How do we "Live" our total Consecration to Jesus through Mary?

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In Chapter 7 of his Treatise on True Devotion, St. Louis de Montfort explains first some “exterior” practices for those who have totally consecrated themselves to Jesus through Mary. He then begins to explain some “interior” practices:

1. Special interior practices for those who wish to be perfect

1. The exterior practices of this devotion which I have just dealt with should be observed as far as one’s circumstances and state of life permit. They should not be omitted through negligence or deliberate disregard. In addition to them, here are some very sanctifying interior practices for those souls who feel called by the Holy Spirit to a high degree of perfection. They may be expressed in four words, doing everything through Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary, in order to do it more perfectly through Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus, and for Jesus.

Through Mary

1. We must do everything through Mary, that is, we must obey her always and be led in all things by her spirit, which is the Holy Spirit of God. “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God,” says St. Paul. Those who are led by the spirit of Mary are children of Mary, and, consequently children of God, as we have already shown. Among the many servants of Mary only those who are truly and faithfully devoted to her are led by her spirit.

I have said that the spirit of Mary is the spirit of God because she was never led by her own spirit, but always by the spirit of God, who made himself master of her to such an extent that he became her very spirit. That is why St. Ambrose says, “May the soul of Mary be in each one of us to glorify the Lord. May the spirit of Mary be in each one of us to rejoice in God.” Happy is the man who follows the example of the good Jesuit Brother Rodriguez, who died a holy death, because he will be completely possessed and governed by the spirit of Mary, a spirit which is gentle yet strong, zealous yet prudent, humble yet courageous, pure yet fruitful.

Hopefully, by God’s grace, we may begin this interior practice in a newer deeper way today.
May the Holy Spirit teach us as He taught Mary. May we open our hearts to receive Him as Mary did.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful. Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love.
Mary Mother of the Church, intercede for us. Help us to echo your “Yes” to God’s Will.

 

[patricius79]

This is what God is leading me to work on too, dear sister MariaChristi.

Two paragraphs after what you quoted, St. Louis says this about surrendering our will to our Blessed Mother

*This is done easily and quickly by a mere thought, a slight movement of the will or just a few words as, “I renounce myself and give myself to you, my dear Mother.” *
ewtn.com/library/montfort/truedevo.htm

I like to simply call out to her frequently. As St. Alphonsus says, we are to become like little children. And little children always have their mother’s name on their lips.

But I want to get better at surrendering my will. Following my will in the past brought me nothing but misery, and profoundly hurt Jesus and Mary.

If we have a sense of how much Mary loves each one of us, it makes it much easier.

I’m reading the Thomistic priest-theologian Garrigou-Lagrange. As I understand him, he’s saying that Mary’s love inexpressibly surpasses all the love of all the angels and saints combined.

This is because she was created to be a worthy Mother of God.

This also was for our sake.

How tenderly, then, does our Mother love each one of us!

 

[patricius79]

They may be expressed in four words, doing everything through Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary, in order to do it more perfectly through Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus, and for Jesus.

This is crucial. Mary’s whole purpose as our Mother is to unite us perfectly to Jesus Christ, our Savior and our God, who also saved Mary by causing her to be immaculately conceived.

For this reason, the more we surrender our will to Mary, the more deeply we will be united to Jesus Christ.

 

[Divine3]

I try to pray the consecration to Mary prayer every day – also I try to remind myself - what would Mary do? I use a shorter version of the consecration but sometimes pray the long version from De Montfort. I do believe that our Mother helps sweeten the daily cross we carry. I also ask our mother to cover over mistakes I might make or something I wish I hadn’t said to someone. She was a woman of few words and lived in the mystery of that dependence on God and a profound silence – she was succinct in words spoken to others.

 

[MariaChristi]

I try to pray the consecration to Mary prayer every day – also I try to remind myself - what would Mary do? I use a shorter version of the consecration but sometimes pray the long version from De Montfort. I do believe that our Mother helps sweeten the daily cross we carry. I also ask our mother to cover over mistakes I might make or something I wish I hadn’t said to someone. She was a woman of few words and lived in the mystery of that dependence on God and a profound silence – she was succinct in words spoken to others.

Dear Divine3,

Thanks so much for your reply, and even more for your faithful “living of your consecration”. Actions do speak louder than words! Please let us pray for one another that we may become more and more like our Mother Mary who was the most perfect of all Jesus’ disciples and is the human person most closely untied with Him.

 

[MariaChristi]

This is crucial. Mary’s whole purpose as our Mother is to unite us perfectly to Jesus Christ, our Savior and our God, who also saved Mary by causing her to be immaculately conceived.

For this reason, the more we surrender our will to Mary, the more deeply we will be united to Jesus Christ.

Dear brother Pat,

Thanks for your reply and for your love of Jesus through Mary. Please let us pray for one another that we may daily live the words we have prayed in our Total Consecration of ourselves to Jesus through Mary.

 

[patricius79]

I do believe that our Mother helps sweeten the daily cross we carry. I also ask our mother to cover over mistakes I might make or something I wish I hadn’t said to someone.

Thanks for saying that, Divine3. That idea is affirming for me right now. I know that Mary purifies our works before presenting them to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

[patricius79]

Dear brother Pat,

Thanks for your reply and for your love of Jesus through Mary. Please let us pray for one another that we may daily live the words we have prayed in our Total Consecration of ourselves to Jesus through Mary.

Dear sister MariaChristi,

Yes, let’s pray for each other, to faithfully love Jesus Christ to the full through our Blessed Mother!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear sister MariaChristi,

Yes, let’s pray for each other, to faithfully love Jesus Christ to the full through our Blessed Mother!

Dear Brother Pat,

How beautiful is God’s Work in our Mother Mary! How grateful I am for His gift of her to us as Mother and Model! I began re-reading the book, Mother of the Saviour And Our Interior Life by Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange . I had begun to read it sometime ago but as is often the case for me, I am finding the book far more helpful to me this second time.

Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange is one of my favorite authors. I have gone back to re-read many times all (or parts) of our two volume set of his Three Ages of the Interior Life which we purchased many years ago in hard cover and keep in our library.

Jesus tells us in John 15, that without Him, we can do nothing, so it is very important for us to continue listening to all He said and did as we find Mary doing in the Gospel, “pondering all in her heart” (cf Luke 2:19 and Luke 2:51).

Thanks for your prayers, dear brother. Let us continue to pray for one another and for the Church that we may build up one another in love, (cf Eph 4) and let our light shine in this dark world, even as Mary and all the saints have done.