Feb. 24 - Day 5 - ""emptying oneself of the 'spirit of the world'..."

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are almost at mid-point in these 13 preliminary days of our 33 Day Journey toward Total Consecration. It is important to remember that we are by God’s Grace, seeking to empty ourselves of the “spirit of the world” which is opposed to the Spirit of Jesus.

We need, by God’s Grace, to look at what opposes the Spirit of Jesus in ourselves? The tempter may try to put our attention on everybody else in the world, and keep us from entering within our own souls to “see” by God’s revealing Light, what we need to be emptying! It may be obvious (and easier) for us to see the “love of the world” in others, but we need to hear deeply in our own hearts, the Word of God given to us:

Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 Jn: 15-16)

The Father and the Son have sent the Holy Spirit, to bring us into all truth. (cf Jn 16:13) but we need to pray to receive His truth that we might live His Truth revealed to us.

Jesus taught us: “When you pray, say: 'Our Father, Who art in heaven…”
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Jesus we trust in You! Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. St. Joseph, Guardian of the child Jesus and Mary, pray for us.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Greenfields,

Thanks for your “heart”. Glad you liked the post – would you be willing to post your reasons “why” you liked it? It might help others on CAF or even “lurkers” who never heard of St. Louis de Montfort or his treatise on "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary"

Sometimes I feel like I’m shouting into a void – with no echo. I know God hears, but is there anyone else concerned about the decline in Catholic devotion to Mary - Mother and Model for the Church?

Come, Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful! Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Jesus we trust in You! Mary, Mother and Model for the Church. St. Joseph, St. Louis de Montfort and all you Holy Saints and Angels pray for us!

 

[Wm777]

I am with you in this prayer, although work has me very busy; I’d like to ask for prayers for a new job. I’m an accountant, and I love accounting, but not tax accounting… it always conflicts with Lent…

As per one of your comments…

Prayers that make one feel “as if they are shouting into a void” are not necessarily ineffective. And, in fact, souls like Saint Faustina, would likely say she often felt terrible at times when God was closest. This is why Jesus said to St Faustina, as perhaps for the same reason said it to the Apostles, “I am with you always.”

It isn’t that Jesus wasn’t with Saint Faustina at those times when she felt sad; or the apostles after the crucifixion; but he still said “I am with you always”

Come to think of it - when it comes to celebrating both Lent and Easter - they are BOTH very hard times. Lent because Christ himself was dealing with the devil out in the wild. And, Easter - well, we now celebrate Christ’s rising, but the times after the crucifixion up until Pentecost were and are technically the times of Easter. Historically, Easter itself must have been a very turbulent time for the apostles. They knew Jesus was around, but they still were afraid and didn’t know what was really going to happen. It was only after Pentecost that these issues were fully resolved.

(more)

 

[Wm777]

As for our Blessed Mother Mary - she hears and intercedes for us, too… But she’s very reserved, and yet she knows things we do not, and (some say) even in a different way than we know them.

This may sound a bit strange in these times, but once Mary showed the children of Fatima what hell was like.

She had them under her protection, but the kids didnt like what they saw, either. She couldn’t have been punishing or abusing the kids. They were just kids who had done nothing wrong, and so “showing them hell” as abuse or punishment would be completely contrary to her Maternal nature and God’s Loving will.

But the fact is - the Blessed Mother isn’t “naive” - Id’ say, any Mother who witnesses a specious execution of such a noble son, probably knows what hell is like…

Whether the kids liked it or not - she still showed them something hellish, although she herself was still there with them, protecting them… As mysterious as it is, it somehow had to serve a good and Holy purpose, like St Louis describes. On a human level, perhaps the best we can say it is - whatever they saw had to have been intended as an admonishment, and definitely an exhortation to prayer.

So if prayer seems vain, vacuous or empty, it may be because our faith is being exercised and expanded - and toward a good and positive end. It’s not evil, immoral or necessarily logical, nor is it something that we understand, nor even will it necessarily produce an anticipated result (immediately). But, when all things in this world pass, what is it that sustains us other than the grace of God and our faith responding to it?

Jesus came to fulfill the law. Yet, when something is fulfilled, the old plan is sloughed off, and something new emerges. There are labor pains in between, but joy on the other side - actually, the obsolence and destruction of the old plan is blown away completely by the awesomeness and glory of Heaven.

So many Saint knew this, and they were willing to suffer for it. So - it seems radical and crazy, I guess - perhaps you feel as if you are shouting into a void. But Saint Francis of Assisi used to walk through the forests shouting his prayer aloud. Go and shout from the rooftops, if you like.

God hears you, and that is what matters.

Ad Jesu Per Mariam!
Totus Tuus!

wm

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks for your reply, dear brother.

It seems as if I’m shouting into a void without and echo because there are so few replies to the threads on this 33 Day Preparation for Consecration – which I believe God gave his Church through St. Louis de Montfort. I believe Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary is a perfect renewal of our Baptismal Promises – and if ever there were a time – now is a good time for Catholics to be considering what God did for all of us who were Baptized!

We were made “New”, the stain of original sin was washed away and we were given a new supernatural Life – a participation in the the Divine Life. St. Thomas calls this the “seed” of glory. St. Louis De Montfort, has helped many of us draw closer to Jesus through Mary and shown us how important Mar is to God’s plan of sanctification for us. The seed was intended to grow in us that one day - like St. Paul, we might say: “I live now not I but Christ lives in me” !

I have been shouting the invitation to make this journey for many years, but satan’s lies seem to grow louder in this world. God, however, has kept this little treatise on True Devotion circulating ! He continues to work all things unto good for those who love Him. (cf Romans 8:28). Three of my Legion of Mary sisters are making the journey with me and you, my brother.

There may be more since a few on CAF seemed interested, but haven’t posted. Some have clicked on the “heart” to say they liked the posts, but no real commitment in writing yet. God is not concerned with numbers of persons but He is concerned about our hearts - and Who is our First Love. So am I concerned about the hearts of all – may we continue, please, to pray for one another and for all His Church – The Bride – for whom Jesus came, lived, died, rose and ascended to the Father that with the Father He might send the Holy Spirit.

Sister Lucia of Fatima wrote that had Mary not already told them they were going to heaven, the children would have died from fright having seen hell. They continued to pray and make sacrifices for all poor sinners that they might be saved from hell. I try to pray daily especially for those who have no one to pray for them. I will include your intention also in my Rosary today, that if it’s God’s Will, He will give you another job, away from tax-time and stress.

Totus Tuus!
your grateful sister in Jesus and Mary,
Maria Christi