Feb.. 27 - Day 7 - continuing the journey

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Gospel for Thursday after Ash Wednesday, helps us to “stay the course” of these 12 preliminary days of: “emptying ourselves of the spirit of the world which is opposed to the Spirit of Jesus.” We need to deny ourselves; we need to continue listening to Him and to do the Truth we hear. Jesus teaches us:

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then He said to all,
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”

We cannot have it both ways. We cannot serve 2 Masters: the world and Christ, nor can we serve “self” and Christ. No wonder St. Louis de Montfort took for his motto: “God Alone”!

Jesus did not leave us orphans, for dying on the Cross He gave us His Mother to help us. Mary prayed with the disciples awaiting the Holy Spirit whom Jesus had promised to lead us into all Truth.

St.Louis de Montfort wrote in “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”;

1. When the Holy Spirit, her spouse, finds Mary in a soul, he hastens there and enters fully into it. He gives himself generously to that soul according to the place it has given to his spouse. One of the main reasons why the Holy Spirit does not work striking wonders in souls is that he fails to find in them a sufficiently close union with his faithful and inseparable spouse. I say “inseparable spouse”, for from the moment the substantial love of the Father and the Son espoused Mary to form Jesus, the head of the elect, and Jesus in the elect, he has never disowned her, for she has always been faithful and fruitful.

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your Faithful.

O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in Your servants, in the spirit of Your holiness, in the fullness of Your power, in the perfection of Your ways, in the truth of Your virtues, in the communion of Your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in Your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen. (Prayer of Father Olier)

 

[Zach]

“ If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross “daily” and follow me.

I highlighted daily because it’s only in Luke that the word is used In these verses. It is not used in Matthew and Mark. It’s key though. As you say MariaChristi this reading helps us stay the course daily. Every day this Lent and beyond we should remember to deny ourselves and take up our crosses and follow Him.

 

[hazcompat]

Alphonsus Liguori​

To the Blessed Virgin Mary​

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Most Holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to you who are the Mother of my Lord, the Queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day.

I venerate you, great Queen, and I thank you for the many graces you have bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins.

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I love you, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear you, I promise to serve you willingly for ever and to do what I can to make you loved by others also. I place in you all my hopes for salvation; accept me as your servant and shelter me under your mantle, you who are the Mother of mercy.

And since you are so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death. From you I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through you I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love you bear to Almighty God, I pray you assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until you see me safe in heaven, there to bless you and sing of your mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen.

Peace

 

[hazcompat]

Lumen Gentium
Chapter VIII

1. The Sacred Scriptures of both the Old and the New Testament, as well as ancient Tradition show the role of the Mother of the Saviour in the economy of salvation in an ever clearer light and draw attention to it. The books of the Old Testament describe the history of salvation, by which the coming of Christ into the world was slowly prepared. These earliest documents, as they are read in the Church and are understood in the light of a further and full revelation, bring the figure of the woman, Mother of the Redeemer, into a gradually clearer light. When it is looked at in this way, she is already prophetically foreshadowed in the promise of victory over the serpent which was given to our first parents after their fall into sin.(284) Likewise she is the Virgin who shall conceive and bear a son, whose name will be called Emmanuel.(285) She stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord, who confidently hope for and receive salvation from Him. With her the exalted Daughter of Sion, and after a long expectation of the promise, the times are fulfilled and the new Economy established, when the Son of God took a human nature from her, that He might in the mysteries of His flesh free man from sin

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Zach,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the words “today” and “daily” are very significant words. If we want to follow Jesus, we need to begin today, righ now – and moment to moment every day – yes, daily, we need to pray for grace to do the Truth we hear!

Following Jesus is not a “part time” job but a rather it is a lifetime of commitment, and we can only learn to deny ourselves, and take up our Cross, by the power of His Grace.

If we have any doubt then Jesus reminds us: “Behold your Mother”. Mary is a created, human person – she is not God, and yet she freely opened her heart to His Grace and He worked marvels for her. Jesus has given Mary to us both as Mother and Model that we may know “nothing is impossible with God”.

Please let us pray for one another on this journey and always, let us pray that God’s will be done in all His Children, who are her Children also – until we are home with Him and Her in heaven.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks for this quote from St. Alphonsus Liguori, on this 7th Day of our journey. How beautifully the saints spoke of her, and to her, in their Lives on earth! by God’s grace and their openness to God’s revealing light in their souls, they all continued to grow closer to God through her intercession!

How truly humble the saints are and how humble we all need to be as Jesus told us: “Learn of Me for I am Meek and Humble of Heart.” Daily, as we learn, we begin to see how Mary herself learned from Jesus: She listened to all He said and did and pondered all in her heart. Please let us pray for one another and for the Church, that we may be more and more like our Mother.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks again, dear hazcompat for another quote from “Lumen Gentium” and particularly from Chapter 8, in which we read of the beauty of Mary our Mother and her relationship to Christ and His Church.

We cannot travel far (if at all) without the help of our Mother Mary, as we journey toward “Total Consecration” of ourselves to Jesus through Mary on March 25. Please let us pray for one another and for all those on this journey toward the perfect renewal of our Baptismal Promises.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Zach, KBS, patricius and Stephie,

Thank you all for your “hearts” which lets us know you are appreciating the words of Scripture as well as the words St. Louis de Montfort was given for the Church. It is so important for us to hear the Truth, and be able to discern the “lies” which satan chooses to tempt us with – he can disguise himself as an angel of light, and we can be deceived. We need to “empty ourselves of the spirit of the world which is opposed to Jesus.” Thus we need to keep listening to Jesus as Mary did.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear cthlctrth,

Thanks for your “heart”, I’m assuming your “username” translates into the words: “Catholic Truth” and so it is no surprise that you appreciated today’s Gospel and the words of St. Louis de Montfort. I hope - if you have not already read his little book on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” - You’ll click on the link and read the online version.

But perhaps you have already read it and are making the journey of 33 Days in Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. Whatever the case may be thanks for letting us know you appreciate the gifts God has given to us through Mary, Mother and Model for the Church.