| Author | |
Nique
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 07 2008
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1222
|
| Posted: July 11 2009 at 9:55pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I've never done this before..for those of you who have, how have you found your life different after doing this vs. before??
__________________
I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice cream straight out of the container. ~Bill Bryson
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
aussieannie
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 21 2006
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7251
|
| Posted: July 13 2009 at 7:03am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Nique wrote:
| I've never done this before..for those of you who have, how have you found your life different after doing this vs. before?? |
|
|
I thought I'd share with you the Welcome thread that running when HT was first up and running, there maybe some stories there that might help.
I would say that so many of the great modern saints were True Devotion Devotee's and consecrated to Our Lady through St Louis' formula and were formed by his Marian spirituality. Some examples would be Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, his papacy was particularly molded on this spirituality and his motto, "Tutus tuus" translated to, "Totally Yours" referring to Our Lady. When I think of that motto, I think of the words, "I am all Thine my Queen and my Mother and all that I have is Thine."A prayer that is a short and daily renewal of the consecration.
Then there are people like Fr Corapi, Mother Angelica. Often their greatest spiritual work is accomplished after their consecration. I remember Mother Angelica interviewing a priest who had consecrated himself to Our Lady and was in turn spreading devotion to Our Lady through the miraculous medal including in China and this priest said that his spiritual life was greatly enhanced after the consecration and it was his personal belief that anyone who did with sincerity and were faithful to their promise, would never be the same again. He was also someone who had researched which well known Catholics or saints who had consecrated themselves, I believe it was significant.
I have consecrated myself to Our Lady and while I'm no saint, I do believe that Our Lady has guided my life in such a way that I would not like to see what my life and the lives of those I love and influence around me would be like if not for her intercession and power.
I'd love to know how many great saints there have been since St Louis de Montfort's time who have consecrated themselves to Our Lady, I truly believe that it would be the vast majority.
__________________
Under Her Starry Mantle
Spiritual Motherhood for Priests
Blessed with 3 boys & 3 girls!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Nique
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 07 2008
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1222
|
| Posted: July 13 2009 at 1:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you so, so much Anne for all you wrote plus the extra legwork on the resources! You've got this gal convinced 
__________________
I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice cream straight out of the container. ~Bill Bryson
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Helen
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2826
|
| Posted: July 13 2009 at 5:07pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Nique
Yesterday, as I thought of your question, one word came to my mind: humility. I think Consecration to Our Lady places one in a humble position before God.
Consecration involves cultivating the spirit of Mary. By continually bringing your prayers to the Heavenly Mother, by comparing yourself to the Perfect Creature and falling very short of her lofty example, one can better appreciate the greatness of the God-Man. The Lord is not only a perfect Man but also Divine. I believe this truth becomes very large with Marian devotion.
Consecration helps me to be more docile to the workings of the Spirit. Considering myself an instrument in the hands of Mary, helps me on a day to day basis, to put up with the tough situations in life. It helps me to see more meaning in the small discomforts of life and the larger and painful sacrifices.
When I began my path with the Franciscans of the Immaculate, I had an overwhelming feeling that I had not dedicated myself enough to the Blessed Mother. I believe Our Lady puts the idea of consecration on your heart. It is something that one desires.
__________________
Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Nique
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 07 2008
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1222
|
| Posted: July 14 2009 at 9:24am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you dear Helen for sharing your deep feelings on how you have benefitted from Consecrating yourself to Mary..the humility part, that's exactly what I need right now  That part about the seeing yourself as an instrument and it helping during the "small discomforts of life and the larger and painful sacrifices" couldn't have come at a better time! I am so blessed to have found you and all the real Moms here @ 4Real! You are helping me get to Heaven!
__________________
I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice cream straight out of the container. ~Bill Bryson
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Helen
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2826
|
| Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 7:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I thought yesterday's readings from the Preparation for Consecration answered this question exactly. Scroll down to the Saint's words.
Benefits of Consecration according to St. Louis de Montfort
__________________
Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 8:34am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for writing about this, Helen and Anne, and for asking the question, Nique. It's really helpful, especially in light of the feast of the Transfiguration yesterday and thinking about how to grow closer to Jesus and be more like HIm.
I'm also glad to see that "knowledge of unworthiness" is not a deal-breaker. I feel it so strongly that it always discourages me from deeper consecration but I guess it should be the opposite. Seems obvious now that I've written it, perhaps, but something I needed to think about.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SuzanneG
Forum Moderator
Joined: June 17 2006
Location: Idaho
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5465
|
| Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 5:34pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I read this paragraph this morning over and over, and then saw that you were referring to it, Helen.
St. Louis de Montfort wrote:
Knowledge of our unworthiness:
By the light which the Holy Spirit will give you through Mary, his faithful spouse, you will perceive the evil inclinations of your fallen nature and how incapable you are of any good. Finally, the humble Virgin Mary will share her humility with you so that, although you regard yourself with distaste and desire to be disregarded by others, you will not look down slightingly upon anyone. |
|
|
This 3rd part of the preparation has me thinking about Humility a lot.
I had this marked from Wed's reading of In Conversation With God, vol 4, pg.312 the other day:
Quote:
| Humility has nothing to do with timidity, with fickleness or with a mediocre life lacking in ambition. Humility discovers that everything good in us, both in the order of nature and in the order of grace, belongs to God for from his fullness we have all received. And such profusion of gifts moves us to be grateful. |
|
|
__________________
Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Helen
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2826
|
| Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 8:44pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
SuzanneG wrote:
I read this paragraph this morning over and over, and then saw that you were referring to it, Helen.
St. Louis de Montfort wrote:
Knowledge of our unworthiness:
By the light which the Holy Spirit will give you through Mary, his faithful spouse, you will perceive the evil inclinations of your fallen nature and how incapable you are of any good. Finally, the humble Virgin Mary will share her humility with you so that, although you regard yourself with distaste and desire to be disregarded by others, you will not look down slightingly upon anyone. |
|
|
|
|
|
Suzanne, I do use quotes a lot (especially in Mary Vitamin) but this was one time in which I did not officially refer back to St. Louis.
It has been ten years since I began my preparations with the Franciscans of the Immaculate for consecration. (I think I offered another consecration to OUr Lady before that as well in college.) Our Lady's school is steeped in humility. It is the virtue/benefit which, in my experience, I most closely associate with consecration.
__________________
Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Helen
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2826
|
| Posted: Aug 08 2009 at 6:23am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Quote:
| Humility discovers that everything good in us, both in the order of nature and in the order of grace, belongs to God for from his fullness we have all received. |
|
|
This is a lovely quote Suzanne.
Thanks for sharing it.
As we converse about the benefits of consecration, we can thank God for the graces we have received.
__________________
Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Hidden Treasure
Topic: benefits received from Consecration
