Nov. 7 - Day 3

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing the 33 Day Preparation HERE

St. Louis De Montfort wrote that these first 12 days are to be spent :

… emptying themselves of the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the spirit of Jesus.

Of course this is not completely accomplished in 12 Days, but it is a beginning. We are invited to grow in our willingness to cooperate with God’s Grace and come into deeper union with Him, by prayer and our effort to let go of that which is opposed to the spirit of Jesus. Listening to the Scripture helps us to know Jesus, and to discern differences between His spirit and the spirit of the world.

May we continue to ponder God’s Word in our hearts today, as Mary did, that we may grow more like Him. Please let us pray for one another and for all those in most need of His Mercy.

Again, if anyone has any questions, I’m happy to try and help.

 

[sanchopanza]

Hi,

What exactly happens the Day of Consecration? Do I need to have my priest bless the scapular? Do I simply sign the agreement and keep it?

thanks

 

[MariaChristi]

Hi,

What exactly happens the Day of Consecration? Do I need to have my priest bless the scapular? Do I simply sign the agreement and keep it?

thanks

Dear sanchopanza,

While the scapular is a wonderful devotion and I encourage all to become enrolled in the scapular, it is not mentioned by St. Louis de Montfort as essential to the Act of Consecration. If you have not been enrolled in the scapular, you may want to ask your priest to enroll you. Once you have been enrolled then you do not need to have any new ones blessed if the first one wears out. The first blessing is transferred to the others.

In his book True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Chapter 7, St.Louis wrote this about the Day of Consecration and the Preparation:

1. Those who desire to take up this special devotion … should spend at least twelve days in emptying themselves of the spirit of the world, which is opposed to the spirit of Jesus, as I have recommended in the first part of this preparation for the reign of Jesus Christ. They should then spend three weeks imbuing themselves with the spirit of Jesus through the most Blessed Virgin.

1. At the end of these three weeks they should go to confession and Holy Communion with the intention of consecrating themselves to Jesus through Mary as slaves of love. When receiving Holy Communion they could follow the method given later on. They then recite the act of consecration which is given at the end of this book. If they do not have a printed copy of the act, they should write it out or have it copied and then sign it on the very day they make it.

1. It would be very becoming if on that day they offered some tribute to Jesus and his Mother, either as a penance for past unfaithfulness to the promises made in baptism or as a sign of their submission to the sovereignty of Jesus and Mary. Such a tribute would be in accordance with each one’s ability and fervour and may take the form of fasting, an act of self-denial, the gift of an alms or the offering of a votive candle. If they gave only a pin as a token of their homage, provided it were given with a good heart, it would satisfy Jesus who considers only the good intention.

1. Every year at least, on the same date, they should renew the consecration following the same exercises for three weeks. They might also renew it every month or even every day by saying this short prayer: “I am all yours and all I have is yours, O dear Jesus, through Mary, your holy Mother.”

If you would like to read the method of receiving Holy Communion which St. Louis wrote it can be read using the link to the online version HERE.

Happy “Day 4” to you, on this beautiful journey!