3.3 Response
STAGE 3: In Communion with Mary
MARY AND BAPTISM
THE VOLUNTARY WAY
RESPONSE
Aim: To respond personally to the motives which recommend the “perfect manner” to live our Baptism.
Reading
Who will remain in it? (TD 119): “As this devotion essentially consists in a state of soul, it will not be understood in the same way by everyone. Some – the great majority – will stop short at the threshold and go no further. Others – not many – will take but one step into its interior. Who will take a second step? Who will take a third? Finally who will remain in it permanently? Only the one to whom the Spirit of Jesus reveals the secret. The Holy Spirit himself will lead this faithful soul from strength to strength, from grace to grace, from light to light, until at length he attains transformation into Jesus in the fullness of his age on earth and of his glory in heaven”.
Comment
Montfort exposes eight “motives” to show us the excellence of the consecration of ourselves to Jesus through Mary. What follows is a summary.
First motive: Aware that we can conceive of no higher calling, by our Consecration we devote ourselves completely to the service of God. It makes us give Jesus and Mary all our thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings and every moment of our lives without exception (cf. TD 135-138).
Second motive: Our Consecration helps us to imitate Christ. He saw no better or shorter way to give glory to God and to save the human race than by submitting completely to Mary. With such a convincing example before us, we believe that there is no better and shorter way of giving God glory than by submitting ourselves to Mary, as Jesus did! (cf. TD 139-143).
Third motive: Our Consecration obtains many blessings from our Lady. Being a mother of gentleness and mercy, she never allows herself to be surpassed in love and generosity. She purifies our good works of every taint of self-love. She enriches them by adorning them with her own merits and virtues. And she presents them to Jesus. She does not keep anything for herself. Whenever we praise and glorify her, she immediately praises and glorifies Jesus (cf. TD 144-150).
Fourth motive: Our Consecration is an excellent means of giving glory to God. Mary, to whom we surrender the value and merit of our good actions, knows perfectly well where God’s greatest glory lies and she works only to promote that glory. The devout servants of our Lady, having entirely consecrated themselves to her, can boldly claim that the value of all their actions, words and thoughts is used for the greatest glory of God (cf. TD 151).
Fifth motive: Our Consecration is a smooth, short, perfect and sure way of attaining union with our Lord, in which Baptism mainly consists. It is the smooth path which Jesus Christ opened up for us, the short road we do not wander from, the perfect way chosen by the Trinity to dwell in us, the sure means to acquire holiness (cf. TD 152-168).
Sixth motive: Our Consecration gives us great liberty of spirit – the freedom of the children of God. To reward us for our total self-giving in love, our Lord frees us from any kind of fear which might restrict, imprison or confuse us; he opens our hearts and fills them with holy confidence in God, helping us to regard him as our Father (cf. TD 169-170).
Seventh motive: Our Consecration is of great benefit to our neighbour. In fact, we place in Mary’s hands all that we prize most highly – that is, the value of all our prayers and good works, down to the least good thought and the least little suffering. At the same time, we give Mary our consent that everything we give should be used in accordance with her will for the benefit of those souls who need it most (cf. TD 171-172).
Eighth motive: Our Consecration is a wonderful means of persevering in the practice of virtue and of remaining steadfast. We trust Mary because she is faithful; we rely on her strength, mercy and charity. St. Bernard says, “When Mary supports you, you will not fail. With her as your protector, you will have nothing to fear. With her as your guide, you will not grow weary. When you win her favour, you will reach the port of heaven” (cf. TD 173-182).
Personal Reflection and Sharing
What is my response to the above “motives”? How rooted are these reasons in my personal experience?
What more do I need to do in order to give and live a voluntary response to my Baptism?
[3-3] CALL RESPONSE COMMITMENT PRAYER