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

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

Day Seven

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

Prayers for this week, Days 5-10 in Lent:

Begin each day with, "Mary, Mother of God, help me with your prayers."

End each day with, "Mother of God, pray for me," and don't forget your examen.

First Meditation

Start thinking and preparing yourself to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Look up the times in area churches.  Promise yourself to go.  Also start thinking what to confess.  If you need a thorough examination of conscience, do a google search for one.  I think http://www.focusequip.org/assets/pdf/examination-of-conscience.pdf  is a good one, even though this examen is geared toward college students, I an old lady, use it too.

Second Meditation

Pray one decade of the Rosary asking for Mary's assistance to get you to go to Confession.

Our Father

Ten Hail Mary's

Glory Be

Third Meditation

Meditate upon St. Louis de Montfort's words about Mary.

"The whole earth is full of her glory, especially among Christians, by whom she is taken as the protectress of many kingdoms, provinces, dioceses and cities.  Many cathedrals are consecrated to God under her name.  There is not a church without an altar in her honor, not a country, not a canton, where there are not some miraculous images where all sorts of evil are cured and all sorts of good gifts obtained.  Who can count the confraternities and congregations in her honor?  How many religious orders have been founded in her name and under her protection?  How many members are in these confraternities and how many religious men and women in all these orders, who publish her praises and confess her mercies!  There is not a little child who, as it lisps the Hail Mary, does not praise her.  There is scarcely a sinner who, even in his obduracy, has not some spark of confidence in her.  Nay, the very devils in hell respect her while they fear her."  (St. Louis de Montfort's True Devotion Consecration to Mary, by Fr. Helmuts Libietis, Angelus Press, Kansas City, 1998, p.153.)

End the day with "Mother of God, pray for me," and the examen.

End your day with an examination of conscience--even in bed.

Mother of God, pray for me. 

What good did I do today?

Where did I fail?

How can I do better?