Feb. 24 - Day 5 - Consecration journey

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are almost at the halfway mark on the Preliminary period of 12 days in St. Louis De Montfort’s 33 days in Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. During these 12 days we are asking God’s Grace to follow the pattern St. Louis gave in his treatise on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary”. St. Louis wrote in paragraph 227 that anyone who wants to practice this devotion should spend at least 12 days, “emptying themselves of the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the spirit of Jesus…” After this preliminary period we will, God willing, spend three more weeks seeking by God’s Grace to know ourselves, to know Mary, and to know Jesus better than we we do now.

How grateful I am, after the many times I have made this journey, that God continues to share with me during times of prayer, and in sharing with others, new insights on this "spirit of the world we need to empty out of ourselves, by His Grace! I learn from what He gives others, as well as what He gives to me. This morning, my husband asked me to read his newest blog article and I realized how the Gospel account of Martha and Mary can help us understand more about “emptying ourselves” – for instance, of anxiety that comes from the spirit of the world). It may help you too. The blog article can be read HERE

We can easily be blind to the “spirit of the world” within us, because we think we are trying to do many good things, but our anxieties and the way we begin to blame others as Martha did, can help us recognize our lack of a deeper relationship with Jesus. How Good God is in all the ways He teaches us!

 

[patricius79]

It’s funny. I was just trying to understand how anxiety is a temptation.

And tomorrow the reading is about trusting God and letting go of anxiety.

“Learn from the way the wildflowers grow.” (Mt 6)

Flowers are rooted in the earth. We must trust Jesus with Mary’s trust.

 

[MariaChristi]

It’s funny. I was just trying to understand how anxiety is a temptation.

And tomorrow the reading is about trusting God and letting go of anxiety.

“Learn from the way the wildflowers grow.” (Mt 6)

Flowers are rooted in the earth. We must trust Jesus with Mary’s trust.

Yes, dear Brother Pat,

The Lord provides all we need. He knows what is truly necessary. In the Gospel account of Martha and Mary, Jesus said to Martha, who was anxious:

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

God is the One necessary, and our relationship with Him is the one thing necessary. We need to choose God first, before anything else. Let us thank God for our Life in Christ given in our Baptism and seek to “empty” ourselves of the spirit of the world that opposes Jesus. Thanks so much for your reply; truly the Gospel reading for tomorrow helps us to appreciate the importance of these 12 preliminary days of preparation.