Dec. 10 - Wk.1 - Day 1 - seeking knowledge of ourselves and sorrow for sin

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After urging us to spend 12 days “emptying ourselves of the spirit of the world, which opposes the Spirit of Christ”, St. Louis de Montfort takes us further as he outlines the first week on our Advent journey toward “Total Consecration of ourselves” to Jesus through Mary. In True Devotion St. Louis wrote:

1. During the first week they should offer up all their prayers and acts of devotion to acquire knowledge of themselves and sorrow for their sins.

Let them perform all their actions in a spirit of humility. With this end in view they may, if they wish, meditate on what I have said concerning our corrupted nature, and consider themselves during six days of the week as nothing but sails, slugs, toads, swine, snakes and goats. Or else they may meditate on the following three considerations of St. Bernard: “Remember what you were - corrupted seed; what you are - a body destined for decay; what you will be -food for worms.”

They will ask our Lord and the Holy Spirit to enlighten them saying, “Lord, that I may see,” or “Lord, let me know myself,” or the “Come, Holy Spirit”. Every day they should say the Litany of the Holy Spirit, with the prayer that follows, as indicated in the first part of this work. They will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge. For this intention they will say each day the Ave Maris Stella and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.

Please notice in the first part he suggests: "They may if they wish… " but in the second part he is more direct and writes: “They will ask our Lord and the Holy Spirit to enlighten them…” and “They will turn to our Blessed Lady…they will say each day the the Ave Maria Stella and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin”.

Links to those prayers we need to pray:
Litany of the Holy Spirit
Ave Maris Stella
Litany of the Blessed Virgin

Holy Spirit, guide into the Truth about ourselves. that we may have true sorrow for our sins and not oppose the Spirit of Christ. Mary our Mother intercede for us with Jesus that we may be one with His Spirit as you were on earth and are now in heaven.

By God’s Grace, let us “make time” for prayer this week — even more than in times past.

 

[hazcompat]

Luke 11:1—10​

And it came to pass, that as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.

And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves, Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me, and I have not what to set before him. And he from within should answer, and say: Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet, because of his importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth.

And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks so very much for this quote from the Gospel of Luke!

Jesus taught us the “Perfect Prayer” which I’m sad to say too few pray really well. We have become so accustomed to it, and many having learned it as a rote prayer by parents or teachers in school. Many simply do not pray with the attention and devotion, we need for every prayer we pray.

This morning, as I was typing my post, I wondered why St. Louis de Montort did not include the Lord’s Prayer in every one of the 33 Days! Perhaps being a priest, he felt most people prayed the Lord’s prayer at Mass and/or many prayed a daily Rosary which includes the “Our Father”. St. Louis does mention our need for “The Lord” and so I suspect he may have wanted to focus the attention of his flock as he believed God wanted him to do at the particular time he wrote.

One of the best definitions of Prayer is the one St. John Vianney is credited with saying:

“Prayer is nothing other than our union with God.”

Who but Jesus could pray perfectly to His Father? So He gives us His Perfect Prayer in the Gospel. for us to hear and learn in every age. Scripture is such a treasure for by God’s Grace it leads us into that union with God which we seek. Those of us who pray the Liturgy of the Hours - Morning Prayer are familiar with offering our own petitions, but concluding them with the “Our Father.”

While we are following, the words of St. Louis de Montfort in his Preparation journey for Total Consecration, let us pray with attention and devotion, never neglecting the prayer Jesus gave us, and always praying in every prayer that we utter, seeking union with God.