Panic right before Montfort Consecration Day - Help!?

[BeckyBrohaugh]

My consecration day is day after tomorrow, the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. She has special meaning for me as I am inclined to contemplative prayer, being a “shut in,” as it is called. I live a pretty hermit-like life because I care 7/24 for my two autistic sons.

Reading the Consecration text itself last night (again) I suddenly became full of FEAR about the core part of the text where one gives one’s self, body and soul, so utterly for all eternity to Mary. St. Montfort uses that language specifically regarding Mary alone in that passage, though I am well aware the point is Jesus.

I am a cradle Catholic who lapsed horribly from my early teen years, after nine years of Catholic school into a thirty year lapse. In January of this year, I was brought back, I re-converted fervently, practicing the Faith to the best of my ability and re-catechizing myself intensely.

My return started when hearing, almost by chance, the Hail Mary being recited on EWTN which I had not normally watched. I was laying on my bed in near despair. Those words evoked something in my soul. I became enthused about the Rosary.

This opened my heart to the advice of a woman, named Maria, who pointed me to the Divine Mercy devotion online. I had shared my dire problems, life and death stuff regarding my daughter, with Maria and this is what she thought would help the most.

The Divine Mercy revelation hit me with the divine two-by-four. I bought St.Faustina’s Diary and was utterly changed. I reformed my life quickly, began praying, went to Confession, Mass, and received the Blessed Sacrament for the first time in over thirty years. Wow. Now I do not know how I would live without Him.

In February, I shared my agony about my daughter with Jesus. I “gave” her to Jesus. I wanted Him to help my daughter, but His Will be done. My daughter is healed!

It happened suddenly, right after the first time I prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy! Many other miracles have also happened. I feel so unworthy, so blessed with Mercy – there are not words…I felt POWERFULLY drawn to *consecrate myself to Jesus *but went into a series of Novenas instead.

Then I ran into St. Montfort’s Consecration to Jesus through Mary on line, bought the books, have done the preparation and here I am – suddenly attacked by fear!

The language of the Consecration text explicitly gives oneself body and soul to Mary. Jesus is not in that language, not that part. I understand the theology behind this, that Our Lady takes is right to Jesus, and that is what just happened in my life, powerfully, as you read above.

Yet now I am afraid, chickening out. The problem is the idea of giving my soul - for eternity - to any one but God seems wrong somehow.

Being brough up Catholic, I have no issues about our Blessed Mother. I am humbly grateful for her Hail Mary literally opening the path to saving my soul! AND I wanted so much to consecrate myself to Jesus though I am a lay person. (Because I have dependant children it cannot be a call to a religious vocation.)

So, anyway, this Montfortian Consecration seemed like just THE thing to do ! – yet suddenly it seems somehow wrong and terrifying to give my soul to anyone but God. Putting myself in her holy hands, trusting her in that mode seems wonderful, but that is not how the language reads.

So many of you have done this. Any help? I have read other threads but remain stuck tonight, and “the day” is the day after tomorrow. I feel really so distressed at this last minute fear; the time is short. Thank you to anyone just for reading this long post.

With you in Christ Jesus…

 

[MariaTheresa]

Hi,

I wanted to resppond to you because I have had those kind of thoughts in the past.
First of all I have a couple of questions. Does it have to be done on that specific day?
Is this a public thing? I thought this was always private.
Secondly, if this is causing you fear you cannot make this pledge anyway because
you are under duress right now and do not have a clear mind/emotional state to make such a comittment, nor would Our Lady want you to.

The other point is that having a love relationship with the Blessed Mother is not dependent on specific pledges or group memberships. Simply turn to her every day, ask her for her help and protection and above all ask her for help to love her Son more each day.
I guarrentee love for Her and Our Lord Jesus will grow in your heart.
If you decide to make small promises to her such as a decade of the rosary every day and work your way up to maybe wearing a scapular or attending Mass on Her feast days or any number of spiritual “gifts” any of those would be pleasing, good for your spiritual growth and an act of worship to God. They are also non-threatening.

You don’t have to start with the big stuff. St Louis de Monfort is wonderful. He is a great saint. I cannot do what he did or make the commitments he did. Maybe others can but I cannot. Instead of succumbing to the fear the devil uses to attack us lets look to the ways we *are *capable of responding to the graces God gives us through his Mother.

 

[Monica4316]

Becky,

I made my Consecration to Jesus through Mary a year ago. I was very excited about it, but the morning of that day, I felt great panic too because I was afraid I was committing idolatry. I was also scared that the Consecration will last forever - that I will always belong to Mary, even in Heaven. It felt so wrong, even though before, I always felt a lot of peace about the devotion. Well I prayed the Rosary, and went to the Church, and received Communion… and after receiving the Eucharist, I asked Jesus if it would please Him if I did this Consecration. Suddenly, I felt such great peace. I went to the Tabernacle and said the prayer… and God gave me the grace to mean it. Afterwards, I received so many graces because of this Consecration, - even someone in my family (who I have been praying for) received a special grace. The reason I’m saying this is because I’ve learned the devil really hates this devotion… he would do anything to stop you from consecrating yourself. I’ve never had doubts about the Consecration since that day. btw did you know the devil physically attacked St Louis de Montfort during his life? that’s because he was such a great follower of Christ and did so much for His Kingdom.

I suggest just praying about this, - especially pray the Rosary… read parts of “True Devotion” again… and don’t worry whatever we give to Mary, she gives to God. We do give her our soul and body and mind through this Consecration, - but this is so that she would give us more perfectly to Jesus. There’s no competition between Jesus and Mary… she glorifies Him in all that she does.

It’s not like you’re giving your soul to Mary and not to God. You’re giving your soul to Mary so that she can give it perfectly to Jesus. She can give your soul to Him more perfectly than you can give your own soul. That is the foundation of this devotion.

In my experience that I described above, the devil tried to stop me from making the Consecration, or I had thoughts to put it off for another day. Even during the Mass, on that day, I still felt unsure about the whole thing. Only after Communion did I finally feel peace. But after I made the Consecration, it was wonderful. It’s a really powerful prayer, it’s a perfect renewal of your baptism vows…and it’s beautiful because you consecrate yourself to Jesus before all of Heaven; it’s a really solemn prayer and it gives lasting graces. It marks you forever as His own. If this devotion doesn’t make sense to someone, then they can do another consecration like the Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. But it’s more powerful when you do this through Our Lady, for reasons St Louis de Montfort explains. If the Holy Spirit helped you to understand this devotion, then He will help you get through it too. Pray about it and ask God to help you understand if this Consecration is something you should do

Hope that helps…
God bless! don’t be afraid.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

First of all, Becky, I want to let you know that I endured the same thing on my way into the consecration. I had a wonderful relationship with Mary, but as I began studying the consecration, I was filled with fear, doubt, and even a nasty and horrible feeling of cynicism and unbelief. I believe this often comes from the enemy, because he knows how very beneficial the consecration is and wants people to not do it. I experienced the same thing, except on a much more extreme level, while I was in the process of converting to the Catholic faith. The feelings were similar.

If you end up deciding to postpone the consecration or not do it at all, that’s entirely up to you and there’s no sin involved in that decision. I’m just advising you to make your decisions based on reasons rather than on negative feelings that are here now and could be gone tomorrow. Feelings come and go, but reason . . . well, reason makes sense, silly as that is to say .

BeckyBrohaugh:

The language of the Consecration text explicitly gives oneself body and soul to Mary. Jesus is not in that language, not that part. I understand the theology behind this, that Our Lady takes is right to Jesus, and that is what just happened in my life, powerfully, as you read above.

Yet now I am afraid, chickening out. The problem is the idea of giving my soul - for eternity - to any one but God seems wrong somehow.

Here are some questions you could ask yourself and think about that might help.

Right now, you are the steward of your soul for God. Yet you are very sinful and make many mistakes. Who would make a better steward of your soul, you or Mary? If Mary made the important decisions in your life rather than you, if she decided what to do with your possessions and family and everything involved in your life rather than you, would you be better or worse off than you would be making these decisions for yourself? If your soul came to God from her hands rather than your own, if it was her possession and not yours, would you be better or worse off?

When I was where you are, I had, as I mentioned, already a very strong relationship with Mary. I loved her and trusted her deeply. However, like you said, these feelings of doubt and fear came upon me and I wondered, “how can I put my soul fully into the hands of anyone other than God?”

What helped me most was this thought: I know Mary. Would Mary ever do anything to harm me?

Here are some other thoughts that might help you.

The Church thoroughly checked out the doctrine of St. Louis de Montfort and St. Maximilian Kolbe before canonizing them. The Church has affirmed that all their doctrine is orthodox, that it proposes nothing heretical. Therefore we have no reason to fear.

Another thought is that in this consecration, we follow the example of Ruth’s holy words to Naomi. In Ruth 1:16-17, Ruth cries, “Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! for wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Wherever you die I will die, and there be buried. May the LORD do so and so to me, and more besides, if aught but death separates me from you!”

It may also help you to consider that Jesus gave Himself completely to Mary.

Jesus subjected Himself to Mary in obedience (Luke 2:51). He granted her requests even when He didn’t feel the time was right (John 2:4).

Jesus placed Mary at His right hand in His Kingdom and “does her homage,” granting her every request, without exception, as was predicted in the prophetic relationship between Solomon and his mother. Solomon was the King of the House of David and Bathsheba was his mother. Jesus is also the King of the House of David and Mary is His Mother (Luke 1:32-33). The Queen of the House of David sits at the right hand of the throne, second in authority only to the King, and in the exalted Kingdom of David Christ rules over in Heaven, as was typologically and prophetically foreshadowed in 1 Kings, the mother’s every request is granted.
1 Kings 2:19-20:

19
Then Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king stood up to meet her and paid her homage. Then he sat down upon his throne, and a throne was provided for the king’s mother, who sat at his right.
20
“There is one small favor I would ask of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.” “Ask it, my mother,” the king said to her, “for I will not refuse you.”

Jesus says all the more to Mary, whose requests are always flawless, “I will not refuse you.” He delights in her with passionate love. His Heart is captive to her, captive to love, even as hers is utterly His.

Pius IX said about Jesus’ relationship with Mary, “With a Heart that is truly a Mother’s does she approach the problem of our salvation, and is solicitous for the whole human race; made Queen of heaven and earth by the Lord, exalted above all choirs of angels and saints, and standing at the right hand of her only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she intercedes powerfully for us with a mother’s heart, obtains what she seeks, and cannot be refused.”

I can’t find a precise quote to this effect right now, but Jesus’ Heart is utterly Mary’s and Mary’s Heart is utterly Jesus’. They belong to one another with penetrating love beyond our comprehension. We can only marvel and delight at their love for one another and total self-giving to one another, and share a flash of it in the Eucharist.

If God gives Himself completely to Mary, a creature, how can it be wrong for us to do so?

That question might also be worth considering.

Jesus leads the way. If He subjects Himself to Mary that she might give Him to us, I subject myself to Mary that she might give me to Him! Allelujah!

 

[MariaTheresa]

Lief,

That was a beautiful explanation and I enjoyed reading it very much.
Thank you for posting it.
-MariaTheresa

 

[MtnDwellar]

I love this website! I have never heard of St. Montfort’s Consecration to Jesus Through Mary before. It sounds great. Why haven’t I heard of this?

Please forgive me while I ask stupid questions.

Why doesn’t everyone do this? Does this have approval from the Church? Is there a down side? Am I just sheltered, or is this not widely known? Thanks

 

[TheQuestioner]

My consecration day is day after tomorrow, the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. She has special meaning for me as I am inclined to contemplative prayer, being a “shut in,” as it is called. I live a pretty hermit-like life because I care 7/24 for my two autistic sons.

Reading the Consecration text itself last night (again) I suddenly became full of FEAR about the core part of the text where one gives one’s self, body and soul, so utterly for all eternity to Mary. St. Montfort uses that language specifically regarding Mary alone in that passage, though I am well aware the point is Jesus.

I am a cradle Catholic who lapsed horribly from my early teen years, after nine years of Catholic school into a thirty year lapse. In January of this year, I was brought back, I re-converted fervently, practicing the Faith to the best of my ability and re-catechizing myself intensely.

My return started when hearing, almost by chance, the Hail Mary being recited on EWTN which I had not normally watched. I was laying on my bed in near despair. Those words evoked something in my soul. I became enthused about the Rosary.

This opened my heart to the advice of a woman, named Maria, who pointed me to the Divine Mercy devotion online. I had shared my dire problems, life and death stuff regarding my daughter, with Maria and this is what she thought would help the most.

The Divine Mercy revelation hit me with the divine two-by-four. I bought St.Faustina’s Diary and was utterly changed. I reformed my life quickly, began praying, went to Confession, Mass, and received the Blessed Sacrament for the first time in over thirty years. Wow. Now I do not know how I would live without Him.

In February, I shared my agony about my daughter with Jesus. I “gave” her to Jesus. I wanted Him to help my daughter, but His Will be done. My daughter is healed!

It happened suddenly, right after the first time I prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy! Many other miracles have also happened. I feel so unworthy, so blessed with Mercy – there are not words…I felt POWERFULLY drawn to *consecrate myself to Jesus *but went into a series of Novenas instead.

Then I ran into St. Montfort’s Consecration to Jesus through Mary on line, bought the books, have done the preparation and here I am – suddenly attacked by fear!

The language of the Consecration text explicitly gives oneself body and soul to Mary. Jesus is not in that language, not that part. I understand the theology behind this, that Our Lady takes is right to Jesus, and that is what just happened in my life, powerfully, as you read above.

Yet now I am afraid, chickening out. The problem is the idea of giving my soul - for eternity - to any one but God seems wrong somehow.

Being brough up Catholic, I have no issues about our Blessed Mother. I am humbly grateful for her Hail Mary literally opening the path to saving my soul! AND I wanted so much to consecrate myself to Jesus though I am a lay person. (Because I have dependant children it cannot be a call to a religious vocation.)

So, anyway, this Montfortian Consecration seemed like just THE thing to do ! – yet suddenly it seems somehow wrong and terrifying to give my soul to anyone but God. Putting myself in her holy hands, trusting her in that mode seems wonderful, but that is not how the language reads.

So many of you have done this. Any help? I have read other threads but remain stuck tonight, and “the day” is the day after tomorrow. I feel really so distressed at this last minute fear; the time is short. Thank you to anyone just for reading this long post.

With you in Christ Jesus…

What belongs to Mary that doesn’t belong to God?

 

[Monica4316]

I love this website! I have never heard of St. Montfort’s Consecration to Jesus Through Mary before. It sounds great. Why haven’t I heard of this?

Please forgive me while I ask stupid questions.

Why doesn’t everyone do this? Does this have approval from the Church? Is there a down side? Am I just sheltered, or is this not widely known? Thanks

It’s fully approved by the Church and a great devotion; there is no down side I don’t know how many people know about the Consecration… I know that Pope John Paul II loved this devotion and “True Devotion” was one of his favourite books.

the book is available online too: ewtn.com/library/montfort/truedevo.htm

God bless!

 

[Monica4316]

What belongs to Mary that doesn’t belong to God?