4.7 Response
STAGE 4: Towards the Likeness of Jesus Christ
MARIAN CONSECRATION TO
CHRIST-WISDOM
THE CAPTIVATING PRACTICE
RESPONSE
Aim: To respond to the ultimate “goal” of our consecration.
Reading
Christ Jesus has made me his own (Phil 3:7-14): Whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Comment
Through Mary, in order to do everything more perfectly through Christ (TD 257). Mary empties us of our false wisdom and makes us grow in the spirit and attitudes of Christ, divine Wisdom. By trusting Mary, we learn to trust Jesus and to respond more confidently to his invitation: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11:28-30). Mary seems to tell us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov 3:5-6). She also seems to speak through the words of Paul, in the letter to the Philippians: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7).
With Mary, in order to do everything more perfectly with Christ (TD 257). Mary helps us first of all to imitate the apostles who “stayed with Jesus” (Jn 2:39). Then, she leads us to emulate the spirit of Jesus to the extent of transforming us into his likeness. We know that the spirit, the virtues and the attitudes of Jesus are well integrated in our lives not when we just dream about living a humble, gentle, compassionate service, but when we “do” these qualities in our daily lives. This is what Mary does with us; she makes the beatitudes of Jesus become be-attitudes of our daily living. She gives us the heart of Jesus who enables us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, to give our cloak as well to those who take our coat, to turn the other cheek to those who strike us, to go the extra mile when they ask for one mile, to give to everyone and not to refuse anyone (cf. Mt 5). Indeed, Montfort would say that Mary is “the mountain on which Jesus Christ, who dwells there forever, teaches us the meaning” – and the practice – “of the eight beatitudes” (PM 25).
In Mary, in order to do everything more perfectly in Christ (TD 257). This interior practice aims at bringing about the experience of true love in our relationship with Christ. He himself keeps reminding his disciples: “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit […] Abide in my love!” (Jn 15:4-5.9). The recommendation of Jesus to abide in him sounds so urgent and important that he entrusts his Mother with the responsibility to make the same kind of “abiding” continue through her. In this regard, we may paraphrase the words he uttered from the cross – “Son, behold your mother!” – with the words, “John, stay in Mary that you may remain in my love and bring about rich spiritual fruitfulness”. Montfort echoes this “loving appeal” of Jesus when he urges us to “cast ourselves in Mary, the living mould of God, that we may be made Christ-like” (SM 16).
For Mary, in order to do everything more perfectly for Christ (TD 257). By honouring Mary and doing what she loves most, we learn to carry out the work of Jesus, which is mainly to proclaim the Word and to serve the poor. Then, we may wholeheartedly claim and implement as our mission what Jesus said of himself: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” (Lk 4:18-19). In fact, Jesus himself confirms our apostolic mandate when, upon leaving the earth, he commissioned his disciples saying: “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15). At this point, with St. Paul, we feel like saying: “An obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16).
Personal Reflection and Sharing
As I am about to make my consecration to Jesus, how do I respond to his call:
- To trust in him and not to be anxious about anything?
- To imitate his virtues and attitudes, especially his mercy and compassion?
- To abide in him, in order to stay calm and bear much fruit?
- To do the work of God and serve the poor?
[4-7] CALL RESPONSE COMMITMENT PRAYER