Our Lady's Christmas Tears

I felt called to share this true event. 

May Jesus have mercy on us ...and may we be moved by the tears of our Mother! 

Love and prayers to you all in these last days of Advent, 

Janet Moore

Our  Lady’s Christmas Tears

Dan Lynch

December 19, 2018

It was Christmas Eve in the cold of snowy Colchester, Vermont, in a church a few years ago. The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was prominently displayed before the congregation during Mass.

The priest began his Christmas homily and noticed to his chagrin that many people were pointing at the image and he heard a lot of murmuring. He interrupted his homily and looked towards the image. There, to his great surprise, he saw that the people were pointing to tears flowing down from the eyes of the Missionary Image.
 

The priest immediately turned back to face the congregation and was inspired to say,“Our Lady of Guadalupe is crying on the eve of her son’s birthday for all of her children who have no birthday because they were aborted.”

The congregation got the message and some of them shed their own tears. A skeptical eyewitness later said that he thought this was all a fake. So, he went up to the image after Mass and looked for tubes of water behind the image or any other tricks that might have caused it to weep. He found nothing, felt the tears and said they were not tears of water, but tears of oil.

St. John Paul II once spoke about Mary’s tears. On November 6, 1994, at the dedication of the Shrine of Our Lady of Tears in Syracuse, Sicily, he said that her tears are signs testifying to her presence, her sorrow and her hope. He said,

Mary’s tears are seen in her apparitions, with which, from time to time, she accompanies the Church during her journey on the highways of the world.
Our Lady’s tears belong to the order of signs: they testify to the presence of the mother in the Church and in the world. A mother weeps when she sees her children threatened by evil, be it spiritual or physical.

These are the tears of sorrow for all those who refuse the love of God, for those families that are broken or in difficulty, for the young people seduced by a consumerist civilization and so often disoriented, for the violence that still spills so much blood and for the misunderstandings and hate which dig deep trenches between individuals and peoples.

They are tears of hope, which melt the hardness of hearts and open them to meeting Christ the Redeemer, source of light and peace for individuals, for families, for the whole of society.

O Lady of Tears, look with motherly goodness on the sorrow of the world! Dry the tears of the suffering, of the forgotten, of the desperate and of the victims of every violence.

Make everyone weep tears of repentance and of new life, which will open their hearts to the regenerating gift of God’s love. Make them weep tears of joy for having seen the profound tenderness of your heart. Praised be Jesus Christ!

During this Christmas Season, may each of us receive the answer to St. John Paul II’s prayer to Our Lady and may we weep tears of repentance, new life and joy for having seen the profound tenderness of her heart.

If you would like to learn more about this story, and many others, you may read my book, Our Lady of Guadalupe Hope for the World, or see my DVD, Our Lady of Guadalupe Mother of Hope.

 

Dan Lynch Apostolates promoting devotion to
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Jesus King of All Nations,
Our Lady of America and Saint John Paul II
 
144 Sheldon Road, St. Albans, VT 05478
Phone: 802-524-5350
Visit our website at www.JKMI.com
E-Mail Us at JKMI@JKMI.com
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The O Antiphons: A Beautiful Grace to Live More Fully the Last Days of Advent

I love and cherish the hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel!" 

It's beauty and profound meaning help me live more fully these last days of Advent.

May this gathering of the ancient texts, artwork, 

the incredible teachings by Sharon Doran linked within each day's mediations and text, 

as well as different versions of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" in video 

be a treasury of grace for us.

In this hectic, sinful world in which we live, 

may these devotions help us rejoice

and make room in our souls and in our families

for Jesus this Christmas and always.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel!

Here is the hymn in song and art:

The "O Antiphons" of Advent

The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.

As noted above, monks from earliest times wrote beautiful short stanzas of a hymn that they would sing during the Octave before Christmas. The Church would sing the stanzas before and after reciting or sing the hymn of Mary, the Magnificat, found in Luke 1: 46-55, sung during Vespers each evening. 

Each antiphon, (a short verse), starts with an "O" followed by a Name of the long-awaited Messiah - Who was the source of all hope and longing for His Chosen people, Israel, in the Old Testament. The people of Israel had rejected God's covenant, which resulted in them being crushed by the Babylonians and seemingly abandoned by God as they were forced to live in exile from their beloved and Holy City and Temple of Jerusalem. 

During these 70 years of captivity, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah -- promising His People a Savior, born of a virgin, Who would be called Emmanuel, a name meaning: "God With Us!" 

This Promised Savior would lead His Chosen People back from their evil, gathering them together so they could again love and serve God in Jerusalem. 

Isaiah, also revealed that the Messiah, whom they so longed for, was:

1. The same God Who created and governed the universe - the Wisdom and Word from on High. 

2. The Holy Lord of Mt. Sinai Who revealed Himself in the burning bush as an non-consuming, unquenchable fire; and Who, later on the same mountain, would give His Chosen People the Ten Commandments - the Law of God - so they would know what actions would bring LIFE or to Death to them (what would lead them toward or away from God).

3. The Son of David, the shoot Who would come from David's father Jesse, Who was promised to sit on His David's throne and rule in justice forever.

4. The Key of David, Who alone could open up the gates of the kingdom of heaven by destroying the power of sin and death that kept God's children from eternal glory.

5. The Radiant Dawn, Who's Light shatters the darkness of sin and death.  

6. The King of All Nations Who would draw all people to Himself - including Gentiles and non- believers -- into One just and glorious, everlasting kingdom.

7. The Promised Emmanuel, Who would ransom all who were held captive, and would be the fulfillment of all the Covenantal promises and prophesies of God. 

As we ponder the following verses, dear Mary, help us acknowledge their richness and help us unpack the Scripture they teach, as they remind us how Jesus perfectly fulfilled God's promises and the seven-fold names or titles of the Messiah given through the prophet Isaiah.

Holy Spirit, come to us to help us, imbue each verse of this beautiful hymn so that it resonates within us, helping us to recognize and cherish how Jesus continues to fulfill all the Promises of God in our lives. 

All you holy ancient saints, help us long for Jesus and beg Him to come to us as you so desperately longed for the Savior! 

Helix Nebula - a photographic image that beautifully represents the eye of God

December 17

SING: O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,

and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter,
suaviter disponensque omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come and show your people the way to salvation.

https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/o-sapientia-come-o-wisdom-o-antiphons-sharon-doran/

Lord of Lords present in the Burning Bush

December 18

SING:  O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might,

who to thy tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times didst give the law,
in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

O Adonai, et dux domus Israel,
qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel,
who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.

 

https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/o-adonai-o-antiphons-sharon-doran/

Jesse's Tree Culminating in Jesus, the Christ

December 19

SING:  O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem,

from ev'ry foe deliver them
that trust Thy mighty power to save,
and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

O Flower of Jesse’s stem,
you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;
kings stand silent in your presence;
the nations bow down in worship before you.

Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/o-radix-jesse-o-flower-of-jesses-stem-discerning-hearts-podcast/

The Key of David breaking down the prison of Hades

December 20

SING:  O Come, Thou Key of David, come,

and open wide our heav'nly home,
make safe the way that leads on high,
that we no more have cause to sigh.

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel,
qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. 

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
controlling at your will the gate of heaven:
Come, break down the prison walls of death
for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;
and lead your captive people into freedom.

 

https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/o-clavis-david-o-antiphons-sharon-doran/

December 21

SING:  O Come, Thou Dayspring from on high,

and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death's dark shadow put to flight.

O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae,
et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.

https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/o-oriens-o-antiphons-sharon-doran/

Jesus: The King of Kings

December 22

O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti. 

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart;
O Keystone of the mighty arch of man:
Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.

 

https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/o-rex-gentium-o-antiphons-sharon-doran/

SING:  O Come, Desire of the nations, bind

in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid every strife and quarrel cease
and fill the world with heaven's peace.

Emmanuel, God with Us, Savior of All

December 23

SING: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster,
expectratio gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos,
Domines, Deus noster. 

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations, Savior of all people:
Come and set us free, Lord our God.

https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/o-emmanuel-o-antiphons-sharon-doran/

When viewed from Christmas Eve backward, the first letters of the Latin texts (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia) 
 spell out the phrase:

 ero cras ("I will come tomorrow").

HOW BEAUTIFUL!

Let us REJOICE! 

OUR SAVIOR HAS COME AND WILL COME AGAIN!

Let us cry out with longing:

Come, O Lord Jesus! Come!

This site lists the Scripture verses that coincide with each antiphon. It was also where I accessed the Antiphon texts.

For more insights and beautiful music to ponder and enjoy: 

A History of the O Antiphons:

O Come Emmanuel by the Piano Guys: 

This link includes Paintings created for each O Antiphon.

© Janet Moore. 2018. All Rights Reserved.

Imagine! The Place Where the "Word Became Flesh"!

Happy Feast of the Annunciation!!!
I first wrote this on the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, which commemorates the date when the Holy House first landed in Italy on December 10th, 1294.  
Yes, you read that right. 
The house LANDED in Italy.  
Yes, it flew through the air and then, yes, it landed in Italy - in a town called Loreto.
It is quite a story, but there is lots of historical evidence that points to it being true. 
I've given several retreats on it, because it is one of my favorite pilgrimage sites I've ever visited. 
It is truly amazing. 
I've researched it so thoroughly that I have far too much information to share in this short article. 
But, if you believe God can work miracles, you can believe this is to be true. 
For a far greater miracle than a simple house flying through the sky is what happened inside of it. 
It is a story we've heard so often that we fail to realize how incredible and amazing it is. 
The God, Who created the whole universe, Who created you and me and everything seen and unseen... 
The God, who holds us in being... became flesh inside a young teenage girl, Whom He created, when she said yes. 
This house has such an amazing story because of what took place inside it's walls. 
God became man!
It is the Home of the Annunciation!!!
Imagine!
Think of how St. John Paul II traveled the globe far and wide - going to just about every holy place known to man, but when he entered into this holy for the first time, he realized:
"Here is the holiest place on earth!"
Imagine!

Imagine!
Here the “Word became Flesh”!!!
Imagine!
... standing, kneeling, praying in the same spot where the Angel Gabriel came to ask Mary if she would be the mother of God.
Imagine!
... being in the place where the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and overshadowed her -- and the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God from God from all eternity, deigned to be conceived in the womb of this precious, innocent, faithful, warrior of a girl --
And HE BECAME MAN!
 

I was privileged to make a pilgrimage to the Holy House of Loreto -- a site that can claim to be the home of the Annunciation, Mary's birthplace and the home of the Holy Family in Nazareth - the home they lived in from the time they returned from Egypt!
Imagine!
... being in the home where the Holy Family ate, where they worked, where they slept, where they played and laughed...
... being in the place where Jesus grew up and became a man and the place where St. Joseph died....
... being in a place of countless miracles -- a place where even numerous Popes and saints came to pray and were cured.
The Holy House draws millions who seek God and the Holy Family and Our Lady's intercession.
 

Even it's presence on the coast-land town of Loreto in Italy is a miracle.
Evidence supports the tradition that the home was carried by angels from Nazareth at the time of one of the fiercest radical Muslim invasions!
It happened during a period when the Muslim invaders were determined to kill all Christians and destroy all the Christian holy places they held dear. 

We know this in part because Mary told us so. 

The Blessed Mother appeared first to a priest, and then, later, to a monk explaining the miraculous flight, but she also said that her home had become a Church from the earliest days of Christianity - specifying that St. Peter would often offer the Mass there after Jesus' resurrection, which is why you see the altar in their home.
She said her home had been saved again and again for centuries by the crusaders, but at one point it would have been destroyed except for the supernatural help of the angels.
The home has only 3 sides - as the fourth side was a grotto - a cave in the hillside.
This is why the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth is also honored as the place of the Annunciation -- as the Basilica stands over the cave that could not be destroyed.
 

There is so much much to share, but for now, I can summarize by saying: This is one of my favorite places on earth!
It was truly an amazing place to be, to pray at -- 

and it moved me so deeply that I have offered whole retreats around it in order to strive to share its mysteries.
May just hearing about its existence, its wonders and its holiness be a great source of grace for all who read about it!

And together may we ask: 

Our Lady of Loreto, pray for us!
O, Holy Family, pray for us and for all our families!

O dear unborn Jesus, conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us!

O, Holy Angels protect us! 

To find out more:

Part I Video of the Holy House by Bob and Penny Lord

Part II Video of the Holy House by Bob and Penny Lord

© Janet Moore. 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Day 34 Day of Consecration

Day 34
Day of Consecration

On the day of consecration, either fast, give alms, or offer a votive candle for the good of another (or all of the above); do some spiritual penance and approach consecration in the spirit of mortification.
Now go to Confession (or, if that is not possible, go during the 8 days prior) and then receive Communion with the intention of giving yourself to Jesus, as a slave of love, by the hands of Mary. Try to receive Communion per the method found here below:

Jesus in Mary! Glory to Mary in Jesus! Glory to God alone!
SUPPLEMENT
THIS DEVOTION AT HOLY COMMUNION
Before Holy Communion
266. 1) Place yourself humbly in the presence of God.
2) Renounce your corrupt nature and dispositions, no matter how good self-love makes them appear to you.
3) Renew your consecration saying, "I belong entirely to you, dear Mother, and all that I have is yours."
4) Implore Mary to lend you her heart so that you may receive her Son with her dispositions. Remind her that her Son's glory requires that he should not come into a heart so sullied and fickle as your own, which could not fail to diminish his glory and might cause him to leave. Tell her that if she will take up her abode in you to receive her Son - which she can do because of the sovereignty she has over all hearts - he will be received by her in a perfect manner without danger of being affronted or being forced to depart. "God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved."
Tell her with confidence that all you have given her of your possessions is little enough to honour her, but that in Holy Communion you wish to give her the same gifts as the eternal Father gave her. Thus she will feel more honoured than if you gave her all the wealth in the world. Tell her, finally, that Jesus, whose love for her is unique, still wishes to take his delight and his repose in her even in your soul, even though it is poorer and less clean than the stable which he readily entered because she was there. Beg her to lend you her heart, saying, "O Mary, I take you for my all; give me your heart."
During Holy Communion
267. After the Our Father, when you are about to receive our Lord, say to him three times the prayer, "Lord, I am not worthy." Say it the first time as if you were telling the eternal Father that because of your evil thoughts and your ingratitude to such a good Father, you are unworthy to receive his only-begotten Son, but that here is Mary, his handmaid, who acts for you and whose presence gives you a special confidence and hope in him.
268. Say to God the Son, "Lord, I am not worthy", meaning that you are not worthy to receive him because of your useless and evil words and your carelessness in his service, but nevertheless you ask him to have pity on you because you are going to usher him into the house of his Mother and yours, and you will not let him go until he has made it his home. Implore him to rise and come to the place of his repose and the ark of his sanctification. Tell him that you have no faith in your own merits, strength and preparedness, like Esau, but only in Mary, your Mother, just as Jacob had trust in Rebecca his mother. Tell him that although you are a great sinner you still presume to approach him, supported by his holy Mother and adorned with her merits and virtues.
269. Say to the Holy Spirit, "Lord, I am not worthy". Tell him that you are not worthy to receive the masterpiece of his love because of your lukewarmness, wickedness and resistance to his inspirations. But, nonetheless, you put all your confidence in Mary, his faithful Spouse, and say with St. Bernard, "She is my greatest safeguard, the whole foundation of my hope." Beg him to overshadow Mary, his inseparable Spouse, once again. Her womb is as pure and her heart as ardent as ever. Tell him that if he does not enter your soul neither Jesus nor Mary will be formed there nor will it be a worthy dwelling for them.

After Holy Communion
270. After Holy Communion, close your eyes and recollect yourself. Then usher Jesus into the heart of Mary: you are giving him to his Mother who will receive him with great love and give him the place of honour, adore him profoundly, show him perfect love, embrace him intimately in spirit and in truth, and perform many offices for him of which we, in our ignorance, would know nothing.
271. Or, maintain a profoundly humble heart in the presence of Jesus dwelling in Mary. Or be in attendance like a slave at the gate of the royal palace, where the King is speaking with the Queen. While they are talking to each other, with no need of you, go in spirit to heaven and to the whole world, and call upon all creatures to thank, adore and love Jesus and Mary for you. "Come, let us adore."
272. Or, ask Jesus living in Mary that his kingdom may come upon earth through his holy Mother. Ask for divine Wisdom, divine love, the forgiveness of your sins, or any other grace, but always through Mary and in Mary. Cast a look of reproach upon yourself and say, "Lord, do not look at my sins, let your eyes see nothing in me but the virtues and merits of Mary." Remembering your sins, you may add, "I am my own worst enemy and I am guilty of all these sins." Or, "Deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man." Or again, "Dear Jesus, you must increase in my soul and I must decrease." "Mary, you must increase in me and I must always go on decreasing." "O Jesus and Mary, increase in me and increase in others around me."

273. There are innumerable other thoughts with which the Holy Spirit will inspire you, which he will make yours if you are thoroughly recollected and mortified, and constantly faithful to the great and sublime devotion which I have been teaching you. But remember, the more you let Mary act in your Communion the more Jesus will be glorified. The more you humble yourself and listen to Jesus and Mary in peace and silence - with no desire to see, taste or feel - then the more freedom you will give to Mary to act in Jesus' name and the more Jesus will act in Mary. For the just man lives everywhere by faith, but especially in Holy Communion, which is an action of faith.
Now pray the words of the consecration. Copy them and have them with you at church, read them after the Mass (in front of the tabernacle would be nice), and sign your copy of the Act of Consecration.

The words of consecration according to St. Louis de Montfort are:

O Eternal and incarnate Wisdom! O sweetest and most adorable Jesus! True God and true man, only Son of the Eternal Father, and of Mary, always virgin! I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and splendors of Thy Father during eternity; and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother, in the time of Thine incarnation.
I give Thee thanks for that Thou hast annihilated Thyself, taking the form of a slave in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil. I praise and glorify Thee for that Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary, Thy holy Mother, in all things, in order to make me Thy faithful slave through her. But, alas! Ungrateful and faithless as I have been, I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my Baptism; I have not fulfilled my obligations; I do not deserve to be called Thy child, nor yet Thy slave; and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thine anger and Thy repulse, I dare not come by myself before Thy most holy and august Majesty. It is on this account that I have recourse to the intercession of Thy most holy Mother, whom Thou hast given me for a mediatrix with Thee. It is through her that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition, the pardon of my sins, and the acquisition and preservation of wisdom.
Hail, then, O immaculate Mary, living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden and to be adored by angels and by men! Hail, O Queen of Heaven and earth, to whose empire everything is subject which is under God. Hail, O sure refuge of sinners, whose mercy fails no one. Hear the desires which I have of the Divine Wisdom; and for that end receive the vows and offerings which in my lowliness I present to thee.
I, N_____, a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity.
Receive, O benignant Virgin, this little offering of my slavery, in honor of, and in union with, that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have to thy maternity; in homage to the power which both of you have over this poor sinner, and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity has favored thee. I declare that I wish henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thy honor and to obey thee in all things.
O admirable Mother, present me to thy dear Son as His eternal slave, so that as He has redeemed me by thee, by thee He may receive me! O Mother of mercy, grant me the grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God; and for that end receive me among those whom thou lovest and teachest, whom thou leadest, nourishest and protectest as thy children and thy slaves.
O faithful Virgin, make me in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain, by thine intercession and by thine example, to the fullness of His age on earth and of His glory in Heaven. Amen.
------------------------------- Sign your name here.
------------------- Date 

***Or you may wish to use Fr. Gaitley's consecration prayer instead or create your own
Fr. Gaitley's Consecration prayer

Consecration Day

I, (your name), a repentant sinner, renew and ratify today in your hands, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my baptism. I renounce Satan and resolve to follow Jesus Christ even more closely than before.

Mary, I give you my heart. Please set it on fire with love for Jesus. Make it always attentive to his burning thirst for love and for souls. Keep my heart in your most pure heart that I may love Jesus  and the members of his body with your own perfect love.

Mary, I entrust myself totally to you: my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions. Please make of me, of all that I am and have, whatever most pleases you. Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for bringing the greatest possible glory to God. If I fall, please lead me back to Jesus. Wash me in the blood and water that flow from his pierced side, and help me never to lose my trust in this fountain of love and mercy.

With you, O Immaculate Mother,-you who always do the will of God-I unite myself to the perfect consecration of Jesus as he offers himself in the Spirit to the Father for the life of the world. Amen.

CLICK HERE for podcast

After Consecration

Consider imitating Pope John Paul II, who renewed his consecration daily by reciting this portion of the consecration prayer each day: 
I, N_____, a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity. 

Once you have consecrated yourself to Jesus through Mary, live that consecration. 

St. Louis-Marie de Montfort recommended the following: 

• Keep praying to develop a "great contempt" for the spirit of this world 
• Maintain a special devotion to the Mystery of the Incarnation (e.g., through meditation; spiritual reading; focusing on Feasts centering around the Incarnation, such as the Annunciation and the Nativity, etc.) 
• Frequently recite the Ave, Rosary, and the Magnificat 
• Recite, every day if it is not inconvenient, the "Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin" -- a series of Paters, Aves, and Glorias -- one Ave for each star in the Virgin's Crown. St. Louis has a special way of praying the Little Crown, which is recommended.
• Do everything through, with, in and for Mary for the sake of Jesus, with the prayer, "I am all thine Immaculate One, with all that I have: in time and in eternity" in your heart and on your lips 
• Associate yourself with Mary in a special way before, during, and after Communion (see Supplement of the book, "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary" above) 
• Wear a little iron chain (around the neck, arm, waist, or ankle) as an outward sign and reminder of holy slavery. This practice is optional, but very recommended by St. Louis. The appearance of this chain is not further specified. 
• Renew the consecration once a year on the same date chosen above, and by following the same 33-day period of exercises. If desired, also renew the consecration monthly with the prayer, "I am all thine and all I have is thine, O dear Jesus, through Mary, Thy holy Mother." 
• Optional: Join the Confraternity of Mary, Queen of All Hearts. 
  Their address:
  
       Director, Confraternity of Mary Queen of All Hearts
       26 South Saxon Avenue
       Bay Shore, NY 11706

Day 33 Readings and Prayers for St. Louis de Montfort's 33 Day of Consecration to Jesus through Mary - An Online Guide

Readings and Prayers for St. Louis-Marie de Montfort's Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary

THIRD WEEK
THEME FOR THE WEEK: KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST

During this period we shall apply ourselves to the study of Jesus Christ. What is to be studied in Christ? First the God-Man, His grace and glory; then His rights to sovereign dominion over us; since, after having renounced Satan and the world, we have taken Jesus Christ for our Lord. What next shall be the object of our study? His exterior actions and also His interior life; namely, the virtues and acts of His Sacred Heart; His association with Mary in the mysteries of the Annunciation and Incarnation, during His infancy and hidden life, at the feast of Cana and on Calvary. 

Day 33 of 33:  
Meditation Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis: Book 4, Chapter 11 
That the Blood of Christ and the Holy Scriptures

Are Most Necessary unto a Faithful Soul
O most sweet Lord Jesus, how great is the pleasure of the devout soul that feasteth with Thee in Thy banquet; where there is set for her no other food to be eaten but Thyself, her only Beloved, and most to be desired above all the desires of her heart! To me also it would be indeed sweet, in Thy presence to pour forth tears from the very bottom of my heart, and with the grateful Magdalene to wash Thy feet with tears (Luke 7:38). But where is that devotion? Where that bountiful flowing of holy tears? Surely in the sight of Thee and Thy holy Angels, my whole heart ought to burn, and to weep for joy. For in this Sacrament I have Thee mystically present, hidden under another shape. For to look upon Thee in Thine own Divine brightness, mine eyes would not be able to endure; nor could even the whole world stand in the splendor of the glory of Thy majesty. Herein then Thou hast regard to my weakness, that Thou dost hide Thyself under this Sacrament.
From True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nos. 261-265
In Mary
261. We must do everything in Mary. To understand this we must realise that the Blessed Virgin is the true earthly
paradise of the new Adam and that the ancient paradise was only a symbol of her. There are in this earthly paradise untold riches, beauties, rarities and delights, which the new Adam, Jesus Christ, has left there. It is in this paradise that he "took his delights" for nine months, worked his wonders and displayed his riches with the magnificence of God himself.In this earthly paradise grows the real Tree of Life which bore our Lord, the fruit of Life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which bore the Light of the world. In this divine place there are trees planted by the hand of God and watered by his divine unction which have borne and continue to bear fruit that is pleasing to him. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the truths that these material objects symbolise. 262. The Holy Spirit speaking through the Fathers of the Church, also calls our Lady the Eastern Gate, through which the High Priest, Jesus Christ, enters and goes out into the world. Through this gate he entered the world the first time and through this same gate he will come the second time.
For Mary
265. Finally, we must do everything for Mary. We take Mary for our proximate end, our mysterious intermediary
and the easiest way of reaching him. Relying on her protection, we should undertake and carry out great things
for our noble Queen. We must defend her privileges when they are questioned and uphold her good name when it is under attack. We must attract everyone, if possible, to her service and to this true and sound devotion. As a reward for these little services, we should expect nothing in return save the honour of belonging to such a lovable Queen and the joy of being united through her to Jesus, her Son, by a bond that is indissoluble in time and in eternity. 

Listen, Sing and Watch or Pray just the words depending on your time constraints: 
Litany of the Holy Ghost, Litany of the Holy Name, Ave Maris Stella, St. Louis' Prayer to Mary, O Jesus, Living in Mary and the Rosary  

Litany of the Holy Ghost

Litany of the Holy Ghost

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 Ghost, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts. 
Holy Ghost, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts. 
 
Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us. 
Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us 
Author of all good, have mercy on us 
Source of heavenly water, have mercy on us 
Consuming fire, have mercy on us 
Ardent charity, have mercy on us 
Spiritual unction, have mercy on us 
Spirit of love and truth, have mercy on us 
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, have mercy on us 
Spirit of counsel and fortitude, have mercy on us 
Spirit of knowledge and piety, have mercy on us 
Spirit of the fear of the Lord, have mercy on us 
Spirit of grace and prayer, have mercy on us 
Spirit of peace and meekness, have mercy on us 
Spirit of modesty and innocence, have mercy on us 
Holy Ghost, the Comforter, have mercy on us 
Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, have mercy on us 
Holy Ghost, Who governest the Church, have mercy on us 
Gift of God, the Most High, have mercy on us 
Spirit Who fillest the universe, have mercy on us 
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God, have mercy on us 
 
Holy Ghost, inspire us with horror of sin. 
Holy Ghost, come and renew the face of the earth. 
Holy Ghost, shed Thy light in our souls. 
Holy Ghost, engrave Thy law in our hearts 
Holy Ghost, inflame us with the flame of Thy love. 
Holy Ghost, open to us the treasures of Thy graces 
Holy Ghost, teach us to pray well. 
Holy Ghost, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations. 
Holy Ghost, lead us in the way of salvation 
Holy Ghost, grant us the only necessary knowledge. 
Holy Ghost, inspire in us the practice of good. 
Holy Ghost, grant us the merits of all virtues. 
Holy Ghost, make us persevere in justice. 
Holy Ghost, be Thou our everlasting reward. 
 
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Send us Thy Holy Ghost. 
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Ghost. 
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety. 
 
V. Come, Holy Ghost! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful, 
R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. 
 
Let Us Pray 
Grant, 0 merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit may 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. R. Amen. 

Ave Maria Stella - Sung in Latin with English Translation

Ave Maris Stella

Hail, bright star of ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin,
Gate of heavenly rest.

Taking that sweet Ave
Which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us,
Changing Eva's name.

Break the captives' fetters,
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.

Show thyself a Mother;
May the Word Divine,
Born for us thy Infant,
Hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling,
Mildest of the mild,
Freed from guilt, preserve us,
Pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
Make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus
Joy forevermore.
Through the highest heaven
To the Almighty Three,
Father, Son and Spirit,
One same glory be.  Amen.

Litany of the Holy Name

Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus V. Lord, have mercy on us. R. Christ, have mercy on us. V. Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us. R. Jesus, graciously hear us. V. God the Father of Heaven R. Have mercy on us. V. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, R. Have mercy on us. V. God the Holy Spirit, R. Have mercy on us. V. Holy Trinity, one God, R. Have mercy on us. V. Jesus, Son of the living God, R. Have mercy on us. Jesus, splendor of the Father, [etc.] Jesus, brightness of eternal light. Jesus, King of glory. Jesus, sun of justice. Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary. Jesus, most amiable. Jesus, most admirable. Jesus, the mighty God. Jesus, Father of the world to come. Jesus, angel of great counsel. Jesus, most powerful. Jesus, most patient. Jesus, most obedient. Jesus, meek and humble of heart. Jesus, lover of chastity. Jesus, lover of us. Jesus, God of peace. Jesus, author of life. Jesus, example of virtues. Jesus, zealous lover of souls. Jesus, our God. Jesus, our refuge. Jesus, father of the poor. Jesus, treasure of the faithful. Jesus, good Shepherd. Jesus, true light. Jesus, eternal wisdom. Jesus, infinite goodness. Jesus, our way and our life. Jesus, joy of Angels. Jesus, King of the Patriarchs. Jesus, Master of the Apostles. Jesus, teacher of the Evangelists. Jesus, strength of Martyrs. Jesus, light of Confessors. Jesus, purity of Virgins. Jesus, crown of Saints. V. Be merciful, R. spare us, O Jesus. V. Be merciful, R. graciously hear us, O Jesus. V. From all evil, R. deliver us, O Jesus. From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus. From Your wrath, [etc.] From the snares of the devil. From the spirit of fornication. From everlasting death. From the neglect of Your inspirations. By the mystery of Your holy Incarnation. By Your Nativity. By Your Infancy. By Your most divine Life. By Your labors. By Your agony and passion. By Your cross and dereliction. By Your sufferings. By Your death and burial. By Your Resurrection. By Your Ascension. By Your institution of the most Holy Eucharist. By Your joys. By Your glory. V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. spare us, O Jesus. V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. graciously hear us, O Jesus. V. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, R. have mercy on us, O Jesus. V. Jesus, hear us. R. Jesus, graciously hear us. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, You have said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you." Grant, we beg of You, to us who ask it, the gift of Your most divine love, that we may ever love You with our whole heart, in word and deed, and never cease praising You. Give us, O Lord, as much a lasting fear as a lasting love of Your Holy Name, for You, who live and are King for ever and ever, never fail to govern those whom You have solidly established in Your love. R. Amen.

St. Louis' Prayer to Mary

Hail Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father! Hail Mary, admirable Mother of the Son! Hail Mary, faithful spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail Mary, my dear Mother, my loving Mistress, my powerful sovereign! Hail my joy, my glory, my heart and my soul! Thou art all mine by mercy, and I am all thine by justice. But I am not yet sufficiently thine. I now give myself wholly to thee without keeping anything back for myself or others. If thou still seest in me anything which does not belong to thee, I beseech thee to take it and to make thyself the absolute Mistress of all that is mine. Destroy in me all that may be displeasing to God, root it up and bring it to nought; place and cultivate in me everything that is pleasing to thee.

May the light of thy faith dispel the darkness of my mind; may thy profound humility take the place of my pride; may thy sublime contemplation check the distractions of my wandering imagination; may thy continuous sight of God fill my memory with His presence; may the burning love of thy heart inflame the lukewarmness of mine; may thy virtues take the place of my sins; may thy merits be my only adornment in the sight of God and make up for all that is wanting in me. Finally, dearly beloved Mother, grant, if it be possible, that I may have no other spirit but thine to know Jesus and His divine will; that I may have no other soul but thine to praise and glorify the Lord; that I may have no other heart but thine to love God with a love as pure and ardent as thine I do not ask thee for visions, revelations, sensible devotion or spiritual pleasures. It is thy privilege to see God clearly; it is thy privilege to enjoy heavenly bliss; it is thy privilege to triumph gloriously in Heaven at the right hand of thy Son and to hold absolute sway over angels, men and demons; it is thy privilege to dispose of all the gifts of God, just as thou willest.

Such is, O heavenly Mary, the "best part," which the Lord has given thee and which shall never be taken away from thee--and this thought fills my heart with joy. As for my part here below, I wish for no other than that which was thine: to believe sincerely without spiritual pleasures; to suffer joyfully without human consolation; to die continually to myself without respite; and to work zealously and unselfishly for thee until death as the humblest of thy servants. The only grace I beg thee to obtain for me is that every day and every moment of my life I may say: Amen, So be it--to all that thou didst do while on earth; Amen, so be it--to all that thou art now doing in Heaven; Amen, so be it--to all that thou art doing in my soul, so that thou alone mayest fully glorify Jesus in me for time and eternity. Amen.

O Jesus Living in Mary 

O Jesus, living in Mary, 
Come and live in Thy servants, 
In the spirit of Thy holiness, 
In the fullness of Thy might, 
In the truth of Thy virtues, 
In the perfection of Thy ways, 
In the communion of Thy mysteries. 
Subdue every hostile power 
In Thy spirit, for the glory of the Father.
Amen.

Read: 
St. Louis de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary paragraphs 261-265.

In Mary
261. We must do everything in Mary. To understand this we must realise that the Blessed Virgin is the true earthly paradise of the new Adam and that the ancient paradise was only a symbol of her. There are in this earthly paradise untold riches, beauties, rarities and delights, which the new Adam, Jesus Christ, has left there. It is in this paradise that he "took his delights" for nine months, worked his wonders and displayed his riches with the magnificence of God himself. This most holy place consists of only virgin and immaculate soil from which the new Adam was formed with neither spot nor stain by the operation of the Holy Spirit who dwells there. In this earthly paradise grows the real Tree of Life which bore our Lord, the fruit of Life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which bore the Light of the world.

In this divine place there are trees planted by the hand of God and watered by his divine unction which have borne and continue to bear fruit that is pleasing to him. There are flower-beds studded with a variety of beautiful flowers of virtue, diffusing a fragrance which delights even the angels. Here there are meadows verdant with hope, impregnable towers of fortitude, enchanting mansions of confidence and many other delights.
Only the Holy Spirit can teach us the truths that these material objects symbolise. In this place the air is perfectly pure. There is no night but only the brilliant day of the sacred humanity, the resplendent, spotless sun of the Divinity, the blazing furnace of love, melting all the base metal thrown into it and changing it into gold. There the river of humility gushes forth from the soil, divides into four branches and irrigates the whole of this enchanted place. These branches are the four cardinal virtues.
262. The Holy Spirit speaking through the Fathers of the Church, also calls our Lady the Eastern Gate, through which the High Priest, Jesus Christ, enters and goes out into the world. Through this gate he entered the world the first time and through this same gate he will come the second time.
The Holy Spirit also calls her the Sanctuary of the Divinity, the Resting-Place of the Holy Spirit, the Throne of God, the City of God, the Altar of God, the Temple of God, the World of God. All these titles and expressions of praise are very real when related to the different wonders the Almighty worked in her and the graces which he bestowed on her. What wealth and what glory! What a joy and a privilege for us to enter and dwell in Mary, in whom almighty God has set up the throne of his supreme glory!
263. But how difficult it is for us to have the freedom, the ability and the light to enter such an exalted and holy place. This place is guarded not by a cherub, like the first earthly paradise, but by the Holy Spirit himself who has become its absolute Master. Referring to her, he says: "You are an enclosed garden, my sister, my bride, an enclosed garden and a sealed fountain." Mary is enclosed. Mary is sealed. The unfortunate children of Adam and Eve driven from the earthly paradise, can enter this new paradise only by a special grace of the Holy Spirit which they have to merit.
264. When we have obtained this remarkable grace by our fidelity, we should be delighted to remain in Mary. We should rest there peacefully, rely on her confidently, hide ourselves there with safety, and abandon ourselves unconditionally to her, so that within her virginal bosom:
1) We may be nourished with the milk of her grace and her motherly compassion.
2) We may be delivered from all anxiety, fear and scruples.
3) We may be safeguarded from all our enemies, the devil, the world and sin which have never gained admittance there. That is why our Lady says that those who work in her will not sin, that is, those who dwell spiritually in our Lady will never commit serious sin.
4) We may be formed in our Lord and our Lord formed in us, because her womb is, as the early Fathers call it, the house of the divine secrets where Jesus and all the elect have been conceived. "This one and that one were born in her."
For Mary
265. Finally, we must do everything for Mary. Since we have given ourselves completely to her service, it is only right that we should do everything for her as if we were her personal servant and slave. This does not mean that we take her for the ultimate end of our service for Jesus alone is our ultimate end. But we take Mary for our proximate end, our mysterious intermediary and the easiest way of reaching him.
Like every good servant and slave we must not remain idle, but, relying on her protection, we should undertake and carry out great things for our noble Queen. We must defend her privileges when they are questioned and uphold her good name when it is under attack. We must attract everyone, if possible, to her service and to this true and sound devotion. We must speak up and denounce those who distort devotion to her by outraging her Son, and at the same time we must apply ourselves to spreading this true devotion. As a reward for these little services, we should expect nothing in return save the honour of belonging to such a lovable Queen and the joy of being united through her to Jesus, her Son, by a bond that is indissoluble in time and in eternity. Glory to Jesus in Mary! Glory to Mary in Jesus! Glory to God alone! 

A taste of Fr. Gaitley's 33 Days to Morning Glory if you have time:

Ponder the consecration for tomorrow.

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