Day 6 - halfway on our 33 Day Journey

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MariaChristi

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. (Jn 3:16)
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It is good to ponder this verse in following St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion, spending “at least twelve days in emptying themselves of the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the spirit of Jesus,”

It is important to focus on God’s Love to see how much He gave to save the world from condemnation. If we’re to empty ourselves of the “spirit of the world” we need to replace that spirit with God’s Spirit given at Baptism through Jesus.

Jesus told the Pharisees they could not hear Him because there was “no room” in them for God’s Word. We need to make room by opening ourselves to God’s Love asking His Holy Spirit to help us me empty our self-love that leaves no room for His Word.

It is good to ponder more :
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. (John 3: 17 - 19)
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How very important is the supernatural faith given to us in Baptism, whereby we are enabled to believe! No wonder St. Louis de Montfort tells us Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary is a perfect renewal of our Baptismal Promises.

John the Beloved Disciple saw on Calvary standing with Mary at the foot of the Cross, what evil in this world is capable of doing. He saw darkness covering the earth. In his first letter to the Church after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he wrote:
… Now this is the message that we have heard from Him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of His Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and His word is not in us… (1 Jn 1: 5 - 10)
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We need to keep looking to the Light and away from darkness. We need to choose everyday: Whom will we serve? Life in Christ or death in the darkness of the world without Him?
 
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Day 6 is halfway through a 33 day process? You might wanna brush up on your math there …
 
If I’m not mistaken, I believe what MariaChristi means is that she is now halfway through the 12 days devoted to emptying ourselves of the spirit of the world.
 
Dear Lily and semper_catholicus

Yes, Day 6 is half-way through the 12 day preliminary period in St. Louis De Montfort’s 33 Days of Preparation. I probably should have made it clearer. Thanks to you both.

Hope you’ve read at least some of St. Louis de Montfort’s beautiful treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

It has been a great blessing for many, including St. JPII and St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
 
It’s great to hear of devotions Saints have made ,such as St.JPll and St Mother Theresa of Calcutta 😃:pray:t2:
 
Dear Greenfields,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, it was especially encouraging when I read that ST, JPII considered his own reading of St. Louis De Montfort’s True Devotion was a turning point in his young life. His Papal Motto was taken directly from St. Louis De Montfort: “Totus Tuus”, (Latin for “All Yours”). I also read that St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta encouraged her Missionaries of Charity to read True Devotion also.

Saints recognize the Truth even though some great Spiritual writers, like St. Louis de Montfort, wrote hundreds of years before our time. Saints are ever seeking Jesus Who is our Way, our Truth and our Life. They recognize the Voice of the Good Shepherd when He speaks through saintly men and women of every age.

Please pray for all who are on this Journey to Total Consecration! Thanks again for your reply. I hope you are journeying with us! 🙂
 
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My own daily reflection for Day 6 or 7 might be something as follows…

Saint Louis DeMontfort’s Consecration is similar in many ways to our Confirmation, which is itself a reinforcement of our Baptism - the consecration is not a sacrament, but the intention is to renew and deepen our commitment to Jesus through Mary. The first part - in casting off the spirit of the world - is similarly like our baptism, as we try to empty ourselves of worldly temptations.

Perhaps one thing I have noticed that is similar to a baptism is the effect of prayerful music upon one’s soul.

Sound has a way of filling one’s mind.

But, then, how can something which fills our minds also empty them?

Music is like water. It does fill its container, as a baptismal font, but it also has a purifying, cleansing effect - as in the baptism itself.

Not all music is sacred, of course. But prayerful hymns do exist, and they can help serve the purpose of emptying our minds of worldly desires, and yet joyfully help us in contemplating Mary and magnifying the Lord.
 
Dear William,

I did not have time yesterday to reply to your post to Greenfields, nor to your reflections for day 6 or 7, but before I post anything on Day 8 this morning, I want to thank you for your desire to know, love and serve Jesus and our Mother more! It truly is a blessing to share our journey toward eternity with one another.

St. Louis de Montfort was inspired by God to write as he did – inspired because as Frank Duff (after reading “True Devotion” at least half a dozen times) said, “This is TRUE”. You can read about his experience HERE. Having learned from the Lord as De Montfort learned, Servant of God Frank Duff continued to pray to the Holy Spirit after totally consecrating himself to Jesus through Mary and with a small group of others who had likewise consecrated themselves, he met with them and his parish priest, prayed to the Holy Spirit for guidance, prayed the Rosary and the “Legion of Mary” was born that night, the vigil of Mary’s Nativity, Sept. 7, in 1921.

In writing that Total Consecration was the “perfect” renewal of our Baptismal Promises, St. Louis was indeed speaking God’s Truth to the Church. God has permitted that little book to continue offering His Truth for over 200 years now and the little group of Mary’s Legion composed of clergy, religious and lay people continues to do as Mary did: bringing Jesus to this world.

Sacred Music especially when the Our Father is sung, or the other parts of the Mass, like the Responsorial Psalm or the Gloria do truly lift my spirit. Other music can also but sometimes it can be a distraction for me, I believe it may have been St. John Paul II who wrote that “silence” is perhaps the best environment for pondering the Mystery of the Incarnation.

Thanks for sharing your reflections with us, dear brother. I hope others will share as we go on in this journey. Please let us pray for one another for the Church and for all those in most need of God’s Mercy.
 
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Dear William,

I finally got to listen to this beautiful music and all the while looking at the picture of St. John Paul II and the pain on his face. Prayer can often be a participation in the suffering of Christ as well as the mystery of “counting it all joy” when we undergo trials. What was St. John Paul II praying at the moment this picture was taken? Only God knows. But listening to the Music – this evening on the Memorial of Mary’s Presentation in the Temple celebrated in the Liturgy today – the repetition of her name, Maria was for me a glorious gift! Thanks so much dear brother!
 
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