Consecration Week 2 - Day 2

By: Laura Worhacz

Week 2 theme: "MOTHER OF GOD"


READING

-Ninth Day-
Consecration to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament St. Peter Julian Eymard, Library Vol. 7 Pages 54-58

(Or pages 67-71 on the online book. You can find the link here:)
http://archive.org/stream/monthofourladyof00eymauoft#page/67/mode/1up


St Peter Julian Eymard's words:

Chapter title: The Interior Life of Mary
 
Mary adorned with all gifts, enriched with all virtues, incomparable in merit, appeared to the world under a most ordinary exterior. Her life was passed in silence and obscurity, and the Gospel narrative says nothing about it. This was because Mary was supposed to be an illustrious model of the hidden life--a life hidden in God with Jesus Christ-a life which we should strive to honor and faithful copy in our conduct. I wish to show that the law of holiness which God follows in our souls, is the very same that He followed in Mary. The Eternal Father gave her all her virtues as Mother; the Son, all graces of Redemption; the Holy Ghost, the grace of love. Must we not, therefore, conclude that the retired, interior life is the most perfect? The exterior life, even when dedicated to God is less perfect. The Saints were formed on His Model. To be a friend of God, one must be ground to powder, reduced to nothing, annihilated as Jesus and Mary were.
 
Hence I say, if we wish to become saints, we must become interior souls. Without this interior spirit, how can we pray? If in the presence of our Lord we cannot spend a single instant without a book, if we have nothing to say to Him from our own heart, what are we going to do at Adoration? Let us strive to become recollected, interior souls. Without the interior life, we shall never receive any consolation, encouragement in prayer; we shall only be unhappy at the feet of our Lord. If we wish to become true adorers, we must have this interior spirit.  But to discover the Heart of Jesus, we must be interior. He speaks to the recollected soul. He is wholly interior in the Blessed Sacrament. When the soul does not expand in His presence it is because He does not act upon it- there is some obstacle in His path. Oh, how I should wish to see accomplished in us what was so fully realized in the Blessed Virgin: "The kingdom of God is within you"-the kingdom of love, of virtue, and of all interior graces! In order to grow strong, to endure, we must descend to the very depths, even to self-annihilation. There we shall find Jesus. He is there annihilated. Oh, may that the Blessed Mother, our perfect exemplar of the interior life, make us live, as she did, in Jesus! May, we like her, remain always in him and never leave Him! (Abbreviated text)



​MEDITATION


The chapter readings are so rich. One could get lost in all that is before us not knowing what to absorb in the multitude of so much wisdom. Let us begin with a question if someone asked you, "What is this consecration to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament?" Or better yet, if God asked you, "What is this consecration to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament?" Would the answer be, "Well, I have to accomplish the daily tasks of readings, the daily blog, my daily Marian prayers, litanies, and of course the Holy Rosary”? Although these are all hoped to be achieved to prepare for this consecration promise they would not hold any merit to God without the gift of ourselves. The purity of our intentions offered in return for God's great love is an entrance into the answer. The interior life we are called to, going back to the hidden light given in humility, this humble service, would be the right direction to the correct response to God's question: "What does this consecration to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament mean to you?"
 
St. Peter Julian shares his very heart with us in the conclusion of chapter nine with the grace Mary led him to which he expresses in these words, "But it was through Mary that God made His will known to His servant." St. Peter Julian continues, "humbly submitting to the will of God."
 
The handing over of our will to the Divine Will, so God's life may live through us, is our consecration promise to Jesus through Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. The answer is in the will, the continued fiat, the continued yes, the continued good that will be accomplished through us. Do not let anything stop you if you have chosen this devotion. Falling behind on the readings is of no importance if you have the intention to read when you can. This is a time to be with our Mother. She will always take us to the Mercy of Jesus, lead us to the will of God, and direct us to the guide of the Holy Spirit.    
 
Yes, we strive to embrace all the devotions that raise our hearts and our minds to God. The greatest thereof is to try to find time to adore before the Eucharistic Lord, along with the practice of receiving Holy Communion daily or making a fervent spiritual Communion. Yet, the handing over of our will in humble submission allowing God to live His life through us, is the continued conquering of original sin. We will always have in our human nature inclination to sin. Pride is hard to kill. Humility can begin with a simple choice. We can make a practice to turn all things to God, His goodness, and His life in us. With every simple choice placed before us we can try to choose through prayer what would be pleasing to Our Father. This is what Our Lady did. She immersed herself in the life of the Trinity. The life that was prepared for Her was no battle. Mary rather entered the battle that would be won. Our Blessed Mother lived in the grace of God, in His peace, in His love, even amid the crosses, toils, and disappointments of the sins of the world. Even standing at the foot of the Cross Her will was handed over to God. St. Peter Julian tells us one has said everything when one calls Mary the Mother of God. She looks for nothing, yet we can in loving return say, “Yes Mary, you are deserving of this title. We have recourse to thee. We love thee. Guide us to the will of the Father.”
 
 
SEND
 
Make a perpetual promise to recite a spiritual communion prayer if you cannot get to daily Mass. The faith you place in the prayer is the grace you will receive from it. Continue to journal and prepare for a good and humble confession. Think of ways you can become more attentive to your relationship with the Mother of God.

 
PRAYER


For Week II, to accompany the daily readings, please recite the Litany of the Holy Spirit.
You may choose to continue the Ave Maris Stella and Veni Creator throughout the preparation weeks. 
 
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.  

Litany of the Holy Spirit
 
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Father all powerful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, save us.
Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of both, sanctify us.
Holy Trinity, hear us.
Holy Spirit, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Holy Spirit, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Response: Have mercy on us.
Promise of God the Father,
Ray of heavenly light,
Author of all good,
Source of heavenly water,
Consuming fire,
Ardent charity,
Spiritual unction,
Spirit of love and truth,
Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
Spirit of counsel and fortitude,
Spirit of knowledge and piety,
Spirit of the fear of the Lord,
Spirit of grace and prayer,
Spirit of peace and meekness,
Spirit of modesty and innocence,
Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier,
Holy Spirit, Who governest the Church,
Gift of God, the Most High,
Spirit Who fillest the universe,
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God,
Holy Spirit, inspire us with the horror of sin.
Holy Spirit, come and renew the face of the earth.
Holy Spirit, shed Thy light in our souls.
Holy Spirit, engrave Thy law in our hearts.
Holy Spirit, inflame us with the flame of Thy love.
Holy Spirit, open to us the treasures of Thy graces.
Holy Spirit, teach us to pray well.
Holy Spirit, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations.
Holy Spirit, lead us in the way of salvation.
Holy Spirit, grant us the only necessary knowledge.
Holy Spirit, inspire in us the practice of good.
Holy Spirit, grant us the merits of all virtues.
Holy Spirit, make us persevere in justice.
Holy Spirit, be Thou our everlasting reward.
 
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, send us Thy Holy Spirit.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety.
Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful.
And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
 
Let us Pray
Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works; through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth and reigneth forever and ever.  Amen.
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