DAY 13 OF 33 TOTAL CONSECRATION

[Dawn Marie]

Begin With The Following Prayers:

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

The Holy Rosary

The Litany of the Blessed Virgin

 

 

 

Theme for the Week: Knowledge Of Self

Prayers, examinations, reflection, acts of renouncement of our own will, of contrition for our sins, of contempt of self, all performed at the feet of Mary, for it is from her that we hope for light to know ourselves. It is near her, that we shall be able to measure the abyss of our miseries without despairing.

We should employ all our pious actions in asking for a knowledge of ourselves and contrition of our sins: and we should do this in a spirit of piety. During this period, we shall consider not so much the opposition that exists between the spirit of Jesus and ours, as the miserable and humiliating state to which our sins have reduced us. Moreover, the True Devotion being an easy, short, sure and perfect way to arrive at that union with Our Lord which is Christlike perfection, we shall enter seriously upon this way, strongly convinced of our misery and helplessness. But how attain this without a knowledge of ourselves'?

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Meditation: 1

Luke 11:1-10

And it came to pass, that as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.

And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves, Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me, and I have not what to set before him. And he from within should answer, and say: Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet, because of his importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth.

And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

 

Meditation: 2

We salute Mary with the Latin word "Ave."  If we reverse this word, we have the Latin name of the first woman -- our first mother, Eva.  What misery and misfortune did not the sin of this first woman bring upon the world!  She is no longer the mother of the living, as her name denotes, but of the dead, of those who are spiritually dead.  But it is right that we should salute Mary with the word "Ave," for she is in truth the opposite to Eva.  By becoming the Mother of the Redeemer she won salvation, deliverance, and true spiritual life for the whole human race.  As far as her example goes, she is also a direct contrast to Eve.  We have been warned by the saints to beware of imitating Eve; I now desire earnestly to entreat you to endeavor to imitate the virtues of Mary.  Behold her at the hallowed moment when the Angel brought to her the message from on High, and the mystery of inexpressible magnitude, the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God, was accomplished.  What cannot we all learn from this "Virgin of virgins!"

Scripture tells us in the first place; "The angel being come in said unto her."  Mary was not found out of doors, amid the tumult of the world, but in the sacred seclusion of her own room; she loved retirement.

Christian soul, love retirement and recollection.  Of course, I do not mean that you ought to always remain at home, in your own room, or that you ought always to remain aloof from other persons.  This is certainly not my meaning, unless, indeed, God were to call you to embrace a life of cloister and contemplation as a Religious.

Yet it still holds true, that if you wish to persevere in the path of piety, to be happy both in this world and also in the next, you must imitate Mary; you must love retirement; and though you live amid the bustle and turmoil of the world, you must not be of the world.

Especially you must endeavor to suppress the restless craving for the approbation of your fellow men.  A desire to please, to attract the notice of others is often evident in most people to a greater or lesser degree.  But this desire, so seldom resisted, so freely indulged, has effected the temporal and eternal ruin of many young people and of many older persons also.  Struggle with all your might against this inordinate desire to please; like Mary, cultivate a love of seclusion.  Remember the violet.  Everyone loves and values this modest little flower, which thrives and blossoms most beautifully in the shade.

Prove your love of retirement by avoiding dangerous occasions and amusements as far as you possibly can.  Such are unsupervised meetings with those of the opposite sex and modern amusements of an immoral tendency.  Young persons who desire to preserve their innocence and virtue must exercise the greatest caution and prudence in regard to these and similar matters. Give further proof of your love for retirement by remembering the presence of God at all times, and in all places, and by keeping Him before your eyes whatever you may be doing; whether you are at work or at school, partaking of your meals, or conversing pleasantly with those around you.

 

Reflection

Taken from: "Letter to the Friends of the Cross"

by Saint Louis Marie De Montfort

Ask God for the wisdom of the cross

45. 4) You may, and should, pray for the wisdom of the cross, that knowledge of the truth which we experience within ourselves and which by the light of faith deepens our knowledge of the most hidden mysteries, including that of the cross. But this is obtained only by much labor, great humiliations and fervent prayer. If you stand in need of this strengthening spirit which enables us to carry the heaviest crosses courageously; of this gracious and consoling spirit, which enables us, in the higher part of the soul, to take delight in things that are bitter and repulsive; of this sound and upright spirit which seeks God alone; of this science of the cross which embraces all things; in short, of this inexhaustible treasure by which those who make good use of it win God's friendship - if you stand in need of such, pray for wisdom, ask for it continually and fervently without wavering or fear of not obtaining it, and it will be yours. Then you will clearly understand from your own experience how it is possible to desire, seek and find joy in the cross.

 

Humble oneself for one's faults, without worrying

46. 5) If you make a blunder which brings a cross upon you, whether it be inadvertently or even through your own fault, bow down under the mighty hand of God without delay, and as far as possible do not worry over it. You might say within yourself, "Lord, here is a sample of my handiwork." If there is anything wrong in what you have done, accept the humiliation as a punishment for it; if it was not sinful, accept it as a means of humbling your pride. Frequently, even very frequently, God allows his greatest servants, those far advanced in holiness, to fall into the most humiliating faults so as to humble them in their own eyes and in the eyes of others. He thus keeps them from thoughts of pride in which they might indulge because of the graces they have received, or the good they are doing, so that "no-one can boast in God's presence."

 

God humbles us to purify us

47. 6) You must realize that through the sin of Adam and through the sins we ourselves have committed, everything in us has become debased, not only our bodily senses, but also the powers of our soul. And so the moment our corrupt minds reflect with self-complacency on any of God's gifts within us, that gift, that action, that grace becomes tarnished and spoilt, and God no longer looks on it with favor. If the thoughts and reflections of the mind can so spoil man's best actions and God's greatest gifts, how much worse will be the evil effects of man's self-will, which are even more corrupt than those of the mind?

So we need not be surprised that God is pleased to hide his friends in the shelter of his presence, that they may not be defiled by the scrutiny of men or by their own self- awareness. And to keep them hidden, what does this jealous God not permit and even bring about! How often he humiliates them! How many faults he allows them to fall into! By what temptations he permits them to be attacked, as St. Paul was! In what uncertainty, darkness and perplexity he leaves them! Oh, how wonderful is God in his saints, and in the means he adopts to lead them to humility and holiness!

[Dawn Marie]

Mary was not found out of doors, amid the tumult of the world, but in the sacred seclusion of her own room; she loved retirement.

[Alley]

Amen!

[Copacabana]

Day 13

"Struggle with all your might against this inordinate desire to please; like Mary, cultivate a love of seclusion." 

[Dawn Marie]

I would also add that we will be changing the date of consecration to Mary next year to September 8th so that we can do this more easily away from Father's vacation time.

[Dawn Marie]

I managed to reach Father Vernoy who is on vacation in France right now.  He is having difficulty answering emails at the present time (I assume he is not near a computer often) but he assures that he will happily and more easily be able to answer or help from August 6th onward (he is returning to the states on the 5th of August).

If anyone has emailed him and not received a response yet you might do well to ask Father Becher any questions you might have until Father Vernoy gets back.

Father Becher's email address is    [e-mail]

God bless you!

DM