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

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

                                                                        Day Seventeen

Monday of the Third Week of Lent

Prayers for this week, Days17 - 22 in Lent:

Begin each day with "Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you."

First Meditation

Pray a dcade of the Rosary:  Our Father, ten Hail Marys and a Glory Be.

Second Meditation  

Recall the nursery rhyme:  Mary had a little lamb.

Mary had a little lamb,

Its fleece was white as snow; And everywhere that Mary went 

from the Project Gutenberg EBook of Denslow's Mother Goose, by Anonymous

Original copyright 1902 by William Wallace Denslow

The lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to school one day,

Which was against the rule;

It made the children laugh and play

To see a lamb at school.

And so the teacher turned it out,

But still it lingered near,

And waited patiently about,

Till Mary did appear.

Why does the lamb love Mary so?

The eager children cry;

Why Mary loves the lamb, you know,

The teacher did reply.

This poem was used to teach Bible stories of Mary loving her Son and her Son's love of Mankind.  Mary, of course is Jesus' Mother.  Lamb is Jesus.  Jesus is referred to as a baby lamb with fleece white as snow, representing goodness and purity.  Why does the lamb love Mary is asking why God loves us as mankind, and Mary (mankind) loves God.  Finally, everywhere that Mary went, is telling us that God is with us, always.  Making the children laugh and play is admonishing children to ignore mockery.

      Something to contemplate.

Third Meditation

Contemplate upon the fact that your bad days would be welcome by some people. 

End the day by praying, "Mary conceived without sin, pray for me."

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?