PRAYERS TO OUR LADY

DAY 12 OF 33 TOTAL CONSECRATION

Begin With The Following Prayers:

Come Holy Ghost fill the hearts of Thy faithful...

Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis: Book 1, Chapter 25., cont.

But if thou observest any thing worthy of reproof, beware thou do not the same. And if at any time thou hast done it, labor quickly to amend thyself. As thine eye observeth others, so art thou by others noted again.

How sweet and pleasant a thing it is, to see brethren fervent and devout, obedient and well-disciplined! How sad and grievous a thing it is, to see them walk disorderly, not applying themselves to that for which they are called! How hurtful a thing it is, when they neglect the purpose of their calling and busy themselves in things not committed to their care!

Be mindful of the purpose thou hast embraced, and set always before thee the image of the Crucified. Good cause thou hast to be ashamed in looking upon the life of Jesus Christ, seeing thou hast not as yet endeavored to conform thyself more unto Him, though thou hast been a long time in the way of God. A religious person that exercizeth himself seriously and devoutly in the most holy life and passion of our Lord, shall there abundantly find whatsoever is profitable and necessary for him, neither shall he need to seek any better thing, besides Jesus. O if Jesus crucified would come into our hearts, how quickly and fully should we be. A man fervent and diligent is prepared for all things.

It is harder toil to resist vices and passions, than to sweat in bodily labors. He that avoideth not small faults, by little and little falleth into greater. Thou wilt always rejoice in the evening, if thou spend the day profitably. Be watchful over thyself, stir up thyself, warn thyself, and whatsoever becometh of others, neglect not thyself. The more violent thou uses against thyself, the more shalt thou progress. Amen.

Meditation: 1

On our own Weakness and the Trials of This Life

THE DISCIPLE. Lord, I confess my sinfulness,(Ps. 32:5) and acknowledge my weakness. Often it is but a small matter that defeats and troubles me. I resolve to act boldly, but when I am assailed even by a small temptation, I am in sore straits. From a trifling thing sometimes arises a strong temptation; and when I think I am secure, I am almost overwhelmed by a mere breath.

Consider my lowness and weakness, 0 Lord, for You know all things. Have mercy on me, and raise me from the mire, that I may not stick fast in it,(Ps.25:16; 49:14) nor remain prostrate. It is this that often defeats and confounds me in Your eyes - that I am so prone to fall and so weak in resisting my passions. And although I do not yield to them entirely, yet their assaults trouble and distress me, so that I am weary of living constantly at conflict. My weakness is apparent to me, for evil fancies rush in on me more readily than they depart.

Most mighty God of Israel, zealous lover of souls, I pray You remember the toil and grief of Your servant, and support him in all his undertakings. Strengthen me with heavenly courage, lest my old and wicked enemy the flesh, not yet wholly subject to the spirit, prevail and gain the upper hand. For against this I must fight while breath remains in this troubled life. Alas, what a life is this, where trials and sorrows never cease, and where all things are full of snares and foes! For when one trial or temptation departs, another takes its place; and even while the conflict rages, other troubles arise, innumerable and unexpected.

How can we love life, when it holds so much bitterness, and is subject to so many sorrows and calamities? How, indeed, can that be called life, which breeds death and pain in such full measure? Yet it is loved, and many find great delight in it. The world is often blamed for its falseness and vanity, but it is not readily abandoned: the desires of the body exercise too strong a hold. Some things cause us to love the world, others to hate it. The desires of the body, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life(1 John 2:16) all draw us to love the world; but the pains and sorrows that justly ensue cause us to hate and weary of it.

Alas, a perverted pleasure overcomes the mind that surrenders to the world, and counts it a delight to lie among the brambles,(Job 30:7) for it has neither seen nor tasted the sweetness of God and the inner joy of holiness. But they who perfectly despise the world and study to live under God's holy rule know something of that heavenly sweetness promised to all who sincerely forsake the world. They see most clearly how sadly the world goes astray, and how grievously it is deceived.

Meditation: 2

From "The Imitation of Mary"

RECOURSE TO MARY

Mary : MY CHILD, in whatever difficult situation you find yourself, invoke my aid and I will intercede for you. If there is anything you want that is not contrary to God's glory and your own salvation, ask me and I will always be ready to hear you.

Do not ask for anything unless you also want God's will to be done. Any prayer made to me in that spirit will never be fruitless. Many Christians ask me to obtain what they know is contrary to God's will. Can they deceive themselves into thinking their prayers will be answered? Others think of turning to me only when they want earthly goods, but they are completely indifferent when it comes to God's graces. If I pray for such people, it is not in order to obtain the harmful thing they ask for, but to obtain for them that which would be advantageous to them and which they do not think of requesting.

I ask for them the afflictions that will detach them from this world and urge them to think of Heaven. What you ought to ask of me before all is graces of conversion and salvation, graces whereby you may grow in virtue and win merit for Heaven. I always listen favorably to such prayers.

I do not ask temporal favors for those who invoke me, unless these may bring them genuine profit. The successful outcome of a lawsuit or an abundant harvest may be the worst thing in the world for the person who asks it, for people who are prosperous often fail to think of eternity. Many sick people ask me for a cure, but I request of God only the graces they need in their illness. I am not the kind of mother who is blinded by feeling and fails to look for the true happiness of her children. My tender love for you, my child, will never lead me astray.

I intercede for you with Jesus only to obtain for you what is most useful in this life and the next. Believe this and confidently ask my protection. Ask it in all your trials, whatever their nature be. Such trials are frequent. Let my name, therefore, after the name of Jesus, be ever on your lips and written indelibly on your heart.

The Believer :Holy and lovable name of Mary! Name that no one utters confidently without being the better for it! Happy the man who often recalls it with love, utters it devoutly, venerates it from the heart, and calls upon it often. After the name of Jesus, that name that is above every other name [Phil 2, 9] , there is no other more worthy of respect, no other that is sweeter and dearer to the faithful than the name of Mary.

When the sinner invokes it, he feels a surge of hope in the Lord's mercy; the just man conceives a more ardent love; he who is tempted overcomes his own passions; he who is in tribulation feels consoled and inclined to be long-suffering. After the name of Jesus, your name, Mary, will be my comfort in affliction, my counsel in doubt, my strength in the struggle, and my guide at every step I take.

Reflection:

Taken from: The Eternal Happiness of the Saints by St. Robert Belarmine

The obscurity of our faith, therefore, is not the reason why we are not inflamed with a desire for this heavenly kingdom. But being occupied by exterior things, and weighed down by the force of custom, we have no time to think and consider what is expedient for us. We do not follow the advice of our Lord, by entering into our chamber and shutting the door of our heart; we do not earnestly beseech God to direct us in so important an affair. But if, throwing aside for a time all minor cares, we were seriously to think on the kingdom of heaven; how easily and securely it can be acquired. And what an iimmense difference there is between things temporal and things eternal between that which is most insignificant and that which is most excellent between what is of very little importance and what is of the utmost importance; in fine, between an earthly kingdom and a heavenly kingdom. Did we, I repeat, consider these truths, doubtless we should have such a contempt for all earthly thrones, crowns, and sceptres; and, on the other hand, such an ardour for the heavenly things would rise in us, that, so far from being difficult, it would be a most easy task for us to employ all our strength in seeking and acquiring the kingdom of God, for which, as our true and last end, we were made by our wise Creator. (Father Caraffa was accustomed to say, that if men thoroughly knew the truths of eternity, and compared the goods and evils of this life with those of the next, the world would become a desert, because there would be no one that would attend to the affairs of this life.) (See the

DAY 12 OF 33 TOTAL CONSECRATION

Come Holy Ghost fill the hearts of Thy faithful...

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