DAY 9 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

 

 

 

Imitation of Christ

Fire tries iron, and temptation a just man. We often know not what we are able to do, but temptations discover what we are. Still, we must watch, especially in the beginning of temptation; for then the enemy is more easily overcome, if he be not suffered to enter the door of the mind, but is withstood upon the threshold the very moment he knocks. Whence a certain one has said "Resist beginnings; all too late the cure." When ills have gathered strength, by long delay, first there comes from the mind a simple thought; then a strong imagination, afterwards delight, and the evil motion and consent and so, little by little the fiend does gain entrance, when he is not resisted in the beginning. The longer anyone has been slothful in resisting, so much the weaker he becomes, daily in himself, and the enemy, so much the stronger in him. Some suffer grievous temptations in the beginning of their conversion, others in the end and others are troubled nearly their whole life. Some are very lightly tempted, according to the wisdom and the equity of the ordinance of God who weighs man's condition and merits, and pre-ordaineth all things for the salvation of His elect. We must not, therefore, despair when we are tempted, but the more fervently pray to God to help us in every tribulation: Who, of a truth, according to the sayings of St. Paul, will make such issue with the temptation, that we are able to sustain it.

Let us then humble our souls under the hand of God in every temptation and tribulation, for the humble in spirit, He will save and exalt. In temptation and tribulations, it is proved what progress man has made; and there also is great merit, and virtue is made more manifest.


Meditations to Help Us Grow in the Knowledge of Ourselves

Meditation: 1
Knowledge of self is the foundation of sanctity

The first thing we must impress upon ourselves is that we are creatures.  There is a great deal more in this thought then may at first appear.  We were created by a Holy God and for a holy purpose. In his book, The Secret of Mary, St. Louis de Montfort says quite bluntly:

“Chosen soul, living image of God and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, God wants you to become holy like Him in this life, and glorious like Him in the next…It is certain that growth in holiness of God is your vocation.  All your thoughts, word, actions, everything you suffer or undertake, must lead you towards that end.  Otherwise you are resisting God, in not doing the work for which He created you, and for which He is even now keeping you in being(Secret of Mary pp3).

This is nothing other then what Our Lord meant when He said: “Be ye perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48)

We therefore belong entirely to Him: and it is our duty to fulfill His desire that we become perfect-for, after all, it is only saints that go to Heaven. That sanctity is achieved here below, or in the fires of Purgatory.  Ask yourself candidly: “Have I always looked upon myself in that light”? When you have performed any great act of self-sacrifice, etc. have you regarded it as a small thing and nothing more than your duty?  If this is how you approach the things you do for God, well and good.  It is the right light in which to view what you do, because it is a truthful light.

Many people-and they are well intentioned people- endeavor to hide what they do; they trouble themselves a great deal for fear of giving way to vanity; they think they are bound not to know what they have done. To these good people I would say: pray for the grace to know yourself, and then you will not fear vanity; God, Who is Truth itself, does not wish you to be untruthful.  He wishes you to know yourself, as far as it is possible.

This self-knowledge will go on increasing until the day of your death. Nevertheless if you earnestly strive to spend this week, in the endeavor to know yourself, you will have made a great step in laying the foundation-stone of all sanctity, which is self-knowledge, the lowly sentiment of yourself as a creature, or in other words the virtue of humility. Perhaps until now you, have not been aware how much you needed this virtue.

 

 

 

REFLECTION:

TAKEN FROM SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES​ ​MYSTICAL FLORA

ALSO UNDER THE TITLE​ ​THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

LETTER 769

To renounce ourselves is simply to purify ourselves
from everything that is done through the instinct of selflove,
which, so long as we are in this mortal life, will not
fail to produce off-shoots, which should be immediately cut
away, just as we do with the vine.
And as it is not sufficient to trim the vine once a year,
but it must be cut at one time and at another stripped of
its leaves, so that the vine-dresser must have the pruning hook
continually ready to cut off the useless shoots in the same way
we must deal with our imperfections.
 
Self-love, self-esteem, and a false liberty of mind, are
roots which can never be completely torn up out of the
human heart ; but we may hinder the production of their
fruit, which is sin. It is impossible, so long as we are in
the world, to prevent their first sallies, their shoots, that
is to say, their first movements ; but we may moderate
and diminish their number and their violence by the
practice of the opposite virtues, and, above all, of the love
of God.
 
We must, therefore, be patient, and correct our bad
habits little by little, conquer our aversions, and overcome
our evil inclinations and passions according as they come
into play. For we must remember that this life is a continual warfare,
and there is no living creature who can say,
I am free from attack. Repose is reserved for heaven,
where the palm of victory awaits us

[Mark Lecomber]

I, too, feel totally unworthy and "not advanced enough" (if that makes sense) to do the Consecration.  The readings and meditations are so excellent that I know I can't fully appreciate how good the advice and the signposting in them is.  So I find myself thinking that maybe I should read these works in their entirety before coming to the Consecration better prepared.  But i have thought, no, I will do the Consecration because I am not worthy and never will be!

[Daniel M]

In the Spiritual exercises of Ignatius, he explains the joys of spititual consolations and then the Dryness of spirit that follows.   Now that Im  past the Joys of beginning, the important part is to invest  small amounts of time.    The rewards of just a little time are the same as hours spent during the Joys of consolation, for our spirit.   Scan the goals , and take pressure off yourself. Turn to music and Praises and less intensive activities during Dryness and Ask, Seek, and Find strength from Our Lady and Lord.  Its the only thing that works for me for in my job I have extreme Highs and lows and it all comes at me at once, like today.  I cant cope with this today, I have to take the overview approach or Ill do nothing which will leave me feeling worse. Help me to focus on this Holy  Trinity and My holy Mother, amen

[Cathleen]

Christine, I think a regular schedule would help a lot.  I know when I am spinning around in tighter circles, it is when I don't have a schedule...or at least a plan in mind for my day, for my prayers, etc.

Also, the Devil will try very hard to discourage you in 10,000 ways not to do this consecration and / or keep up with the rosary.....because it means you get closer to the Most Holy Mother of God, whom he hates.

We are all in this leaky boat together, Dear heart!  Don't give up the ship!  LOL

[Copacabana]

Day 9  "...self-knowledge will go on increasing until the day of your death."

[Dawn Marie]

I'm so amazed at how alike so many souls are.  This same issue came up last year of souls who did not want to complete the consecration because they felt keenly their unworthiness.  It was for some a real struggle to complete it but I remember Father saying that none of us are worthy.  We come to her precisely because we are not worthy.  So keep going like you are going Christine, your doing an excellent job!  This is no easy task.

As for consistency in prayer I'm a firm believer that yes it is a really good idea to set a schedule for yourself if you can.  Just remember that we all have days which are like tornado's so if you have a schedule and it so happens you couldn't keep to it one day don't let that discourage you.  Just keep right on going.

[Cathleen]

Thank you for including that meditation from St. Francis.  He is always "such a gentle-man" in every sense of the word.  I was surprised to read once that he had a fiery temper which he conquered gradually, after much prayer and effort.  Maybe there is hope for me?  :-o