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

Consecration to Mary for the 21st Century

Lenten Journey--40 days
1.  Introduction: Spirit of the world, knowing oneself, knowing Mary, knowing Jesus, and final preparation.
2.  Recommended prayers
3.  Daily meditations
4.  Act of Consecration

Preface

It is my hope that my Lenten Consecration to Mary will be of assistance to somebody!  My apologies to Saint Louis de Monfort's True Devotion Consecration to Mary by Fr. Helmuts Libietis.  I tried, and in fact, did complete all of the saint's five week (55 days) of prayers, daily meditations and spiritual guidance.  I was faithful to the point of stupidity.  I pushed myself to read with eyes glazed over in ennui,  I prayed something--with lips, if not my mind.  But as de Montfort said himself:

       Do not fear distractions.  They often make prayer more powerful and meritorious
       when we are faithful in driving them away and thus showing our desire to remain
        in the presence of God.

Hence, I was inspired to modernize St. Louis de Montfort's True Devotion Consecration to Mary.  Today's culture with its demanding pace of living, just is not conducive to de Montfort's consecration.  I, myself, would not have been able to undertake this consecration endavor were it not for the fact that I am retired.  I do not have a job.  Consequently, I can arrange my time around de Montfort's daily schedule requirements.

Even more than the daily prayer demands, the outdated language and medieval sources of meditation are beyond today's imagination, let alone any
acceptable common perceptions of holiness.  De Montfort's book sorely needs updating.  This is why I am attempting to adapt his ideas to fit into today's working person's schedule.  I hope like like St. Louis de Montfort, that your journey through the consecration will bring you closer to Mary.  I know Mary will straighten out my inadequacies.  The end result will lead you to Jesus.  You and Mary, together, will see Jesus throuogh the eyes of love.

This is my intention for composing this Lenten Consecration.  This is my prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Consecration to Uplift You

Picture from MEK's Pencil in the Hole

This morning's post about wasting your prayers, was just confirmed.  It really was.  I was whining about the Litany of Humility.  This litany asks the person praying to pray for things that will happen anyway.  Hence I said to not waste your time.  I developed that thought deeper, yet I applied it generally to St. Louis de Montfort's True Devotion Consecration to Mary.  I am doing the entire five-week consecration.  I'm finding it tremendously outdated, especially because most people, nowadays, don't have the time.  I really feel badly about this.  Many would want to do this consecration but can't because of today's demands.  This results in making people feel bad about their spiritual lives.  Prayer should not depress people.  Prayer should lift people up to God.

What am I babbling about?

I just sat down to do Week 2: Day 4 -- Second Meditation and I read:

Dearest soul, do not let the labors, which you have taken up for Me, break you, nor let tribulations in any way cast you down; but let these words of Mine strengthen you in every situation.  I will repay you beyond all measure.  You will not labor long, nor will you suffer forever.  Wait a while and you shall see all your evils disappear.
     Do all that you have to do, well.  Toil faithfully in my vineyard.  I will see to your reward.  Write, read, sing, sigh, weep, be silent, pray, carry your cross manfuly--eternal life is worth all of these and even greater combats.

I take the saint's words as confirmation of my idea to write my own consecration.  It's going to include all Mary spoke of: readings, singing, prayers, etc.  I think I'll start small and not make it 365 days.  I'll aim for the 40 days of Lent.  What I write will not break anybody.  I hope the opposite happens.  What I write will build and lift people up towards God.  I want them to love Him, and see Him as I see Him.  Through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.