Day Twenty-Nine Consecration to Mary for the 21st Century/A Lenten Journey

Day Twenty-Nine Consecration to Mary for the 21st Century/A Lenten Journey     

                                                                     Day Twenty-Nine

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Prayers for this week, Days 29-34 in Lent:

Begin each day with "Let us praise Our Almighty Father, who wished that Mary, His Son's Mother, be celebrated by each generation.  I ask, Mary full of grace, intercede for me."

First Meditation

Meditate upon the prayer, the Our Father.  Also, known as the Lord's Prayer, it has great value--because of its

author, Jesus Christ -- Our Lord and Savior.  This prayer could be prayed by anyone in most religions because it contains all we owe to God and the petitions we all need.  Jesus prayed as this prayer teaches us.  Since Jesus taught us this prayer, how could the Father refuse what we ask in the words of His Son?

Second Meditation

Now meditate upon the words of the Hail Mary.  This prayer, like the Lord's Prayer, comes from scripture.  "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee..." are the very words the angel Gabriel used to greet Mary.  She responded affirmatively to this salutation and became the Mother of God.  This is called the Incarnation--the

very moment God became Man.  The Hail Mary is divided into two parts, that of praise and petition.  Also, notice that this prayer glrifies both Jesus and Mary.  See!  Mary leads you to Jesus.

Third Meditation

God is made known to us through what we understand.  Nature is the language of God.  God is made known to us through what we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell.  In all His dealings with us, we find God making use of beautiful symbolism: He gave us the sacraments as visible signs of His grace.  The symbolism in the sacraments and also the sacramentals we choose lead us into learning what divine grace is doing in our souls.

  The seven sacraments: baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, penance, annointing of the sick, marriage, and Holy Orders.  Sacramentals are the objects we use to remind us of all that is divine, e.i., stautes, pictures, rosaries, crosses, crucifixes, and other holy objects that bring God to mind.  Do you now see why these things should be blessed by a priest?

End the day with the prayer, "May the light Mary has kindled, never go out. Amen"

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

What good did I do today?

Where did I fail?

How can I do better?

Pictures by MEK.