Sept. 7 - Wk 3 - Day 6 - "seeking to understand Jesus better"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today is the Vigil of the Nativity of Mary and tomorrow we come to the end of our Journey – and Consecrate ourselves totally or renew our Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary by praying the Prayer of Total Consecration written by St. Louis de Montfort.

For those who will be praying their Act of Total Consecration tomorrow, after preparing for this, following the directions of St. Louis de Montfort in his classic treatise on “True Devotion”, I want to post a link today to the Association of Mary Queen of All Hearts. I encourage you, AFTER praying your Act of Consecration tomorrow, to enroll yourselves in the Association, on their website. See HERE

God willing, I’ll post a link to the Act of Consecration tomorrow. Since tomorrow ends our journey and we can pray our Consecration on Mary’s Feast – then – if it is your first time to pray this Total Consecration you can enroll in the Association of Mary, Queen of All Hearts.

In his treatise on True Devotion, St. Loouis wrote this:

1. Preparation and Consecration

1. Those who desire to take up this special devotion, (which has not been erected into a confraternity, although this would be desirable), 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.

St. Louis de Montfort did not live to see the Confraternity erected but the order of priests he founded have accomplished this desire of his. I hope all of us will spend today in prayer with great attention and devotion. Let us continue our daily prayers for these final two days, today and tomorrow (Litany of the Holy Spirit, Ave Maris Stella and Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus) before praying the our Total Consecration tomorrow in the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.

O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants, in the spirit of holiness, in the fullness of your power, in the perfection of your ways, in the truth of your virtues, in the communion of your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen. – Prayer of Father Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657)

 

[Jellyfish]

This Post is wonderful.
And I have an request: Can you pray for me?
Thank You.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jellyfish,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I will be happy to pray for you and trust you will pray for me! We really “owe” that gift of prayer to one another as Jesus taught us:

This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;[ and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.

Today, Sept. 8 is the Feast of Mary’s Nativity. What a special Day to pray also to Mary our Mother and Model for the Church! Let us ask her always to pray for us, and with us, to Jesus her Son that we may follow Hm as she did, by the power of the Holy Spirit, always doing what pleases The Father!

…Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

 

[Jellyfish]

Thank you very much!
I can be seen here going and asking for prayer, so I hope I don’t ask too much or so.

But I am really in despair and so… it did get better some days, but I think my though times have come back. Please pray that I really hold onto common sense and faith.
That I really get light on god and Jesus.

Thank you though!
Jellyfish

 

[Jellyfish]

Yes… I will put you onto my prayer list and I can ask someone I know to pray for you.
Not that I won’t pray for you.

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jellyfish,

My purpose in coming to Catholic Answers Forum was to do God’s Will and I believe He wants me to share His Love for all His children. He has blessed me with a deepening love for His Mother Whom Jesus gave us from His Cross in His Words to His Beloved Disciple John:

“Behold your Mother” (see : Johns’ Gospel, chapter 19, verse 27)

These words have meant more and more to me in recent years. I hope you will listen to them with the “ears of your heart” that they my go down deep!

When John heard those words from Jesus, he took Mary into his life and not just his home, and so must we – if we are to hear and obey Jesus.

Please, if you have not already taken some time in your prayers to ponder those words from Jesus, simply do as Jesus asks us and “behold” Mary by remembering how God chose to save us: He came to us through Mary, by the power of His Holy Spirit, and He continues that plan today.

Please do not give into despair ever! We were created by God, in love and for love and Mary is given to us to be both Mother and Model for the Church. We can look to her and “see” the wonders God has done and wil do for us when we give ourselves to Him in love as she did and as Jesus did on His Cross.

Perhaps you already have prayed these words but pray them again, for they are powerful:

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Thank you for your prayers for me and remember: as any one of God’s children grows in holiness, we all grow!

 

[Jellyfish]

You’re right. I have always thought too little of dear Mary. I always pray too Jesus first, and then I realize I forgot Mary.
But I don’t know how to get closer to Mary.

And I know, maybe you would say pray the rosary, but I don’t know how me meditate on the Mysteries. Still, I love Mary.

But she was getting out of my Horizon somehow. You see, [This is private]… So I don’t want to make the impression to be holy and I am not sure if it does so, but it sounds like it, but I will tell it, because you maybe can offer some insight:

So, I had a little deepening in my faith, and I got really love to our dear blessed mother, but I got afraid I had too much love of her, so I wanted to focus on Jesus more, in which I didn’t really get forward.

That said, I don’t think that my love to mother Mary is gone. I think it’s asleep. I still don’t know how to get nearer to Mary.
And I think regarding those words of Jesus: how can I properly ponder on them?

Jellyfish

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jellyfish,

Since this thread was really intended for the 33 Day Journey toward praying the Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, described in St. Louis de Montfort’s book on “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin”, the title of this thread doesn’t exactly fit what you and I are sharing right now. However it comes very close to what True Devotion to Mary is all about!

If it is ok with you, I’m going to start a new thread on CAF and the title will be: “Have you been afraid to love Mary too much - yet still want to get closer to her?” — it seems that is what is on your heart, and we may may find there are others having similar “heartaches” .

Thanks you for sharing this much with me, Jellyfish and I trust the Holy Spirit will guide all of us to learn more by God’s Grace. When Jesus said “Behold your Mother” to His Apostle John — I believe John did just what Jesus said. He looked upon Mary and he beheld her as his own Mother and took her into his own life to care for her and to learn from her. I believe in a very similar but spiritual way each child of God can hear those words from Jesus and do as John did “seeing Mary” in spiritual way and taking her into our lives and caring enough to love and comfort her for all she suffered and to learn from her to follow Jesus as perfectly as she did.

By God’s Grace, I will begin that new thread now.

 

[Jellyfish]

Thank you!
But… you shouldn’t give your devotion Threads up, they may help a lot of people.

Jellyfish

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Jellyfish,

I posted my thread with the title I gave you and two people have responded. Did you read it yet? Title: Have you been afraid to love Mary too much - yet still want to get closer to her?

God willing, I might start a series of threads starting at the very beginning of St. Luis De Montfort’s book on True Devotion and going to the end, taking a few paragraphs at a time. I’ll pray about it. It might help people.

God willing, I’d like to share the 33 Day Journey again next year perhaps and renew my Total Consecration on the Feast of the Annunciation. We’ll see what the Lord provides.

Please, do read the new thread however; and write a reply? If you have questions that can help people too.

 

[Katherine438]

I did the 33 day consecration to Mary and I do believe she has helped me many times.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks so much, dear Katherine for sharing that good news! Oh, Yes!!! I am sure she helps us all in so many ways, more times than we are even aware of – but God knows for sure – He gave her to us and He has given her what we need – Mary is His gift and our Mother of Mercy.