Day 27 (Wk 3 - Day 1) seeking to understand Jesus Christ better

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we begin the final week of our 33 day journey toward Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. In True Devotion, we read:

1. During the third week they should seek to understand Jesus Christ better. They may read and meditate on what we have already said about him. They may say the prayer of St. Augustine which they will find at the beginning of the second part of this book. Again with St. Augustine, they may pray repeatedly, “Lord, that I may know You,” or “Lord, that I may see.” As during the previous week, they should recite the Litany of the Holy Spirit and the Ave Maris Stella, adding every day the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.

Notice the times St. Louis de Montfort wrote “may”. He does not want to burden us with many things to do or even to pray but makes suggestions. The daily Litany of the Holy Spirit is important for The Holy Spirit was sent to bring us into ALL Truth (cf Jn 16:13). He reveals Jesus to us. The Ave Maris Stella is prayed to keep us close to Mary, and this week, the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus is prayed to help us grow through these invocations to understand Jesus better by calling on Him in different ways.

Here is the Prayer of St. Augustine which you may choose to pray:

Prayer of Saint Augustine

O Jesus Christ, you are my Father, my merciful God, my great King, my good Shepherd, my only Master, my best helper, my beloved friend of overwhelming beauty, my living Bread, my eternal priest. You are my guide to my heavenly home, my one true light, my holy joy, my true way, my shining wisdom, my unfeigned simplicity, the peace and harmony of my soul, my perfect safeguard, my bounteous inheritance, my everlasting salvation.

My loving Lord, Jesus Christ, why have I ever loved or desired anything else in my life but you, my God? Where was I when I was not in communion with you? From now on, I direct all my desires to be inspired by you and centred on you. I direct them to press forward for they have tarried long enough, to hasten towards their goal, to seek the one they yearn for.

O Jesus, let him who does not love you be accursed, and filled with bitterness. O gentle Jesus, let every worthy feeling of mine show you love, take delight in you and admire you. O God of my heart and my inheritance, Christ Jesus, may my heart mellow before the influence of your spirit and may you live in me. May the flame of your love burn in my soul. May it burn incessantly on the altar of my heart. May it glow in my innermost being. May it spread its heat into the hidden recesses of my soul and on the day of my consummation may I appear before you consumed in your love. Amen.

Litany to the Holy Spirit HERE
Ave Maris Stella HERE