Consecration to Jesus through Mary

The Immaculate Conception by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, downloaded from Wikipedia

Consecration day at Fish Eaters. Scroll down to step 4.

Consecration day at The Catholic Company.

At Mass today, the priest spoke of Original Sin (which is an important prerequisite to understanding the immaculate conception of Mary). He also spoke of funerals where people believe that heaven is guaranteed after death. While God wills that we all be received into heaven, it is not something we can claim by right. We "get into" heaven solely through God's mercy. It's a gift, a grace. And so this part of the consecration prayer stood out for me:

Since I cannot lay claim to anything except what merits your rejection and displeasure, I dare no longer approach the holiness of your majesty on my own. That is why I turn to the intercession and the mercy of your holy Mother, whom you yourself have given me to mediate with you. Through her I hope to obtain from you contrition and pardon for my sins, and that Wisdom whom I desire to dwell in me always.

St. Louis de Montfort repeatedly expressed that this consecration to Jesus through Mary is a renewal of our Baptismal vows. And we should renew those vows repeatedly as a reminder to ourselves about our journey and our final end. May the peace of Jesus Christ be with you.

Knowledge of Jesus: Day Seven

Eucharistic Adoration of Jesus in the Monstrance at Little Flower, photo by user ExorcisioTe, downloaded from Wikimedia Commons

Day thirty three at Fish Eaters.

Day thirty three at The Catholic Company.

Today's readings come from Imitation of Christ and True Devotion. The selection from Imitation of Christ is Eucharistic, which is fitting, since the Blessed Sacrament is the source and summit of our faith. In gratitude (for Eucharist means thanksgiving), we receive our Lord: body, blood, soul, and divinity. We do so in a foretaste of seeing Jesus in his glory, after we've been purified of our sin and flaws.

My eyes could not bear to behold You in Your own divine brightness, nor could the whole world stand in the splendor of the glory of Your majesty. In veiling Yourself in the Sacrament, therefore, You have regard for my weakness.

The selection from True Devotion continues the topic from yesterday. Thirdly, we do our actions in Mary. This recalls Mary as the ark of the New Covenant, where Mary bore Jesus for nine months. Since she was created as a fitting vessel for Jesus, in that time, Jesus was in paradise, of which the Garden of Eden was a figure. It reminds me that we're like Mary when we bear Jesus for a few minutes after receiving Holy Communion. Of course, we're not perfect, but we should be free from the state of mortal sin (that is, being spiritually dead) before we receive. We hope that within us, God is creating and transforming our interior life such that it also may be a place of rest for Jesus. In the Church, which is a type of the New Eve, which is Mary, we are formed into the image and likeness of the Father's Son.

And fourthly, in gratitude, we do all for Mary. Yes, we are servants of God and servants of our neighbor (out of love for God and love for neighbor), in particular, the kindly neighbor of the Blessed Virgin who has accepted us as adopted children, and therefore, we are also adopted brothers and sisters of Jesus. 

It is not that we can take her for the last end of our services, for that is Jesus Christ alone; but we may take her for our proximate end, our mysterious means, and our easy way to go to Him. Like a good servant and slave, we must not remain idle, but, supported by her protection, we must undertake and achieve great things for this august sovereign.

We must defend her privileges when they are disputed; we must stand up for her glory when it is attacked; we must entice all the world, if we can, to her service and to this true and solid devotion; we must speak and cry out against those who abuse her devotion to outrage her Son, and we must at the same time establish this Veritable Devotion; we must pretend to no recompense for our little services, except the honour of belonging to so sweet a Queen, and the happiness of being united by her to Jesus her Son by an indissoluble tie in time and in eternity.

Since this is the last day before consecration or re-consecration, a person should go to confession before receiving the Blessed Sacrament at the Mass of the feast day.

Knowledge of Jesus: Day Six

Immaculate Heart of Mary by Leopold Kupelwieser, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day thirty two at Fish Eaters.

Day thirty two at The Catholic Company.

Today's readings are from Imitation of Christ and True Devotion. The Imitation has us reflecting on who or what rules our hearts: "Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what belongs to another and He wants your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned therein as King in His own right." Why should we want Jesus enthroned in our hearts? The Imitation of Christ explains,

Affection for creatures is deceitful and inconstant, but the love of Jesus is true and enduring. He who clings to a creature will fall with its frailty, but he who gives himself to Jesus will ever be strengthened.

Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.

The selection from True Devotion gives guidance on how to bring about this interior change. Both Fish Eaters and The Catholic Company pages use a slightly different list than the translation by Fr. Faber (TAN Books). Fr. Faber's translation says that we are "to do all our actions by Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary; so that we may do them all the more perfectly by Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus, and for Jesus." Instead of "by" the two pages use "through." I understand why they have done this, because it has been confusing to me. But after some thought, I prefer Fr. Faber's translation because we're to do all our actions by the spirit of Mary, whose spirit is so united to that of the Holy Spirit, that we are doing all our actions by the Holy Spirit. So "by the Holy Spirit" seems better than "through the Holy Spirit" in that it captures the source of good in the Holy Spirit, rather than in ourselves. One could argue that we do our actions by the Holy Spirit through Mary, but that requires remembering two prepositions instead of one; and I think that I can easily remember that "by Mary", it means "by the spirit of Mary" or "by the Holy Spirit."

The other preposition covered for today is "with" (the remaining prepositions will be covered tomorrow). By "with" we are to consider Mary as a model in our actions. How did she do it? Or how would she have done it if she were in our shoes? We should consider her virtues, especially her "lively faith" and her "deep humility." It is these two virtues which will help us obtain deeper knowledge of Jesus, to trust in him and to have confidence in him in our relationship with him. Indeed, that Jesus may be truly enthroned in our hearts.

Knowledge of Jesus: Day Five

Great Panagia, icon in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day thirty one at Fish Eaters.

Day thirty one at The Catholic Company.

Today's readings come from both Imitation of Christ and True Devotion. The Imitation of Christ starts us in a prayer of humility, we come as beggars to God and there is wonder: "But whence is this to me, that You should come to me? Who am I that You should offer Yourself to me?" The answer to these questions expresses a hidden joy that God is merciful, and that God loves us.

That wonder continues in the selection from True Devotion (which is omitted on The Catholic Company page). The "Incarnation is the proper mystery of this practice," of this devotion to Mary, wherein God the Son became dependent on Mary. Further, St. Louis de Montfort writes that Jesus became a "captive and a slave in the bosom of the divine Mary." This expresses the humility of Jesus coming to us "in the form of a slave" (Phil 2:6). It's true that an acceptable translation is that Jesus came to us "in the form of a servant." But Jesus is not a servant for hire, rather he came as a slave of love (which I discuss in a prior post). The term "divine Mary" (the translation of True Devotion by Montfort Publications drops the word "divine," probably to avoid misunderstandings) does not mean that Mary is a god or a divine being, but expresses her perfection by analogy, as we might say, "the meal was divine!" But it also expresses her participation with the grace of God, her cooperation with divine grace. In the eastern Church, this process is called theosis, where we are transformed by God and made divine, not in a metaphysical way, but rather by a transformation into the likeness of God. In a homily at World Youth Day in Toronto, Pope John Paul II said,

We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.

God's grace transforms us. In true devotion, we are asking God (and asking for Mary's intercession) to be transformed through Mary as a model or as the mold in which Jesus was formed. The goal is to form Jesus Christ within us and to be united in love with the Divine.

---

Update suggested by a friend: St. Athanasius writes that theosis is "becoming by grace what God is by nature"

Knowledge of Jesus: Day Four

Crucifixion by Paolo Veronese, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day thirty at Fish Eaters.

Day thirty at The Catholic Company.

Today's readings come from the Gospel according to Matthew and Imitation of Christ (book II, chapter 12). The Catholic Company omitted the reading from Imitation, which is a shame, since I'm going to quote from it.

It is the Crucifixion, where some people mocked Jesus and reviled him. The soldiers watched and sat down (they had mocked him earlier when Jesus was crowned with thorns). Christ the King is on the cross. It's gruesome. We have put him on the cross.

The Imitation of Christ asks, "Why, then, do you fear to take up the cross when through it you can win a kingdom?" It points out, "To many the saying, 'Deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow Me,' seems hard, but it will be much harder to hear that final word: 'Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.'"

[...] In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness. There is no salvation of soul nor hope of everlasting life but in the cross.

Knowledge of Jesus: Day Three

Healing of a bleeding women Marcellinus-Peter-Catacomb, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty nine at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty nine at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading is from Imitation of Christ. The line—"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity?"—gets my attention because I've taught the Trinity to teenagers preparing for Confirmation (and I've been asked to do so in the future). It's a good question to ask since we all have from time to time, "blindness of heart." And Imitation of Christ directs us, obviously, to imitate Christ.

Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. (Phil 2:5-8)

We empty ourselves so as to be filled with Christ, so that we might imitate Christ. If we were humble, we would recognize our need for healing and we would ask for it. This is a gift from a merciful God. And what should we do in receiving such a gift? Gratitude for it is good. And so is praising God for his mercy. But we can also pass on the gifts of goodness to others, realizing that we're instruments of God's good, not the source of good. "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk" (Acts 3:6).

Vanity of vanities and all is vanity, except to love God and serve Him alone.

Knowledge of Jesus: Day Two

Agnus Dei with Vexillum, photo of stained glass by Rebecca Kennison

Day twenty eight at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty eight at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading is selected from chapter 26 of the Gospel according to Matthew. It's the lead up to the passion of Christ. The Passover supper with Jesus and his disciples is the Last Supper wherein Jesus changes the bread and wine into his Body and his Blood. It is the institution of the Eucharist, a sacrament of the Church ("The Eucharist is 'the source and summit of the Christian life,'" CCC 1324). Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prays,

My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. (Mt 26:39)

Jesus unites his human will to the divine will of the Father, carrying out the prayer he taught to his disciples, "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." It is a joining of many themes throughout Scripture to this moment: the suffering servant in Isaiah, the ram offered in place of Isaac in Genesis, the sacrificial offerings by Abel and Melchizedek in Genesis, the sacrifice of lambs and the blood of the lambs on doorposts in Exodus, and many more. The Shepherd becomes one with the sheep he shepherds and the Paschal Lamb who is sacrificed to save them.

The first move is that God comes down to unite with us to give us life, and we should unite our lives with him. "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mk 8:34).

Knowledge of Jesus: Day One

Christ Pantocrator, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, photo by Andrew Shiva

Day twenty seven at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty seven at The Catholic Company.

The reading today is from True Devotion. Why do this devotion? Ultimately the reason should be Jesus. This morning as I was driving to Mass, the thought came to me: "Why do we do anything?" The right answer, which shouldn't surprise Christians, is that we should do it because we love Jesus (and this we pray for: "grant us the grace of your most divine love, that we may love you with all our hearts, and in all our words and actions, and never cease to praise you"). When we sin, we have either forgotten Jesus, or we've pushed him away. 

There has been no other name given under heaven, except the name of Jesus, by which we can be saved. God has laid no other foundation of our salvation, of our perfection, and of our glory, except Jesus Christ. Every building which is not built upon that firm rock is founded upon the moving sand, and sooner or later will fall infallibly.

And,

If, then, we establish the solid devotion to our Blessed Lady, it is only to establish more perfectly the devotion to Jesus Christ.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Seven

Coronation of the Virgin by Diego Velázquez, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty six at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty six at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading is from True Devotion. Even in St. Louis de Montfort's day, there were Christians (both Catholic and not Catholic) who thought the veneration of Mary went over the top. De Montfort acknowledges here, that Mary is a creature:

With the whole Church I acknowledge that Mary, being a mere creature fashioned by the hands of God is, compared to his infinite majesty, less than an atom, or rather is simply nothing, since he alone can say, "I am he who is". Consequently, this great Lord, who is ever independent and self-sufficient, never had and does not now have any absolute need of the Blessed Virgin for the accomplishment of his will and the manifestation of his glory. To do all things he has only to will them.

 And yet, he continues, 

Nevertheless I say that, things being supposed as they are now, God having willed to commence and to complete His greatest works by the most holy Virgin, since He created her, we may well think He will not change His conduct in the eternal ages; for He is God, and He changes not either in His sentiments or in His conduct.

De Montfort claims that Jesus is not known as he should be, because "Mary has been up to this time unknown, and that this is one of the reasons that Jesus Christ is not known as He ought to be." This might be hard to comprehend, since Mary seems to be barely mentioned in Scripture. And it is true, that the humble Mary would rather point to Jesus, than to have attention focused on her, except if it were necessary for people to know Jesus better. A good example is the Marian dogma that she is the Mother of God, which makes some people upset. The claim is not that she is the mother of the Father, but that she is the mother of the Son. She is the mother not of a nature, but of a person, in this case, a divine person. Additionally, as the mother of the Son, she emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, who has a human mother, just like the rest of us. The title is not a claim that she is a god, an additional person alongside the Trinity, but that she has special relationship with Jesus. The title, Theotokos, tells us literally that she gave birth to the Son of God. And here is a clue, the knowledge of Mary is not one of merely knowing facts about Mary, but a knowing in the sense of being in a relationship with Mary. In his humanity, Jesus would have a special relationship with Mary, just as most human beings have with their mother. If Jesus were to appear in front of television cameras, it would not be unusual if he gave a shout out to his mom: "Hi Mom!" We fallen human beings can't love Mary more than Jesus loves Mary. We do need to keep in mind that she is a creature.

So, if we are in a relationship with Mary, there is no doubt that she would direct us into a relationship with her Son.

Finally, I'd like to pair a couple of verses from the Book of Revelation, which are not normally seen together because they are in different chapters. But one verse is immediately after the other:

11:19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. 12:1 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

Mary is the living ark of the New Covenant, the ark of the Word of God. God created her that she be a fitting vessel for his Son. She is not an ordinary human person. She is also the Queen of Heaven and Earth, not by her own merits, but because Christ is King (as Solomon was king and Bathsheba was queen). And it is Christ our King to whom we turn toward next week (starting tomorrow).

Knowledge of Mary: Day Six

The Virgin in Prayer by Sassoferrato, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty five at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty five at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading from True Devotion is about the wonderful effects of the devotion.

Most of reading covers familiar ground, for those who have reached this point in the devotion. I'd like to highlight this effect: "If Mary, the Tree of Life, is well cultivated in our soul by fidelity to this devotion, she will in due time bring forth her fruit which is none other than Jesus Christ." It's similar to the introduction which is prayed for every day in this week:

Our Mother is also a perfect mold wherein we are to be molded in order to make her intentions and dispositions ours.

Additionally, it should remind one of the Hail Mary where we say, "and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." We allow ourselves (or we should allow ourselves) to be formed by Mary as part of this devotion as we should allow ourselves to be formed by the Church (which is also our mother). In Mary, we are formed by the same mold which molded Jesus, and so we become like Jesus.

Also, I wish to restate the importance of praying the Rosary for this week. From beginning (in the mystery of the Annunciation) to the end (in the mystery of the Coronation of Mary), Mary is present. Especially ponder the mystery of the Annunciation, in which the Holy Spirit overshadows her (Luke 1:35), and the Son of God becomes incarnate. I think it's also useful to remember that we too bear Jesus within us when we receive the Eucharist. There are many ways in which we can meditate on these mysteries.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Five

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty four at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty four at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading again comes from True Devotion. St. Louis de Montfort claims that, "This devotion is an easy [or smooth], short, perfect, and secure [or secure] way of arriving at union with our Lord, in which the perfection of a Christian consists."

I'm not sure if I've never oversold this devotion. In my own case, I've seen the effects of this devotion within myself. Most people would say that I've had an easy life, without many crosses and burdens. And so, in way, I've not been tested in any external way which people can see. But, my journey toward Jesus is far beyond my earlier expectations. This does not mean that I'm holy in an exceptional way—I've had bumps along the road—but rather, if I were able to speak to my younger self, he would not be able to comprehend what this devotion has done for me. And as far as I know, this journey is not near completion, and by that, I understand that I'm in need of a lot more formation.

But for others, whom I know have practiced this devotion, it does not seem to achieved immediate results, or a secure union with Jesus. Recently, I've been noodling over the causes for the hardening of hearts, and while I cannot know if it's really a hardening of hearts that's involved in any or some of the cases, it seems to me the answer is somehow related. In myself, I recognize a weakness of ingratitude. And I see within myself the tendency to focus on the bad, and lose perspective of the larger picture, which would obviously show all that I could be grateful for. Somehow, the disposition of one's heart is an important factor in formation. Not even God can change a person, if he is not willing.

But I don't know. I can't know why the claim isn't met. The devotion is not a magic charm or spell, it's a developing relationship which I recognize requires change on my part (I'm not asking Mary or Jesus to change to accommodate me).

De Montfort adds a caution which may be the best explanation this side of heaven, "if it is not common, it is because it is too precious to be relished and practised by all the world." It is precious for me.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Four

The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty three at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty three at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Again, today's reading is from True Devotion. The heart and soul of this perfect devotion is found here:

All our perfection consists in being conformed, united, and consecrated to Jesus Christ; and therefore the most perfect of all devotions is, without any doubt, that which the most perfectly conforms, unites, and consecrates us to Jesus Christ. Now, Mary being the most conformed of all creatures to Jesus Christ, it follows that, of all devotions, that which most consecrates and conforms the soul to our Lord is devotion to His holy Mother, and that the more a soul is consecrated to Mary, the more is it consecrated to Jesus.

And this devotion is not novel:

Hence it comes to pass, that the most perfect consecration to Jesus Christ is nothing else but a perfect and entire consecration of ourselves to the Blessed Virgin, and this is the devotion which I teach; or in other words, a perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy Baptism.

And it repeats the promise and concerns I expressed yesterday:

In a word, we must give her all we have in the order of nature and in the order of grace, and all that may become ours in future in the orders of nature, grace, and glory; and this we must do without any reserve of so much as one farthing, one hair, or one least good action; and we must do it also for all eternity, and we must do it further without pretending to, or hoping for, any other recompense for our offering and service, except the honour of belonging to Jesus Christ by Mary and in Mary, even though that sweet Mistress were not, as she always is, the most generous and the most grateful of creatures.

We're to give her all, as if we did not know that she is "the most generous and the most grateful of creatures." I hope to give her all by trusting in her, and yet at the same time, forgetting she has united her will to the divine Will of God, who is merciful and generous to us.

It is a mystery that God has so chosen to give himself completely through the participation of his creatures. His grace comes to us, not only directly from him, but very often through his creatures. And his choice to allow us to participate in the dispensing of his grace is also his gift (grace) to us. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Three

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty two at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty two at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

The reading today comes from True Devotion. It's interesting that both links at Fish Eaters and at The Catholic Company deviate from the older Preparation for Total Consecration book. The Catholic Company has included longer selections from the paragraphs in True Devotion. And the translation used is slightly different from the publications either by Tan or Montfort Publications. Fish Eaters keeps the same content from the older book, however, they opted for the translation from Montfort Publications. No worries.

The reading today answers the question of what does an authentic perfect devotion to Mary look like? It's interior, tender (trusting), holy, constant, and disinterested.

Of interest to me, is that it is interior. It seems that many Christians miss this, that point is not merely outward acts, but an interior change that should be taking place within the Christian. That interior change is manifested by exterior acts. I've two favorite quotes of scripture that relate to a change of heart.

A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

And almost all of Psalm 51 could be quoted, but I'll limit it to one verse. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

On the other hand, I've the most difficultly in understanding and obtaining disinterest (of course, it's possible I've misjudged with which I'm having most difficulty). Since Mary is the means to Jesus, it seems that in some way, I'm interested in spiritual gain in my devotion to Mary. But at other times, it does seem that I'm in a friendship with her for her alone. It seems that I'm placing my trust in her that my formation will be guided rightly. This is a work in progress in developing an authentic perfect devotion to Mary.

Knowledge of Mary: Day Two

Our Lady of Lourdes, file downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty one at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty one at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's reading comes from the Secret of Mary by St. Louis de Montfort. The older Preparation for Total Consecration book by Montfort Publications has a few errors and today has one of them. The paragraph numbers from Secret of Mary actually go from 23 to 29 instead of 23 to 24 according to the text used for day 21 in Preparation for Total Consecration. It's obvious that the number 24 is wrong rather than the text used. Both Fish Eaters and The Catholic Company above have copied that minor error.

It's useful to go directly to the source in The Secret of Mary, since it provides a little more information in the footnotes, and provides headings to the paragraphs. The reading starts out with a brief answer why we should do this devotion:

If we would go up to Him and be united with Him, we must use the same means He used to come down to us, to be made man and to impart His graces to us. That means is a true devotion [perfect devotion] to our Blessed Lady.

Then the text compares this perfect devotion with other Marian devotions. I'll provide the missing headings for a summary: 1) Devotion without Special Practices; 2) Devotion with Special Practices; and 3) The Perfect Devotion: The Holy Slavery of Love.

Next the nature of this devotion is given:

It consists in giving oneself entirely and as a slave to Mary, and to Jesus through Mary; and after that to do all that we do, with Mary, in Mary, through Mary and for Mary.

And finally, it gives some specifics of the devotion: "We should choose a special feast day on which we give, consecrate and sacrifice to Mary voluntarily lovingly and without constraint, entirely and without reserve: our body and soul, our exterior property such as house, family and income, and also our interior and spiritual possessions: namely, our merits, graces, virtues, and satisfactions." The heading to this paragraph says "Total Surrender."

Americans and those cultures which are significantly influenced by classical liberal ideas, might have a lot of difficulty with the ideas of "slavery" and "total surrender." I did. These strong words are typically seen in opposition to "freedom." The total surrender is what we offer to God in our detachment from the world, in our placing of trust in Him, and in aligning our wills to His. And we should do it willingly. Regarding slavery: note that it's not a servile slavery but a "holy slavery of love." In many instances, men and women have loved so deeply, that they would do anything for their lover or beloved. And God's courting of His bride is a common image in the Bible, including the union of Christ the bridegroom and the Church, his bride. Jesus went all in—in his passion and crucifixion—and expects us to follow him, in love. Indeed, Jesus in his human nature placed himself in complete dependence of Mary in her womb. The Annunciation and Incarnation is the most fitting feast on which to perform this consecration.

Another objection is the total consecration not to God, but to a human being. While Jesus is the true end of this devotion, our experience with other human beings might cause us to hesitate in our placing of trust in another human being. I overcame this issue of trust, by trusting the Church which in turn is trusted because I trust that Jesus is God (and man) and the true founder of the Church. The Church teaches that Mary was immaculately conceived and did not sin. If I believe that is true, then Mary, full of grace, can be trusted. It's not mere trust in a human being, but a trust in a human being backed by God—and she is a creature who has united her will with the will of God.

Surprising to me, that despite my initial trust issues with Mary, I've found her easier to approach than to Jesus. I don't expect others to feel the same, but I know this is true for me. And this trust has been repaid, especially in bringing me into a closer relationship with the three persons of the Holy Trinity, first with the Holy Spirit, and then with Jesus. "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3). Mary brings us Jesus, and Mary brings us to Jesus, her Son. The slavery to Mary is the means to slavery to her Son.

Knowledge of Mary: Day One

Gerard van Honthorst - Adoration of the Shepherds (1622), downloaded from Wikipedia

Day twenty at Fish Eaters.

Day twenty at The Catholic Company. *note: no mention is made here of praying the Rosary at the completion of prayers as is done in the older book by Montfort Publications*

Today's readings are taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke which correspond to the third and fifth Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. As reported by Luke in scripture, in both these mysteries, Mary kept these things in her heart. In Luke 2:19, "But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." And in Luke 2:51, "His mother treasured all these things in her heart." The title of this blog partly comes from these verses, the other part comes from the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Pondering with Mary in the Rosary has been an indispensable part of my spiritual journey, connecting my prayer with scripture and with Jesus. In each of the sets of mysteries, Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or Glorious, Mary is explicitly mentioned—in the scripture describing the mystery of the decade—in some or all the mysteries of the set. She was there for important events in the life of her Son. And so it is with confidence that we pray with Mary, and ask Mary for her intercession, that we be united to her Son, and His life.

Knowledge of Self: Day Seven

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day nineteen at Fish Eaters.

Day nineteen at The Catholic Company.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

1. We must be like children: "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."

2. Jesus is asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

a) Only God is good.

b) We must obey God's commandments.

c) We must not be attached to the things of this world (specifically, for the rich man, it was riches), and follow Jesus.

d) "What is impossible for mortals is possible for God."

 And finally, there is a promise with the sacrifices and giving of self:

Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.

For some people (or maybe most), that sounds easier than it actually is. But our hope rests in God.

Knowledge of Self: Day Six

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day eighteen at Fish Eaters.

Day eighteen at The Catholic Company.

The first half of today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, which is the gospel of mercy. The words of Jesus begin with a warning (which should be heeded) but move to forgiveness:

Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive.

The striking thing about this selection is the revelation that we should not expect praise for following God's commands: "when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'" This is a common pitfall for those who think they are righteous and do the good they do in search of praise (rather than for the sake of the good of others).

The second part from Imitation of Christ is more comforting than previous selections:

My child, do not let the labors which you have taken up for My sake break you, and do not let troubles, from whatever source, cast you down; but in everything let My promise strengthen and console you. I am able to reward you beyond all means and measure. You will not labor here long, nor will you always be oppressed by sorrows. Wait a little while and you will see a speedy end of evils. 

The point of this rigorous self-examination is not to break a person down, but to see the truth about himself and his pride which would have him thinking of himself as God. The sense of self is not to be destroyed but humbled as Christ during his passion. In his passion, Christ was sin for us (but he did not sin himself). When we're carrying our crosses in imitation of Christ and in following Christ, we are bearing the results of our sins and the sins of others. This dying to self is to purify the self, not to destroy it.

Knowledge of Self: Day Five

Image by Traumland-de from Pixabay

Day seventeen at Fish Eaters.

Day seventeen at The Catholic Company.

The first part of the reading today is from Imitation of Christ which tells us: "In all things consider the end." That's great advice for all, including atheists (the hope is: in considering the final end or destination, they may be granted the grace of knowing God through faith). But then the reading continues into some uncomfortable truth:

... how you shall stand before the strict Judge from Whom nothing is hidden and Who will pronounce judgment in all justice, accepting neither bribes nor excuses. And you, miserable and wretched sinner, who fear even the countenance of an angry man, what answer will you make to the God Who knows all your sins?

Hopefully, we will all remember not to demand justice from God, but to ask for mercy. This and the final part from Imitation of Christ provides an interpretive key for the parable of the dishonest steward in Luke, which follows: "Why do you not provide for yourself against the day of judgment?" 

The final lines may be perplexing for some (I raise my hand😏): 

And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light (Luke 16:8). 

The shrewdness of the dishonest steward is in that he prepared for the time to come, as Christians should prepare for the judgment. We should make friends for ourselves in heaven (think Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), we should forgive those who are indebted to us. The steward's worry about his future...

(What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.)

 ... should be our worry about our day of judgment. For when we die, there is nothing we can do change our provision for the future. If we're serious about being welcomed into our heavenly home, today is a great day to start. "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!"

Knowledge of Self: Day Four

Image by Andre Mouton from Pixabay

Day sixteen at Fish Eaters.

Day sixteen at The Catholic Company.

The first part of today's readings is from True Devotion and it is a recapitulation of this week's theme: knowledge of self. There are two quotes I'd like to highlight:

[We] can reflect on those three considerations of St. Bernard, the vileness of our origin, the dishonours of our present state, and our ending as the food of worms.

And,

[We] will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the grace of self-knowledge.

That grace of self-knowledge is humility.

The second part is from Imitation of Christ. While I was a lapsed Catholic, I had the grace to witness this tendency in other people, and indeed, it is one of the truths spoken by Jesus that had me thinking, "this guy is onto something" during my return to faith.

I see this from today's reading:

Often we are not aware that we are so blind in heart. Meanwhile we do wrong, and then do worse in excusing it. At times we are moved by passion, and we think it zeal. We take others to task for small mistakes, and overlook greater ones in ourselves. We are quick enough to feel and brood over the things we suffer from others, but we think nothing of how much others suffer from us. If a man would weigh his own deeds fully and rightly, he would find little cause to pass severe judgment on others. 

As a reflection of this from Matthew 7:1-5.

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Knowledge of Self: Day Three

Image by JL G from Pixabay

Day fifteen at Fish Eaters.

Day fifteen at The Catholic Company.

Part of today's reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus stresses the need for repentance.

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did."

The Greek word translated into "repent" is metanoia.  The literal translation would be "after mind." It suggests conversion, and it seems clear to me that Christ expresses a need to change. Hopefully, no one is so prideful that he cannot admit the need to change.

"Sinner to Saint" by Bob, a reproduction of a stick figure drawing by his college professor as part of an explanation about virtue ethics (labels added by Bob)

The figure above describes the situation. Everyone should identify themselves where they are at present (hint: the stick figure to the left, labeled "sinner"). The need for change should now be obvious for the visually minded. Another note: everyone, who is not God, should realize they need help. That help comes from God or those God has sent to help (ultimately, all help comes from God). This is important self-knowledge: the need to change and the need for help.

Additional reading comes from True Devotion by St. Louis de Montfort. This reading stresses two points: the emptying of self, and the dying to self. We die to ourselves so we can empty ourselves of ourselves so that ultimately we can be filled with God, Who is love. Unless we follow Christ, bear our crosses, and die to self on the cross with Christ, we will not bear fruit: "If the grain of corn falling on the earth does not die, it remains earth, and brings forth no good fruit."

This dying to self is an interior battle, which seems to me to differ from individual to individual. We are all broken in various ways. I only know that this is a hard battle, so there is no sense in delaying any further. We're like downing people who are wildly thrashing about for air, dealing with primitive forces (like the drive for life) so extreme, that we would try to climb on top of the person trying to save us (which is not a rational thing, since it makes it harder for the rescuer).

May peace be with you. Let Mary hold your hand.