Total Consecration: Day 18

Reading: Luke 18: 9-14

from St. Louis du Montfort: The Secret of Mary, #36

Reflection:
One of my constant temptations is to compare myself to others (but really, what human doesn't do this?) and thinking I'm better than they are.  Perhaps it's my interior competitive spirit that drives me to think this way.  Whatever the case, placing myself above others is an expression of pride.  Pride is one of the seven deadly sins because it lacks the recognition of God's gift and grace.

So ... it tends to work out (as I have a good handful of substantial examples) where God purposely humbles me.  And while I deal with these situations kicking and screaming with anger and frustration and despair, I usually forget that I must approach this with humility by recognizing that God has a hand on anything I do or think.

It's like in today's reading regarding one of Jesus' parables.  The Pharisee compares himself to other men, and he's grateful that he is not the others and that he deserves God's gratitude because he follows the law. On the other hand, the tax collector recognizes that he's a sinner and is imperfect and cries out to God for His help.

St. Louis du Montfort reflects that we're not worthy to approach God directly because of our imperfection. Thus, we must approach with humility. He also explains that our approach to Jesus requires  going through Mary as a way of humility.  To me, it's kind of like really wanting to hang out with my best friend, but I have to ask my friend's mom for permission or for her to show me the way to my friend.  A certain level of humility is required to have the guts and courage to ask my friend's mom. Haha.

Humility.  I think it's the only way to approach the Lord.  Simply because nothing about me matters were it not for God who has allowed me to have the gift of life and all the blessings and graces He wills to bestow upon me.  To have a sense of pride in myself for these blessings and graces is not the way to approach the Lord because I would only be approaching...myself.

In a real world example. just today, I went out to visit nursing homes as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion so that I can offer the Eucharist to elderly residents who cannot make it to Mass.  Before leaving, I obtained enough Eucharist for the number of residents I planned on visiting.

I'm driving in my car with the radio off and ...I thought to myself how incredibly unworthy I am to be carrying the God of the Universe in my pocket (in a freshly blessed pyx, mind you).  And not only that...driving Him around town in my Honda Civic.  Part of me wished I had something better to offer in terms of transportation accommodation. I felt truly humbled by His very close proximate presence to me and what a blessing it is for me to be able to bring Him literally out in the world to elderly people who need Him.

Response:
I don't ask for Mary's intercession as much as I should.  And perhaps out of that recognition, I should humbly go before our Blessed Mother and ask her to lead me to her Son.

"Do whatever he tells you."

Ad Jesum per Mariam.
- JD

Total Consecration: Day 17

Reading: Romans 7: 21-25

from St. Louis du Montfort: True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, #87

Reflection:
Sometimes it seems like the closer that I get to God, Satan follows me even closer.  Satan badly wants me to stay away from God as much as he possibly can.  Perhaps that's why whenever I'm feeling particularly successful in doing as I ought to in order to pursue holiness, the more dramatic or greater magnitude temptations are to me. The higher I am, the harder I fall.

Acknowledging my human weakness, I realize how frail I am in treasuring God's graces for me.  How EASY it is to succumb to sin due to my corruptible body. I am weak, but I must be strong and defend God's grace within me.  I've had many moments of weakness throughout my life despite the graceful blessings that God has given me.

Response:
I've reflected on the volume of liquid found in a cup before, and now I imagine it as my cup filled with God's grace.  Because if it's not filled with God's grace, it's filled with something that is not of God.  I have to let go of those things in order to make room for God's grace, so that I may be able to pour that out and share with others.

I went to Confession to today, and I was reminded of how refreshing it is to empty myself of the ugliness of sin.  And through Confession, my cup is filled once more with God's grace and Satan flees, if only momentarily (for he's a persistent little worm).

Frequenting the sacraments.  That's how I can strengthen myself and fill myself up with God's grace through the visible signs of inward realities of the flow of grace.

I should go to Adoration this upcoming week because it's been a while.

Ad Jesum per Mariam,
- JD

Would you like me to pray for you?

I've mentioned before that I'm going to be attending and participating in World Youth Day 2013 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil next month.

The group I'm going with is approaching it as a pilgrimage to experience Rio with millions of others in the Church.  We'll be praying, going to Mass, visiting churches, learning more about our faith, spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist, Pope Francis will be around, and all in all a very Christian and spiritual experience. Many opportunities for us to pray!

If you would like, please allow me to pray for you while I'm on this pilgrimage!  World Youth Day is a visible sign of unity for us youthful ones in the Church united as the Body of Christ.

Please use this Google Form I have set up below to submit your prayer request or intention, and I will print them out to keep with me and pray for while I'm in Rio.

Peace be with you!
- JD