Montfort Consecration Dilemma

[pureDzire]

After 10 years Consecrated to Jesus doing everything with Mary, askin g all things through her, I now feel Strongly drawn to JESUS ALONE. Having recently been received into the Carmelite Secular Discalced Order, Christ is to be the focus, and Our Lady a model, but not the Focus.

QUESTION: What now do I do with regard to the Montfot Consecration?!
Withraw it formally?
Put it only spiritually to the side, as if Mary were saying, “I led you to This, so go with it”???

It IS supposed to lead us to Jesus…?! GULP!

 

[Tantum_ergo]

There is no dilemna. None, zip, zilch, nada.

Re-read the consecration, carefully, paying particular attention to the part where St. Louis speaks of you being a slave to JESUS IN MARY.

You are already focusing on Jesus.
Loving Mary is not ‘taking something away’ that is owed to Jesus.

Pray, and speak to your formator. The idea you have that in focusing on this new spirituality that you have to ‘deny’ Mary and focus on Christ alone is faulty. . .because in following the consecration you are already following Christ fully. He is already the focus. You need not change a thing.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Jesus Christ was always the focus of the Consecration to Mary. You are receiving an opportunity to have your relationship with God massively improved, because you are moving closer to the object and purpose of the Consecration to Mary. Devotion to Mary was never the end goal of the consecration to her. Consecration to Mary is the means to deeper devotion to Jesus. Mary probably has been praying for all the ten years of your consecration that you would be focused more on Jesus. Thank God for drawing you closer to Himself, keep praying to Mary with dedication and love, remembering it honors Jesus to honor His Mother, but focus your eyes most on Jesus, just as you are being led to do.

Your desire for Jesus is not in conflict with your Consecration to Mary. Union with Jesus is the object and purpose of the Consecration to Mary. The Consecration to Mary is simply the most perfect and direct path to come closer to Jesus. It probably is the reason you are feeling so powerfully led to Jesus now. Go with it. Don’t forget to pray to, love and honor Jesus’ Mother as you always have, but set your eyes most intently on Jesus. Pray to Mary for support as you seek after Jesus, and pursue the deeper union with Christ that He is calling you toward.

 

[DBT]

Carmel IS Marian in focus. . . so, as was said, there should be no inherent conflict. We should remember the role of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the development of the Order and that Marian devotion is one of the building blocks of our way of life, along with daily Mass, LOTH, spiritual reading and mental prayer.

However, Fr. Deeney (head of OCDS) has pointed out one way there “could” be a problem. This would be in cases where the Marian focus dwarfs the Carmelite. For example, if the individual felt little need to learn and absorb the writings of the Carmelite Saints prefering instead to exclusively follow non-Carmelite teaching, spent all their time in community discussing things like Fatima and other apparitions, or felt little need for mental prayer thinking the rosary has that covered. Father’s point in these types of comments isn’t that the Marian focus is bad; rather the emphasis is skewed in a way that isn’t necessarily Carmelite. It “could” call into question the validity of one’s vocation and that maybe there might be better places in the Church for this type of individual.

My guess, though, is that these type of comments probably don’t apply to you. And, if you’re just starting out in Carmel, remember discernment in these matters is a very long process so you have plenty of time to think and pray on the matter. In the short run though, it would probably be best to discuss this directly with your formation director. Hopefully he/she can dispel your concerns in short order.

Hope this helps,
Dave

PS: A good Carmelite is to *follow Mary’s example *to always ponder Him in our hearts . . .

 

[MercyMia]

I think your post proves the efforts of Mary to draw us all to her son
If you are feeling closer to Jesus, the consecration really took.

 

[pureDzire]

May I reply with Gratitude to all of You for your Wise and Insightful sharing.

 

[Monica4316]

If I could give you any advice, I’d say, don’t withdraw the Consecration. The day you made it, you became fully His. St Louis de Montfort says it is an illusion to think that we can come to Jesus more perfectly on our own… when we give ourselves to Him through the hands of His Mother, she gives us to Him TOTALLY, - body, soul, all our possessions, interior, exterior, all our merits, prayers, good works. - now and forever.

Maybe it might help to read True Devotion, De Montfort explains there that the Consecration is all about Jesus, in fact his saying was “God alone”

God bless.

 

[DebChris]

If I could give you any advice, I’d say, don’t withdraw the Consecration. The day you made it, you became fully His. St Louis de Montfort says it is an illusion to think that we can come to Jesus more perfectly on our own… when we give ourselves to Him through the hands of His Mother, she gives us to Him TOTALLY, - body, soul, all our possessions, interior, exterior, all our merits, prayers, good works. - now and forever.

Maybe it might help to read True Devotion, De Montfort explains there that the Consecration is all about Jesus, in fact his saying was “God alone”

God bless.

Reread the part where he says that Mary places the gift (your prayer/sacrifice) on a silver tray to present to her Son. Mary point to Jesus, she does not replace Him.

Also notice the introductory prayer to the Holy Rosary According to St. Louis de Montfort:
…*I unite with Thee, O my Jesus, in order to praise worthily Thy holy Mother and to praise Thee in her and through her…
We offer Thee, O most Holy Trinity, this Creed in honor of all the mysteries of our Faith; this Our Father and these three Hail Marys in honor of the unity of Thy Essence and the Trinity of Thy Persons…

I have also shared on other threads the single word/phrase I add when praying the Rosary after “blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus____” that directs the meditation to His role in the mystery*