Living Consecration to Jesus Through Mary- Part I

The first thing Jesus did to save us was to completely entrust Himself to His mother being wholly dependent on her in the womb, at birth, and in childhood. Jesus gave his mother to St John and all of us and she and her spouse the Holy Spirit can conform us into the likeness of her Son. By becoming dependent on Mary, we become dependent on the Holy Spirit who is reflected in her and does His work through her. What is there to fear from one who says “Am I not here who are your mother? Are you not in the crossings of my arms and the folds of my mantel?”

St. Louis De Montfort summarized consecration to Jesus through Mary as:

…it is the perfect renewal of the vows and promises of holy baptism. This devotion consists in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her. It requires us to give: (1) Our body with its senses and members; (2) Our soul with its faculties; (3) Our present material possessions and all we shall acquire in the future; (4) Our interior and spiritual possessions, that is, our merits, virtues, and good actions of the past, the present and the future. In other words, we give her all that we possess both in our natural life and spiritual lives in addition to everything we shall acquire in the future in the order of nature, of grace, and of glory in heaven. This we do without any reservation, not even of a penny, a hair, or the smallest, good deed. And we give for all eternity without claiming or expecting, in return for our offering and our service, any other reward than the honor of belonging to our Lord through Mary and in Mary, even though our Mother were not – as in fact she always is – the most generous and appreciative of all God’s creatures.^[1]

When beatifying the Fatima visionaries Jacinta and Francisco, St. John Paul II commented on what he believed was the reason for their speedy path to sanctity. Addressing children, he said,

Ask your parents and teachers to enroll you in the ‘school’ of Our Lady, so that she can teach you to be like the little shepherds, who tried to do whatever she asked them. I tell you that ‘one makes more progress in a short time of submission and dependence on Mary than during entire years of personal initiatives, relying on oneself alone.^[2]

This was how the little shepherds became saints so quickly. A woman who gave hospitality to Jacinta in Lisbon, on hearing the beautiful and wise advice that the little girl gave, asked who taught it to her. “It was Our Lady,” she replied. Devoting themselves with total generosity to the direction of such a good Teacher, Jacinta and Francisco soon reached the heights of perfection.^[3] John Paul II and St. Louis De Montfort asserted that a sincere and devout love of Mary and submitting oneself to her will, was the quickest way to sanctity. When someone enrolls in the “school of Our Lady,” they learn about humbly accepting God’s will, as did Mary when the Angel Gabriel revealed her mission in life. Putting ourselves in Mary’s hands will lead us directly to Jesus. This is how Francisco and Jacinta rose to the heights of holiness early in life. St. Louis De Montfort has been called “the apostle of Mary.” His goal was no less than to “fashion a true servant of Mary and a true disciple of Jesus.”^[4]

Consecration means to make holy or set apart. Having completed consecration to our lady it is necessary to live this out in daily life. Our Lord created all and gave all on the cross for us. St. Louis De Montfort did not intend the consecration to be an exercise to be done once and dispensed with.

In his work True Devotion to Mary (TD), the saint warns against approaching this discipline without sincerity and devotion. Critical devotees are arrogant and demean the simplicity of the devotions of those less educated and less sophisticated and are cynical about all miracles attributed to the Mother of God. Scrupulous devotees are overly concerned about dishonoring the Lord by honoring His mother. They fail to realize that in honoring the Mother they are Honoring the Son in an analogous way that honoring the Son honors the Father. Superficial devotees are intent on exterior devotions only and wallow in emotionalism running the risk of abandoning devotion since they do not internalize it. Superficial devotion  is not that which “endures until the end.” Presumptuous devotees use both Christianity and devotion to Our Lady as a screen to excuse all manner of lust and sin as if the former excuses the later.^[5]

St. Louis is quite clear that all these errors allow one to fall victim to the enemy. He is particularly clear the last error, presumption, deserves nothing less than condemnation as “purely diabolical” and is means by which Christ is re-crucified in another generation.

St. Louis recommends that all sin be avoided and

But at least it is necessary (1) to be genuinely determined to avoid at least all mortal sin, which outrages the Mother as well as the Son; (2) to practice self-restraint in order to avoid sin; (3) to join her confraternities, say the Rosary and other prayers, (and) fast…”^[6]

These are all requirements to be a Catholic in good standing as well. Inconstant, hypocritical, and self-interested devotees are somewhat mutually inclusive and admonished by the saint. The inconstant run hot and cold with their devotion and are not consistent day by day. The hypocrites simply speak one way and live contrary to the virtue they claim and espouse. The self-interested have a “911” relationship with Our Lord and Our Lady. When there is a perceived gain, illness to be cured or court case to face they pray away. Once the issue passes, they lapse back into their customary habits and sin.

In consecration, we give back to God what he has given us. All we are, have, can be, do and possess in terms of gifts and material possessions.^[7] The type of devotion that St. Louis seeks to inspire is interior and therefore is a conversion of heart and mind. The conversion of the inner self is to be entire. Just as Jesus held nothing back from us in word, deed, and ultimate sacrifice, we are to give all that we are and have been given back to Him-holding nothing back-in total consecration.  It is trusting just as small children go to their mother for everything, we are to wrap ourselves in the mantle of Our Lady allow her to intercede for our every bodily and spiritual need. We are to accept that when something we seek is not given to us, that it is for our own good and not become despondent, whine, and have tantrums.

It is faith in action that leads one into the light and away from sin, subterfuge, and other evils. These are replaced by natural and supernatural virtues that Mary exemplified. This devotion is constant, and the course is stayed whether things are good, bad, or indifferent in one’s life. Being a true devotee does not mean one is immune to sin or have no need to examine themselves. The exterior means of devotion-prayers and exercises used-may change, but one remains fixed on being a Christian and serving Jesus as a slave to Mary. A true devotee is not primarily interested in personal gain, attention, honor or respect. True devotion is disinterested, meaning one seeks to serve Our Lord alone by doing so in, with and through Our Lady. One seeks to love and serve Our Lady simply because she is loveable and most worthy of our service. Since she is the first and best disciple of Our Lord, service to her is service to Him.

St. Louis is clear that there is truly only one decision to be made in our temporal existence and our eternity is balanced by how we respond. Am I to be a slave to sin and satan, or the devoted slave of Jesus through Mary and beloved son or daughter of the Father? The decisions we make, and actions taken lead us to the throne of God and to be placed on the right with the sheep, or the left with the goats. Given what is at stake, one cannot afford to be overly sensitive to the contemporary definition of the word “slave”.

When Mary says “I am the servant/slave of the Lord…” in the Magnificat there is an understanding that this is a voluntary servitude to God. Bonded servants of antiquity were “free” but chose to serve a master and have their basic needs met but did not receive payment. Anyone subject to the cycle of repeated sin knows what it is to be compelled, even against their better judgment and will, and be a slave to sin. It is prudent to freely choose to serve a loving God who wants to lead me to true happiness vs. an enemy who hates me and wants to deprive me of all that is good. This seems academic but is, in fact, difficult to do. Fallen nature inclines us toward the flesh and things of the world. That is why we can thank such and giving God who came to us through Mary and gave her to us all as our Mother and mediator on the cross.

Living consecration cannot be done alone or with the use of one’s own will. We are not alone and have our mother to aid and guide us. It is not easy but can be done.“ (Rm 1:1) Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ”  The word δουλος, which we translate servant but properly means a slave, one who is the entire property of his master; and is used here by the apostle with great propriety. He felt he was not his own, that his life and powers belonged to his heavenly owner, and that he had no right to dispose of or employ them but in the strictest subserviency to the will of his Lord. In this sense, and this spirit, he is a willing slave of Jesus Christ; and this is, perhaps, the highest character which any soul of man can attain on this side of eternity. “I am wholly the Lord’s; and wholly devoted in the spirit of sacrificial obedience, to the constant, complete, and energetic performance of the Divine will.” A friend of God is high; a son of God is higher; but the servant, or, in the above sense, the slave of God, is higher than all; in a word, he is a person who feels he has no property in himself, and that God is all and in all.^[8]

In English ‘slaves’ and ‘servants’ suggest different classes of people, but this distinction is not so clear in ancient language. Often the words are used interchangeably. If there is a difference, it pertains to suitability and context. ‘Slaves’ may be used for people in relation to their masters, but ‘servants’ in relation to their work. The former may be in the context of submission to a superior (e.g. Mt. 6:24; Rm. 6:16-18; Eph. 6:6-7; see slave), the latter in the context of service to others (e.g. Mt. 20:28; Lk. 10:40, Rm. 12:7; see minister). Christians are slaves and servants of God as a special kind of service. They are not ashamed of these titles as if they were dehumanizing or reduced them to a humiliating status. The Bible uses many pictures to describe the relationship of Christ to His people. Each picture is one dimension of a multi-faceted relationship–Jesus as Savior, Judge, Bridegroom, Lord, etc.

The word bondservant is the translation of the Greek word doulos, which means “one who is subservient to, and entirely at the disposal of, his master; a slave.” Other translations use the word slave or servant.^{[9] [10]}In Roman times, the term bondservant or slave could refer to someone who voluntarily served others. But it usually referred to one who was held in a permanent position of servitude. Under Roman law, a bondservant was considered the owner’s personal property. Slaves essentially had no rights and could even be killed with impunity by their owners. The Hebrew word for “bondservant,” ‘ebed,’ had a similar connotation. However, the Mosaic Law allowed an indentured servant to become a bondservant voluntarily:

If the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life (Exodus 21:5-6).

Many prominent men of the Old Testament were referred to as servants. God spoke of Abraham as His servant (Genesis 26:24; Numbers 12:7). Joshua is called the servant of the Lord (Joshua 24:29), as are David (2 Samuel 7:5) and Isaiah (Isaiah 20:3). Even the Messiah is called God’s Servant (Isaiah 53:11). In all of these instances, the term servant carries the idea of humble nobility. Being God’s servant is an honorable position. The title “Madonna” derives from the Latin mea domina which translates to “My Lady” which is the feminine form of “Lord.” St. Maximilian Kolbe calls those who are consecrated to Mary Knights of the Immaculata which honors her nobility as Queen and highlights we are at war with the enemy.

When told His mother came to see Him, Our Lord replied, “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and Mother (Mt. 12:50).” This was not a slight to his Mother but an affirmation of her. There never has been, nor will there ever be, another human being that will be as obedient as the Holy Mother of God. She is only exceeded in excellence by her Son, Our Lord who was both God and man. St. Louis recommends imitating the ten principal virtues of our Blessed Mother:

her deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom (TD #108).

St. Maximillian Kolbe asserted,

To imitate [the Immaculata], therefore, to draw near to her, to offer oneself up as property of her, to become her: that is the pinnacle of human perfection. The Knight of the Immaculata knows that in and through the Immaculata he will become property of Jesus and God. He knows that that is the only way to achieve the easiest and most sublime holiness, to render the greatest possible glory to God. In a word, the Knight of the Immaculata is one who fights to win all hearts over to her .^[11]

This does not mean one has to preach or evangelize though these are good and necessary. Our Lord told us we would be known as His disciples “if you have love for one another (Jn 13:35).” Clearly how one acts reflects their faith and, in the case of consecration through Mary, the measure of being her child and a child of God.

Totus Tuus Prayer:

Totally yours,
Immaculate conception, Mary my Mother,
Live in me , Act in me,
Speak in me and through me,
Think your thoughts in my mind,
Love through my heart,
Give me your dispositions and feelings,
Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,
Correct, enlighten, and expand my thoughts and behavior,
Possess my soul,
Take over my entire personality and life, replace it with yourself,
Incline me to adoration,
Pray in me and through me,
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
Pope St. John Paul II

To be continued…

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner.

[1] De Montfort, Louis. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary #121-122. (6/30/2002). Accessed 11/22/2020 from http://www.montfort.org/content/uploads/pdf/PDF_EN_26_1.pdf.

[2] De Montfort, Louis. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary #121-122. (6/30/2002). Accessed 11/22/2020 from http://www.montfort.org/content/uploads/pdf/PDF_EN_26_1.pdf.

[3] Koloski, Phillip. (5/14/20). John Paul II Reveals the Quickest Way to Become a Saint. Accessed 11/15/10 from https://aleteia.org/2020/05/14/john-paul-ii-reveals-quickest-way-to-become-a-saint-in-everyday-life/.

[4] De Montfort, Louis. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary #111.

[5] De Montfort, Louis. (6/30/2002). True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, #92-97. Accessed 11/22/2020 from http://www.montfort.org/content/uploads/pdf/PDF_EN_26_1.pdf.

[6] Ibid, #99.

[7] Gilespie, H. Fr. (5/26/2020). Living Consecration-What Does It Mean to Consecrate? Queen of Hearts Conference Audio. Downloaded from < http://queenofallhearts.com/2020/05/26/living/> on 12/15/2020.

[8] Delany, Joseph. “Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: RobertAppleton Company, 1911. 15 Nov. 2020 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10198d.htm>.

[9] GotQuestions.org. (2002-2021). What is a Bondservant/Bond-Servant? Accessed on 12/25/2020 from

<https://www.gotquestions.org/bondservant.html.>.

[11] Kolbe, M. M. (2016) The Writings of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe Vols. I and II, Nerbini International,  Florence, It. (KW 1325).