Day 28 Total Consecration Preparation 2013

[Dawn Marie]

DAY 28

Today's Reading

Matthew 26:1, 26–29, 36–46

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended all these words, he said to his disciples: You know that after two days shall be the pasch, and the son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified...

...And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body. And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins. And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father...

...Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani; and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with me. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep, and he saith to Peter: What? Could you not watch one hour with me? Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak. Again the second time, he went and prayed, saying: My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done. And he cometh again and findeth them sleeping: for their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, he went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word. Then he cometh to his disciples, and saith to them: Sleep ye now and take your rest; behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go: behold he is at hand that will betray me.

Meditation:

Taken from The Glories of Mary

 

 

Mary the Peace-Maker Between Sinners and God

GOD'S grace is every soul's greatest and most desirable treasure. The Holy Spirit calls grace an unfailing treasure, for it raises us to the dignity of friends of God.  For to human beings she is an unfailing treasure; those who gain this treasure win the friendship of God (Wis. 7: 14). It is your crimes, says Isaiah, that separate you from your God (Is. 59:2). Sin changes the soul from a friend into an enemy of God.

Then what can sinners do, who unfortunately have become God's enemies? They must find a mediator to obtain pardon for them and help them recover their lost friendship. "Take courage," says St. Bernard. "God Himself has supplied you with a Mediator --- His Son Jesus, Who can secure for you all that you long for. "Dear God, how can people consider this merciful Redeemer severe, when He gave His very life to save us ? How can they think Him terrible, when He is all love?  "O despairing sinners, why are you afraid? Is it because you have offended God? But Jesus has fastened your sins to the Cross with His own pierced hands; He has made satisfaction for them to the Divine Justice with His own Death, and has already effaced them from your souls.

"But maybe His infinite Majesty frightens you --- since He did not cease to be God when He became Man --- and you would like another advocate to intercede with Him. Then go to Mary and she will plead with her Son for you. He will certainly listen to her and will then intercede with His Father, Who can deny nothing to such a Son.

"The Mother of God is the ladder of sinners, on which they mount to the heights of God's grace. She is my greatest confidence. She is the whole ground of my hope."

Beautiful as the curtains of Solomon (Song. l:4 --- Vulgate): thus the Divine Spouse speaks of Mary. Only war was discussed behind the curtains of David's tent; but peace alone was

discussed behind Solomon's curtains.

Thus the Holy Spirit gives us to understand that this merciful Mother never treats of war and vengeance against sinners, but only of peace and pardon. The rainbow which St. John saw about the throne of God (Rv. 4:3) was an express figure of Mary. St. Bernardine of Siena says that this was the rainbow God meant when He promised Noah He would place His bow in the clouds as a symbol of peace, so that when He looked at it He might remember the eternal covenant of peace He had made with the human race.

Again, Mary is compared to the moon in the Song of Songs (6: 10). The moon is between Heaven and earth; so Mary puts herself between God and sinners to appease Him, and to give sinners light to return to Him. When our Lady was created, the principal duty given her was to raise sinners from their state and reconcile them with God. "Feed your goats, " God said when He made her (Song. 1:8). We know that sinners are represented as goats, just as the elect are represented as sheep. At the last judgment the sheep will be on the right hand, the goats on the left.

"The goats, O great Mother," says William of Paris, "are entrusted to you, to change them into sheep. By their sins they deserve to be driven to the left, but your intercession lets them stand at the right."

Our Lord revealed to St. Catherine of Siena that He had made this best beloved of daughters like some "sweet-tasting bait to catch human beings, and particularly sinners, and draw them to God." But here we ought to consider what William the Englishman has to say about the text, Feed your goats. "God recommended her own goats to Mary, for she does not save all sinners indiscriminately, but only those who serve and honor her. "Those who live in sin and never honor her with any particular devotion, never pray for help to break away from sin, are goats indeed, but not Mary's. At the last judgment they will be driven to the left with the damned."

There was a certain nobleman who despaired of salvation because of his many sins. But a monk prevailed on him to visit a statue of our Lady in a particular church and pray to her there. When he saw the statue he felt as if our Lady were inviting him to kneel at her feet and trust in her. He knelt down to kiss her feet, and at that instant Mary put out her hand to be kissed, and on it he saw these words written: "I will deliver you from your enemies."

He was filled with such sorrow for his sins and such overpowering love for God and His tender Mother, that he died on the spot, there at Mary's feet.

How many obstinate sinners are drawn to God every day by this magnet of hearts! " As the magnet attracts iron," our Lady once said to St. Bridget, "I attract hearts." Even the most obdurate hearts she draws to God. And we must not imagine such prodigies are rare; they are everyday occurrences. I myself could relate many cases that have occurred during our [RedemptoristJ missions when some sinners, who remained harder than steel through the sermons, were finally touched and brought back to God after hearing the sermon on the mercies of Mary.

Another purpose behind our Lady's being made the Mother of God was that those sinners who, in the rigorous justice of God, could never be saved because of their wicked lives, might still have a chance for salvation through her sweet mercy and powerful intercession.

Mary was raised to the dignity of Mother of God more for sinners than for the just, since Jesus Himself protested that He came to call, not the just, but sinners.

If you are afraid that Mary will refuse to take your part when you come to her with your sins, you should remember that she can never turn you away, because God Himself has laid on her the duty of helping the miserable.

O sinner, whoever you are, sunk in sin, grown old in sin, never give way to despair.

In His eagerness to show you mercy God has given His Own Son as your Advocate. And then, to make your confidence even stronger, He has given another Advocate, who obtains through her prayers whatever she asks.

Go to Mary, and you will see salvation.

Prayers

Litany of the Holy Ghost

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

[bernadette szczepkowski]

Go to Mary and you will see salvation.

[Alan]

"The Mother of God is the ladder of sinners, on which they mount to the heights of God's grace. She is my greatest confidence. She is the whole ground of my hope."