THERE IS POWER UNDER HER MANTLE OF CONSECRATION
This year is coming to an abrupt end, but for Christians it’s a new beginning with the coming of Advent and Christmas. There. I said it. Christmas, Christmas, CHRISTMAS! I know, I know….I haven’t even made plans for Thanksgiving yet (and maybe you haven’t either) and I am leaping over the next holiday goodness for the fa la la. Fine with me, because I want ALL the Christmas: the lights, the greens, the gifts, the bling, the Rockettes, the mistletoe, the music, the stockings, the love and the surprises. But more than a “holiday” rapidly approaching in its heightened commercialized in-your-face sugar plums dancing-in-your-head pace, we have this tremendous spiritually rich season set aside to anticipate the coming of Christ.
And it’s yours for the taking.
Even if you don’t consider yourself an “Advance Placement Catholic” and are just trolling my blog as a lapsed or “cafeteria Catholic” or somewhere in between – this is your heartfelt invitation to spend the next 33 days in preparation to consecrate your life to Jesus through Mary.
I’LL SAY IT AGAIN. You are cordially invited to be made new in Christ by turning everything in your life over to His Mother. Do you want a sonic flood of heavenly graces to position you squarely in His Divine Will? Do this little 33 day thing with me. The decade is ending and the year is ending – THIS. IS. YOUR. GAME. CHANGER. Start over. Begin again. Renew. Redo. Be Hers and be totally God’s.
I promise you this is the most important gift you can give yourself (and others) whereby you take your life of faith seriously and dedicate time to surrender your life under Marian spirituality and truly anticipate the coming of Christ in every area of your life. Christ’s coming is not historical. He’s alive and wants to be in Communion with you if you let Him. She will show you the way.
If you are a mother or a father, you will become a better spouse and parent. If you are single and preparing for the spouse that He has set aside for you (ahem), you will become a better husband or wife truly prepared to live the Sacrament of Marriage. If you are a young adult, this is a radical act of faith in your young life where you are not passively waiting for your life to be “created,” rather you are letting Him form a and create you now. You are not too old, too young, too faithful, too much a sinner, too single or too married for this invitation that is coming to you now.
Why do this? Saint Louis de Montfort (1673-1716) had the most ultimate devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and wrote a lot about her her virtues and what true devotion to her looks like. He teaches and instructs the Church on how to imitate her and lean on her as a path to her Son, Jesus Christ. Many influential Catholics and saints have been impacted by the teaching of St. Louis de Montfort including Saint John Paul II and Mother Teresa.
How does it work? The “Total Consecration according to Saint Louis de Montfort” entails an initial 12-day preparation that is followed by three consecutive weeks. After the 33 days, the Act of Consecration takes place on a Marian feast day. For the Act of Consecration you should go to Confession prior (be in a state of Grace), receive Holy Communion and pray your Marian devotions (rosary and other prayers). So if you join me beginning Tues. November 5th, we will travel 33 days and make the Act of Consecration on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Once you make this Consecration it’s for life, but many renew this Consecration annually in order to store up new graces.
What happens? You surrender your entire life to Our Lady. Yes, give up the control. Mary is the Immaculate Conception, conceived without sin, the most highly favored daughter of the Father and Mother of Jesus who was Incarnate within her. In this 33 days, you will let all of your life pass through her hands and heart to position you before the Throne of God in a simply massive act of Trust in her ability to bring you to Jesus and help you become holy and be in His Divine Will. You will also become more like her and learn to truly accept sufferings and sacrifices if they come your way. There is such freedom in turning your life over to Heaven. When we entrust ourselves under the care of Mary and Jesus, we see from Heaven’s perspective our purpose and mission in life.
Saint John Paul II said, “The reading of this book (True Devotion to Mary) was a decisive turning-point in my life. I say ‘turning point’ but in fact it was a long inner journey… this perfect devotion is indispensable to anyone who means to give himself without reserve to Christ and the work of redemption.”
Saint Maximilian Kolbe said “The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan. She seeks souls that will consecrate themselves entirely to her, that will become in her hands forceful instruments for the defeat of Satan and the spread of God’s Kingdom.”
There is so much power available to us from on high. I pray that you will join me and lean into these graces. He’s doing something new on the earth and He wants to use you in an unprecedented way for His glory. It doesn’t matter what’s whirling all round with the not my mama statues and rogue priests and bishops and threats of schisms. It is now that we must cleave to Jesus. Do what He is calling you to do right here and right now. The surest way to Jesus is through His Mother.
My next 33 days will be in radical preparation for the greatest gift of this season, more of Him and the dramatic unfolding of His Divine Will for my life.
Are you coming?
Praying for you+
Lexi
LexiCali 