CONSECRATION TO JESUS THROUGH MARY DAY 32

EXPERIENCING THE LIVING GOD IN THE JOURNEY TO HOLINESS YR. 2023 Purpose: Obtain Knowledge of Jesus Christ Readings - Imitation of Christ: Book 2, Chapter 7 ​Loving Jesus Above All Things Blessed is he who appreciates what it is to love Jesus and who despises himself for the sake of Jesus. Give up all other love for His, since He wishes to be loved alone above all things. Affection for creatures is deceitful and inconstant, but the love of Jesus is true and enduring. He who clings to a creature will fall with its frailty, but he who gives himself to Jesus will ever be strengthened. Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail. Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what belongs to another & He wants your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned therein as King in His own right. If you but knew how to free yourself entirely from all creatures, Jesus would gladly dwell within you. True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary: #257–#260 There are some very sanctifying interior practices for those souls who feel called by the Holy Spirit to a high degree of perfection. They may be expressed in four words, doing everything through Mary, with Mary, in Mary, and for Mary, in order to do it more perfectly through Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus, and for Jesus. Through Mary We must do everything through Mary, that is, we must obey her always and be led in all things by her spirit, which is the Holy Spirit of God. "Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God," says St. Paul. Those who are led by the spirit of Mary are children of Mary, and, consequently children of God, as we have already shown. Among the many servants of Mary only those who are truly and faithfully devoted to her are led by her spirit. I have said that the spirit of Mary is the spirit of God because she was never led by her own spirit, but always by the spirit of God, who made himself master of her to such an extent that he became her very spirit. That is why St. Ambrose says, "May the soul of Mary be in each one of us to glorify the Lord. May the spirit of Mary be in each one of us to rejoice in God." Happy is the man who follows the example of the good Jesuit Brother Rodriguez, who died a holy death, because he will be completely possessed and governed by the spirit of Mary, a spirit which is gentle yet strong, zealous yet prudent, humble yet courageous, pure yet fruitful. With Mary We must do our actions with Mary; that is to say, we must in all our actions regard Mary as an accomplished model of every virtue and perfection which the Holy Ghost has formed in a pure creature, for us to imitate according to our little measure. We must therefore in every action consider how Mary has done it, or how she would have done it, had she been in our place. For that end we must examine and meditate the great virtues which she practiced during her life, and particularly, first of all, her lively faith, by which she believed without hesitation the Angel’s word, and believed it faithfully and constantly up to the foot of the Cross; Secondly, her profound humility, which made her hide herself, hold her peace, submit to everything, and put herself the last of all; and Thirdly, her altogether divine purity, which never has had, and never can have, its equal under heaven; and so on with all her other virtues. I do not ONLY DESIRE holiness I WANTED TO FULFILL THIS CALL. I wanted to become extraordinary in all the ordinary things in my life to honor God. It is not only a desire but a firm goal to attain heaven. Through His Divine Grace, it is possible and I am excited to witness the revelation of Jesus each time. That experience starts with prayer. Come and join us. (MLVA) ALL MUSIC/VIDEOS/SONGS ARE CREDITED TO THEIR ORIGINAL COMPOSER, SINGER, ARRANGER, AND MUSIC COMPANY. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF EARNING FUNDS THROUGH MY WORK. THIS IS PURELY TO SERVE GOD AND HIS PEOPLE.