Today is the day we start our 33 day journey to Mary's Heart. Mario, Geralyn, Freedom, Mary Ann, Mary's Child, Tina, and myself will begin our consecration and it will end on May 13th. We ask for the prayers of this forum that it is a fruitful journey for all, and may we encourage each other and hold ourselves up in prayer. I'm not sure how this thread will evolve, but I encourage everyone to just post their thoughts, joys, hurdles and challenges along the way. I'll try and post a little about the consecration themes as I see in both 33 Days to Morning Glory and True Devotion to Mary books.
I personally am focused on the zeal of St. Louis de Montfort today and how it inspired Pope John Paul II. "Totally Yours" speaks volumes for the zeal by which both great men lived their lives. They are obviously great models for us in our journey. May God bless us all with great zeal for the days ahead.
Week 1 The theme for True Devotion is Detachment - Emptying Yourself from the Spirit of the World. The theme for 33 Days is reflecting on St. Louis de Montfort - the author of True Devotion to Mary I will be using the 33 Days book for my consecration, but I think detachment at the beginning of this process is wise. I'm going to keep this simple however and just keep in mind what was mentioned several times in True Devotion -Avoid anything that could displease Mary and do everything that we think will please Mary. I think if I keep this in mind throughout the day, I will automatically start to detach from displeasing things throughout the course of these 33 days. It's a good starting point for detachment anyway. I'm looking forward to reflecting on de Montfort's writings. True Devotion is a beautiful book, but I will have to re-read it several times to begin to internalize it. But some phrases that stick out to me off the top of my head: We are turning our bodies and Souls over to Mary and she will furnish us with everything we need for both. She distributes the graces of her son, and she can do this to whom she wills, when she wills, as she wills, and in the quantity she wills...for her will is always in alignment with her son. She will lead us directly on the path of the will of God. She will defend and protect us. She is the star of the sea, who always leads her faithful servants to a good port.
One of the greatest of my personal shortcomings is resolve, generosity, zeal- whatever word you want to fill in. How many unfinished projects I have to show for my puny efforts! Now Louis literally poured himself out, or rather wore himself out in 16 years of priesthood! Entrusting his efforts to Our Lady, he has borne much fruit. It reminds me of the words at Consecration: This is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which shall be poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me. I do like the part of Louis' Celtic origin, since a majority of my bloodline is the same. I told Geralyn that I could dispense with the blue paint, but probably not with the screaming! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
I'm sorry, I forgot to mention Sunburst is in the middle of her consecration, so we will be supporting her in prayer too, and look forward to her posts with the perspective of someone a little farther down the road than us. And Hope just finished her consecration...woo, hoo...there is rejoicing in Heaven!
I am like you Mario I think if I am interpreting your posts right...my efforts (prayer, etc.) come in bursts...and then a lull...bursts...followed by a lull. My goal is to become more consistent...more even...a more dependable disciple of Mary.
Thanks for posting this, PotatoSack! I wanted to renew my consecration on May 13 so I would have missed the starting date were it not for your post/reminder . Count me in your prayers as I pray for you all.
After reading this forum, I am also starting the 33 days today--I have the 33 Days book as well as True Devotion to Mary. Please include me in your prayers as I will including all of you!
Glad to have you join us, Ellie. I'm excited to hear how Mary guides each of us in this coming month! All to Jesus through Mary! Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
PS, I like your thought. It is easier for me to resist temptation by asking if the Two Hearts would be grieved than to ask if it is right or wrong. Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
welcome to the forum ellie...and awesome to have you join us! Have you done this before or are you a rookie? WCWTS...great to have a veteran join us! so many jumping on-board to develop a deeper relationship with Mary or to renew that commitment to her. Heaven is happy now...
Last year a friend decided to make the consecration and asked me for prayers. I decided to join her and renew mine and it was such a great blessing for both of us !!! That I thought I had to renew it more often. Now I'm really delighted to have found good company for the journey to May 13 . I'm sure I'm going to learn a lot from your posts, as I've already started to learn. I too have both books. Let's see how the Spirit blows.
Hope you all don't mind my posting this here,...this is a song by Mark Mallett,...congrats,..Hope on your consecration to the Queen of Heaven
Providence decided to throw a “nuclear” bomb on the enemies of the Church. The havoc wreaked in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is only a minor fever compared to this bomb. The “nuclear bomb” of Catholicism has been ready to explode for two centuries now. When it does, we will understand the full meaning of the expression from Scripture, “Non est qui se abscondat a calore ejus” [no one can escape its heat]. This bomb has a very sweet name: It is called the Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin. In it, every word, every letter is a treasure. It is the book of the new times that are coming. * * * Eighteenth century painting kept in the Hospital of the Daughters of Wisdom in Rennes, France.In his work, Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort expounds in what perfect slavery of the faithful to Our Lady consists. He shows the fundamental role of the Mother of God in the Mystical Body of Christ and in the spiritual life of every Christian. He teaches us to live our spiritual life in consonance with these truths. And he sets us in motion on the most sweet and absolutely marvelous and perfect path to unite us with the Blessed Mother so completely, as no piece of Christian literature has ever done. By uniting the world to Our Lady, Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort says, this devotion will unite it with God. The day when men know, appreciate and live this devotion, Our Lady will reign in all hearts and the face of the earth will be renewed. How? Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort clarified that his book would give rise to unrelenting opposition, would be calumniated, hidden and denied; that his doctrine would be defamed, covered up and persecuted; that it would automatically cause profound hostility in those who do not have the spirit of the Church. But that one day would come when men would finally understand his work. On that day chosen by God, the restoration of the Kingdom of Christ would be assured. We repeat: this True Devotion is the real nuclear bomb which does not destroy but resurrects; the bomb that God has placed into the hands of the Church, foreseeing the bitter events of this century. We confide incomparably more in Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort’s “nuclear” bomb and its power, than we fear the devastating action of all human forces. The preceding article was originally published in The Legionário, no. 689, on October 21, 1945. It has been translated and adapted for publication without his revision. –Ed.
Happened upon this while looking into 'OUR LADY OF GOOD SUCCESS' prophecys. Seemed relevant with the threat of nuclear war.
Thank you all for the welcome! This is a first for me, and like a few others here, I hesitated to start because of my personal history of not finishing things like this and not being able to do it "perfectly". I prayed about it yesterday at length at Adoration though and really felt strongly that it is an important endeavor and that I should not put it off. Hopefully we will all keep other motivated!
