DAY 2 -PREPARATION FOR CONSECRATION

[Dawn Marie]

PREPARATION FOR CONSECRATION DAY 2

Prayers for the Preparatory Period (Days 1-33) to be said daily.

To see the prayers in their entirety click the links below...

Reading

 

Matthew 5:48, 6:1-15

 

Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect....Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. Be not you therefore like to them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. For if you will forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offenses. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offenses.

 

 

 

 

 

Meditation:

 

THE EXCELLENCE OF WISDOM

 

Taken from Saint Louis Marie de Montfort's book

 

The Love of Eternal Wisdom

 

 

Wisdom is better then strength; and a wise man is better then a strong man. [...]Wisdom is glory and never fadeth away; and is easily seen by them that love her;and is found by them that seek her.  She guides them that covet her, so that she first showeth herself unto them.  He that awaketh early to seek her shall not labor: for he shall find her sitting at his door. To think therefore upon her is perfect understanding; and he that watcheth for her shall quickly be secure.

 

 

 

Meditation:

 

The Danger of Power Wealth and Pleasure

 

Great is the misfortune of the mighty and the rich if they do not love eternal Wisdom.  The words He speaks to them are terrifying.  They cannot be rendered in our language.  "Horribly and speedily will He appear to you...the mighty shall be mightily tormented...a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty" (Wis. 6:6-9)

 

To these words let us add a few which He spoke to them after His Incarnation. "Woe to you that are rich...it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God...Go now, ye rich man, weep and howl in your miseries which shall come upon you". (Mt. 19: Mk.10: Lk. 18).

 

These last were so often repeated by Divine Wisdom when He lived on earth that 3 Evangelists have quoted them without variation, which ought to make the rich weep and wail and lament. But, alas, they have their earthly comforts, they are as it were, bewitched by their pleasures and riches; they do not see the evils which hang over their heads.

 

 

 

Meditation:

 

The World and the Worldlings Do Not Love Christ Because They Do Not Know Him.

 

Is it possible for man to love that which he does not know?  Can he love ardently that which he knows but imperfectly?  Why, then, is the adorable Jesus-Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom-loved so little? Because He is not known, or known but little.

 

Very few of us, like St. Paul, make a sincere study of the super eminent science of Jesus, which is, nevertheless, the most noble, the most consoling, the most useful and the most necessary of all sciences in Heaven and on earth.  To know Jesus Christ, the Eternal Wisdom, is to know everything...to know everything and not to know Him, is, in reality, to know nothing.

 

What does it avail an archer to know how to hit the outer parts of the target, if he does not know how to hit the center?  What will it avail us to know all other sciences necessary for salvation, if we do not know the only essential one, the center to which all others must converge, Jesus Christ?

 

Although St. Paul was a man of varied knowledge and well versed in human sciences, he said: "I judge not myself to know anything among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified". (I Cor. 2:2).

 

I now see and appreciate that this knowledge is so excellent, so delightful, so profitable and so admirable, that I take no account of all that pleased me before.  All else is void of meaning, absurd and a waste of time. "This I say, that no man may deceive you by loftiness of words. Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit" (Col.2:4; 2:8).

 

 

Reflection:

 

Whoever puts his confidence in men or in any creature is very foolish. Do not be ashamed to be the servant of others forlove of Jesus Christ, and to appear poor in this world. Do not trust in yourself, but put your whole confidence in God. Do what you are able, and God will bless your good intention. Do not trust in your own knowledge, nor in the cleverness of any man living, but rather in the grace of God, who aids the humble (James 4:6) and humbles the proud.

 

 

Do not boast of your possessions, if you have any, nor of the influence of your friends; but glory in God, (2 Cor. 10:17) who gives all things and desires above all things to give you Himself. Do not be vain about your beauty or strength of body, which a little sickness can mar and disfigure. Take no pleasure in your own ability and cleverness, lest you offend God, who has Himself bestowed on you all your natural gifts.

 

 

Do not esteem yourself better than others, lest you appear worse in the eyes of God, who alone knows the heart of man (Ps.44:11; John 2:25). Do not be proud of your good deeds, for God does not judge as men; and what delights men often displeases God. If you have any good qualities, remember that others have more; and so remain humble. It does you no harm when you esteem all others better than yourself, but it does you great harm when you esteem yourself above others. True peace dwells only in the heart of the humble: but the heart of the proud is ever full of pride and jealousy.

[bernadette szczepkowski]

Amen +

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

Amen 

[Susan Grace]

Amen

[Michael]

Amen. 

[Joseph]

Amen.

[Karen Kim]

Amen 

[Alley]

With love!

[bernadette szczepkowski]

Do not be ashamed to be the servant of others, for the love of Jesus Christ, and to appear poor in this world.

[Sarah Louise Rita Armstrong]

Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect....

[Michael]

Amen.