... using the Same Method As Saint John Paul II
Thirty-three days doesn’t seem like a very long time to do anything, yet alone change your life. However, it was this devotion that Pope St. John Paul II said was the “decisive turning point in my life”. Our beloved JPII read (and re-read many times) St. Louis de Montfort’s book True Devotion to Mary which led him in a 33 day long consecration to Jesus through the heart of Mary. The act of this consecration impacted JPII in a powerful way. You can read more about how much it meant to him in this letterthat he wrote to the to the Montfort Religious Family.
The Saints are our greatest examples of how to grow in holiness and relationship with Jesus while we are here on earth. How do we follow the lead of St. Louis de Montfort and Pope St. John Paul II? We begin by making our own Consecration to Mary.
In order to make this type of Consecration, it is recommended that you start the process 33 days before a Marian feast day. You can find a complete list of dates here, but April 28th is one of the days that you can begin this journey of faith. So, start today! What a beautiful way it will be to spend the month of May, a month devoted to Mary, in faithful prayer. Through the Consecration we “give ourselves to Mary in order to be formed to the image of her Son Jesus”.
There are several resources available to help you in your Marian Consecration. For those who are looking for an introduction to this type of prayer, I recommend Fr. Gaitley’s book 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration. This book is written a way that the average Catholic (me!) can understand. The reflections are easy to read and it won’t be difficult to add this book to your prayer routine. In fact, when I first started I thought I was doing something wrong because it seemed too simple! Though the process is not challenging, the thoughtful meditations will challenge you and help you grow in your desire to know more of Jesus through His mother.
If you have a desire for a deeper theological understanding of the Marian Consecration, True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort is the book that you would want. Today marks the 300th anniversary of the death of St. Louis de Montfort. He continues to lead people to Jesus through Mary inspiring all of us by his motto, Totus tuus (completely yours).
