Life after consecration

[Ash_Wednesday]

I’d appreciate your thoughts on this.

A couple of years ago, I made the Act of Consecration to Mary. And it seems like since then, my life has just almost fallen apart. Things have just gotten really, really hard. I battled illness and suffered severely for a very long time, and now we’re going through a lot of financial strain. Lately it’s just been hardship after hardship. I keep praying for things to get better but it’s just bad news constantly and I wonder when it will ever ease up.

Sometimes I wonder if the events are related, like somehow something malevolent has been allowed to happen in my life since then, or I wonder if I’m under some kind of attack or divine testing – though the sensible part of me tells me that it’s just part of life, and sometimes (or a lot of the time) life is just hard, and that I shouldn’t be making crazy theories.

Thoughts?
(And prayers. You’ll be in mine, too.)

 

[patricius79]

I’d appreciate your thoughts on this.

A couple of years ago, I made the Act of Consecration to Mary. And it seems like since then, my life has just almost fallen apart. Things have just gotten really, really hard. I battled illness and suffered severely for a very long time, and now we’re going through a lot of financial strain. Lately it’s just been hardship after hardship. I keep praying for things to get better but it’s just bad news constantly and I wonder when it will ever ease up.

Sometimes I wonder if the events are related, like somehow something malevolent has been allowed to happen in my life since then, or I wonder if I’m under some kind of attack or divine testing – though the sensible part of me tells me that it’s just part of life, and sometimes (or a lot of the time) life is just hard, and that I shouldn’t be making crazy theories.

Thoughts?
(And prayers. You’ll be in mine, too.)

I’m sorry it’s hard for you Ash Wednesday. I don’t have all the answers of course. But I know it was a great grace you were given to consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary.

I would encourage you to frequently invoke Mary, if you are not already. Mary’s name sweetens everything, and Mary always wants to help. When we ask for her help, her heart is overwhelmed with power and compassion to help us.

St. Louis says in True Devotion to Mary that those who are fully consecrated are given greater graces–which means greater crosses–but that Mary makes herself so present to help her children that the crosses become sweet and light.

St. Maximilian Kolbe said that the devil will always be trying to set up obstacles and tempt us, but that Mary will only allow this to the extent that it is necessary for our good, and that our victory is certain if we fight under her standard (that is, with dependence on her).

I know, too, that the promises associated with devoutly praying the Rosary daily include that one cannot be defeated by hardship.

Also, Dame Julian of Norwich says that the less we make of our hardships, the easier they will be. I know that our outward nature can’t accept that. But our heart can, if we embrace the cross out of love for Mary and the Trinity and all creation.

Let’s pray for each other…

Pat

P.S. I just read your profile. I find that music and movies help to distract me from anguish–anything that isn’t garbage, that is –as you put it. Yesterday I tried to watch some DVDs of The show “Party of Five” and got sick of the bad stuff in it. Today I’m watching “Life goes on” and that’s better for the heart.