Day Four Consecration to Mary for the 21st Century/A Lenten Journey

Day Four Consecration to Mary for the 21st Century/A Lenten Journey

Jean-Francois Millet Artist

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Ejaculatory prayer to pray all day, "Come Holy Spirit."

First Meditation

Pray the Angelus.  This is a prayer which is traditionally prayed three times a day (6:00 AM, Noon, 6:00PM), but you may pray it when you can.  The practice comes from the twelfth century monastic life.  The bells would ring three times a day, and the monks, and the people around the monastery (like Jean-Francois Millet's famous picture), would stop whatever they were doing and take a minute to pray.  This is what I'm asking you to do. Stop what you are doing and pray the Angelus.

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
    Hail Mary, full of grace,
    The Lord is with Thee;
    Blessed art thou among women,
    And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
    Holy Mary, Mother of God,
    Pray for us sinners,
    Now and at the hour of our death. Amen

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
    Hail Mary, etc.

V. And the Word was made Flesh.

R. And dwelt among us.
    Hail Mary, etc.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
LET US PRAY
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

                                                                     Second Meditation

Every time you pass by a cemetery pray, "Lord have mercy on all the souls in Purgatory, especially my loved ones."

                                                                      Third Meditation

Start saving some money, e.i. $ 5.00 a week, because towards the end of this consecration, I'm going to ask you to purchase yourself a momento to commemorate your consecration to Mary.  You have five more weeks to save.  Start thinking what to buy.  You want something to bring your thoughts to God.  Some suggestions:

A Crucifix (not just a cross.  I want you to remember that Jesus suffered and died for you.  The cross must                        have a corpus on it.

A medal of May because she brings you to her Son.

A medal of a favorite saint because he/she is leading you to God.

Also be on the lookout for a brown scapular.  That's a nice devotion we will get into later.  This shouldn't cost much, if anything.  They often are given away.  Look at the tables and displays near the doors to your church. They often are there to take.

End your day with an examination of conscience.

Come Holy Spirit

What good did I do today?

Where did I fail?

How can I do better?