Year of Marian Consecration

I will be starting my 33 day retreat and will be following the  "33 Days to Morning Glory - A Do-It-Yourself Retreat In Preparation for Marian Consecration."  It's the same book that I've followed the first time.  I've lived almost a whole year of consecration to Jesus through Mary, and I was consecrated to Jesus through Mary on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11th, 2014. 

There's no love that compares to how much God loves us, that He gave His only Begotten Son so that we may live.  And there is no love that shows His love for us as in the love through His Son and the love through the Blessed Virgin Mary, because she was chosen to bear His Son.  He was the first to show us how important the Blessed Virgin Mary is for everyone, and He did so, first as an infant totally dependent on her. 

When I first began my consecration, I had no idea what it would be like, or if there was anything that I had to do. After I began devoting myself each day to the teachings of St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximillian Kohlbe, Blessed Mother Teresa, and St. John Paul II, I was spiritually opening up to receive the graces of God through the Blessed Virgin Mary.  I began meditating on the rosary as well, and it is the most humble prayer for me.  I was not expecting my Marian consecration to change my spiritual life in the ways that it has.  After I completed the guide on Marian Consecration, I thought of celebrating, but how do you celebrate Marian Consecration?  I've celebrated every day since, by offering every day, all that I do and am to God, by asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to be my mother, teacher, and guide in accepting the will of God.  Through Marian Consecration I began to know my own worth, I began to know what freedom really is, and to do not be afraid.

The first that came is my worth, and I became more aware of myself as a daughter of God, a sister of Christ, and a devoted daughter to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  My early morning prayer is, "God, everything I do and am today belongs to You.  Jesus, my heart is Yours.  Mother Mary, help me in accepting all of today, with humility and knowing that God's will is first in all.  Today there will be miracles, so lead me Holy Spirit." 

I don't see myself as worthy of anything, and I am often surprised at how much God trusts me with.  The first was my heart, my love.  I haven't been on a date in a long time, then suddenly I was asked out three times.  Each time I prayed, "By Your will, not mine.  I would gladly spend the rest of my days single, if I don't first give my heart and all my love to Jesus."  We don't just skip over everything that we want to avoid and everything that is hard, but we are spiritually aware of who we are in every situation we are in.  Sometimes, it's heartbreaking.  Sometimes there's so much joy, it seems as though my heart would burst.  Sometimes, I ask where God is.  Sometimes, I even wonder what it would be like if I hadn't questioned who I was four years ago - would I be blissfully unaware of everything and wouldn't be held to the consequences?  Sometimes, there's only darkness and I'm scared of how long it's going to last.  The only way through it all, for me, is to pray. God is my strength, and He has showed me the Light at the end of every tunnel.  So when I'm tempted and confused, my prayer is still, "By Your will, not mine." 

I ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for comfort and guidance in accepting the trials.  How will my spirit revive after this?  It does so through prayer, also, and I am always provided with what I need.  The Blessed Virgin Mary says, "You are never alone.  My love will see you through."  So in every situation, especially the ones that leave my spirit drained, I don't give up.  I don't pretend to be someone else to get through anything.  I don't pretend that I'm blind to the darkness that lies in some things.  I am always a daughter of God, sister of Christ, and a devoted daughter to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Through Marian Consecration, I also became aware of the freedom that I couldn't even imagine.  I have asked God why He trusts me so much, He has let me know that He is the strength of everything I do.  When I abandon myself, when I say, "I'm so selfish, vain, prideful, and I am hateful - take everything I am, because I don't even want myself."  He does take all that I offer, and He fills the empty space with His love.  How does He do that?  I am always found with someone who needs more than I, and I am always happy to help. 

To be filled with His love, we have to see it in everyone and everything that comes to us.  When He gives His love, He does so through others, because that is where He is.  He is in every person we meet.  He is in the annoying one, the sad one, the angry one, and in the one that is too happy.  When He shows me where His love is, that is where I want to be.  God also knows how stubborn and oblivious I am to subtle messages, so He puts me in the center of where He needs me.  I often think, "How did I get here? I will soon find out, because it's where God needs me to be."   When I find myself in the center of where He needs me, my own spirit is filled with the love He is always pouring out.  Who wouldn't want to share His love?  I couldn't keep it for myself. 

When I abandon myself, I ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to guide me so I'm not lost, and she leads me to Jesus.  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  When Jesus becomes our light, He shines on all that is needed for our spirit.  It's never a new house, new clothes, new phone, or in my vehicle; but it's in my family, my parents, my boy, my friends, my neighbor, the stranger who dropped something so we pick it up for them.  Freedom is knowing that we don't need more than what God provides.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is also a great teacher of, "Do not be afraid!"  When I finished and signed my name on the Marian onsecration paper, I thought, "I have this to show that I am consecrated to Jesus through Mary."  But I have never once taken it out of the book, until a few days ago when I began preparing to begin my consecration.  But the Blessed Virgin Mary has been with me every day, and is always awakening my spirit to the graces that God is always giving. Whenever I have received a small grace, I thank the Blessed Virgin Mary for making me aware of all the goodness that God has for all of us, and that is far more important to carry than a piece of paper. 

When I am being tempted, I imagine myself hiding under the mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  "Hail Mary, full of Grace. How do I walk away from this?"  She says, "Do not be afraid to walk into it.  Yes, you will always be tempted, but do not be afraid.  My Son has overcome it."  So I accept the temptation and, as overwhelming as it can become, I pray to God for His strength.  I am always a sinner, but that doesn't mean that I accept sinning.  I am always asking for forgiveness. 

I still think that I am not worthy of anything, but if God accepts my love, then I make the effort to love also.  It doesn't come easy and I've seen how love can be mixed up in the world, used carelessly, and used for greed.  I don't claim to be perfect and know God, but He has revealed love to me, as much as I needed it.  So I put effort into my spiritual life, into my prayers, and into the services I do because, I love God.  The Blessed Virgin Mary knew fear when she accepted God's will, but still, fear did not stop her.  My devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is very simple:  I ask for her intercession in everything, every day, and I pray the rosary as much as I can.  I don't worship her, or think of her more than God, but I do ask her for directions and she leads me to Jesus.

These are just my experiences and life after Marian Consecration.

The greatest adventure is being a mother, and I'm excited to know that one day my own boy will love Mary and, I pray, consecrate himself to Jesus through Mary.

The love that God has for us is magnified in the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We don't all have a purpose like the Blessed Virgin Mary, but God's love is magnified in us when we live for Him.