Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Day 1 of 33: First Step on a Journey of Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary

Thank you, Jesus, for the wonderful friends you put in my midst!

It is so wonderful to enjoy the company of friends my age who speak about Jesus like He is just another person in the room (which He always is)!

This past weekend, while cooking with Britta, Steve, and Mike, we excitedly talked about everything from Green Scapulars to Brown Scapulars and from the beautiful icons that Britta creates to the majesty of God's will for our lives.

Among the topics discussed in a flurry of excitement this weekend was the Act of Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, a devotion I was aware of and had partially participated in before, although I had no idea that--according to St. Louis Marie de Montfort--the commitment is preceded by 33 days of preparation.

Britta gave me a wonderful preparation book, containing daily prayers and passages from Scripture to mediate on. Today, the First of December, I decided to begin. My Consecration Day will officially be the 34th day, this being January 3rd -- which just happens to be the Feast Day of the Holy Name of Jesus!

Today's meditation from Scripture was on the Beatitudes, something which I personally love. Whenever I hear this passage of the Bible read at Mass, I get excited to pick my favorite Beatitude. And while I approach the whole collection of them with an eager interest, I always end up picking the same one as my favorite: "Happy are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."

In fact, I desire this Beatitude so much that I pray for it daily. On my shower wall I have written, "Give me pureness of heart so that I may see God." Seriously, can you imagine anything cooler?

Please pray for me as I begin this 33-day journey. I pray that God will remove from my heart whatever desires are not of His will and will develop and grow in my heart whatever is of His will!