with Him to enter into His Holiness. True self knowledge is humility.

Day 13
Purpose: Obtain Knowledge Of Yourself

Prayers, examinations, reflection, acts of renouncement of our own will, of contrition for our sins, of contempt of self, all performed at the feet of Mary, for it is from her that we hope for light to know ourselves. It is near her, that we shall be able to measure the abyss of our miseries without despairing.

We should employ all our pious actions in asking for a knowledge of ourselves and contrition of our sins: and we should do this in a spirit of piety. During this period, we shall consider not so much the opposition that exists between the spirit of Jesus and ours, as the miserable and humiliating state to which our sins have reduced us. Moreover, the True Devotion being an easy, short, sure and perfect way to arrive at that union with Our Lord which is Christlike perfection, we shall enter seriously upon this way, strongly convinced of our misery and helplessness. But how attain this without a knowledge of ourselves'?

Suggested Reading and Prayers are [HERE](http://totalconsecration.ageofmary.com/preparation-13.html)

Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart, make our hearts like yours.
Mother most humble pray for us.
St. Joseph and St. Louis de Montfort, pray for us.