M
MariaChristi
Guest
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today, I’m beginning again, the 33 Days of Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, described by St. Louis de Montfort’s in True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. New members of CAF may be unfamiliar with this Preparation and the Act of Consecration of St. Louis de Montfort. Others, like me, have been blessed in renewing the Consecration often since the first time they consecrated themselves.
For anyone new, let me encourage you to read “True Devotion” prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to bring you into all Truth. The link in the title above takes you to the online version of the book, so you can read it and ask questions. St. Louis De Montfort wrote that this Consecration to Jesus through Mary is the perfect renewal of our Baptismal promises, and I believe he is absolutely correct. His holy life and his writing helps us to understand why. St. John Paul II wrote that reading “True Devotion” was a turning point in his young life. St. Teresa of Calcutta also consecrated herself using St. Louis de Monfort’s method and encouraged her Missionaries of Charity to consecrate themselves. I hope many more will take the opportunity today to begin.
It’s not necessary to make the entire 33 Days when renewing the consecration, but I have found that while I’m blessed in renewing my consecration on major Feasts of Our Lady, I usually renew the entire 33 days before re-consecrating myself annually each year on Mar. 25. It is recommended however to make the full preparation before consecrating oneself for the first time. Why? It is a good spiritual exercise. Beginning today, I (or we) will begin as St. Louis De Montfort wrote:
Today, I’m beginning again, the 33 Days of Preparation for Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, described by St. Louis de Montfort’s in True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. New members of CAF may be unfamiliar with this Preparation and the Act of Consecration of St. Louis de Montfort. Others, like me, have been blessed in renewing the Consecration often since the first time they consecrated themselves.
For anyone new, let me encourage you to read “True Devotion” prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to bring you into all Truth. The link in the title above takes you to the online version of the book, so you can read it and ask questions. St. Louis De Montfort wrote that this Consecration to Jesus through Mary is the perfect renewal of our Baptismal promises, and I believe he is absolutely correct. His holy life and his writing helps us to understand why. St. John Paul II wrote that reading “True Devotion” was a turning point in his young life. St. Teresa of Calcutta also consecrated herself using St. Louis de Monfort’s method and encouraged her Missionaries of Charity to consecrate themselves. I hope many more will take the opportunity today to begin.
It’s not necessary to make the entire 33 Days when renewing the consecration, but I have found that while I’m blessed in renewing my consecration on major Feasts of Our Lady, I usually renew the entire 33 days before re-consecrating myself annually each year on Mar. 25. It is recommended however to make the full preparation before consecrating oneself for the first time. Why? It is a good spiritual exercise. Beginning today, I (or we) will begin as St. Louis De Montfort wrote:
… Preparation and Consecration
Pope Francis has warned the Church many times about “worldliness”. He has warned clergy, religious and laity alike. The Church, the Body of Christ, needs to bring Christ’s Light into the world, but the warning of Jesus is clear: “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be." (Mt 6:22-23). I decided to begin today, instead of waiting for Mar.25.
- 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.