Day 5 - Feb. 25

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

How very quickly the time passes! Here we are at Day 5 and almost the halfway mark in the preliminary 12 days of our preparation for Consecration/Re-consecration to Jesus through Mary. Again, today's Mass readings for this Lenten Saturday can help us. These words from Isaiah in the first reading blessed me especially:

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am. “If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in...

Oh the nearness of God and His will to save us! May we learn from Jesus and Mary to "pour ourselves out". Our suggested reading today from the Imitation of Christ, also helps us in our efforts to rid ourselves of the spirit of the world, by God's Grace:

…Let Thy Name be praised, not mine; let Thy work be magnified, not mine; let Thy Holy Name be blessed, but let nothing be attributed to me of the praise of men. Thou art my glory; Thou art the exultation of my heart; in Thee, will I glory and rejoice all the day; but for myself, I will glory in nothing but in my infirmities.

See [HERE](http://totalconsecration.ageofmary.com/preparation-05.html) for the full text of Day 5 suggested reading and prayers.

Please let us continue to pray for one another and all those in most need of His Mercy!