March 2 - Day 11 - on our journey to Total Consecration

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

St. Louis de Montfort in Chap. 5 of his treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin helps us to learn from God’s Word. We’ve looked at Esau as a symbolic figure of those in sin, and Jacob, who “is the type of our Lord and of souls who are saved”. Finally in this chapter, St. Louis describes the beautiful ways in which Rebecca is a figure of Our Lady. We saw some of this yesterday, but I want to quote just a bit more today:

1. What does this good Mother do when we have presented and consecrated to her our soul and body and all that pertains to them without excepting anything? Just what Rebecca of old did to the little goats Jacob brought her. (a) She kills them, that is, makes them die to the life of the old Adam. (b) She strips them of their skin, that is, of their natural inclinations, their self-love and self-will and their every attachment to creatures. (c) She cleanses them from all stain, impurity and sin. (d) She prepares them to God’s taste and to his greater glory. As she alone knows perfectly what the divine taste is and where the greatest glory of God is to be found, she alone without any fear of mistake can prepare and garnish our body and soul to satisfy that infinitely refined taste and promote that infinitely hidden glory.

St. Louis speaks far more of all our Lady does for us in this chapter but I chose this one paragraph as we end this first period of our journey tomorrow. We are urged to “empty” ourselves of the spirit of the world which is opposed to Christ. Without God’s Grace coming to us through Mary we could never begin. But when we go to her as Jacob, and we give her our ALL, knowing she will help us to do God’s Will as she did, we begin to grow as Mary grew in Grace. This morning’s Mass Readings also help us again to see the choice we must make every day for God and away from our selfish desires to gain the world and lose our souls. Let us listen to Jesus in today’s Gospel:

…“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?”

Readings for Mass can be read HERE. Come Holy Spirit, kindle in us the Fire of Your Love, enable us to “empty” ourselves that you may fill us with Jesus as you filled our Mother Mary. Mary, Mother of the Church, help us to grow. Jesus, we trust in You!

 

[patricius79]

If we give ourselves completely to Mary, she gives herself completely to us, as St. Louis says.

Then we are–despite all our brokenness–perfectly united to Jesus through Mary.

This consecration is the fulfillment of all we’ve ever truly desired.

 

[MariaChristi]

If we give ourselves completely to Mary, she gives herself completely to us, as St. Louis says.

Then we are–despite all our brokenness–perfectly united to Jesus through Mary.

This consecration is the fulfillment of all we’ve ever truly desired.

Thanks brother Pat,

Yes, St. Louis describes our Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary as a “perfect renewal of our Baptismal Promises”. For many of us, our Godparents answered for us: "Do you renounce satan? And all His pomps and works? And all his empty promises? But in our Consecration we answer for ourselves those questions with a firm “I do” renounce him, his pomps, works and all his empty promises. We reaffirm our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – all by His Grace coming to us through Mary our Mother – icon of the Church.

The Church invites us all to renew our Baptism at Easter, and having already consecrated or re-consecrated ourselves on March 25, we can lift our hearts to the Lord with even greater trust that as you said - despite all our brokenness - we can be healed and brought into perfect union with Jesus and Mary by Him, to whom nothing is impossible. Thanks again for your reply, dear brother in Jesus and Mary.