Consecration To Mary?

[Anna]

Can you believe I forgot one thing?

Most devotees like to renew their consecration each year on the anniversary date. They may go through the entire 33 day preparation as well.

Some devotees repeatedly follow the preparation prayers and readings followed by the renewal of vows all through the year.

[vianney]

Will someone explain this to me. On page five in the True Devotion To Mary by st louis de montfort it says this. I quote "The length of her power, which she excercises even over God himself, is incomprehensible;

Whats up wit dat?

[IcePrincessKRS]

Will someone explain this to me. On page five in the True Devotion To Mary by st louis de montfort it says this. I quote "The length of her power, which she excercises even over God himself, is incomprehensible;

Whats up wit dat?

I think it means that He will grant all of her requests. I don't have "True Devotion", though, so I can't read it in context.

He is not saying that Mary is MORE powerful than God, I can gurantee that. The whole premise is to become closer to HIM through His mother.

[cmotherofpirl]

The book is online:

http://www.newjerusalem.com/Secret-of-Mary.htm

[Uncle Gus]

Will someone explain this to me. On page five in the True Devotion To Mary by st louis de montfort it says this. I quote "The length of her power, which she excercises even over God himself, is incomprehensible;

Whats up wit dat?

Perhaps that is referring to the Motherhood of Mary, the authority that Mary is granted over Jesus as His parent. Jesus was obliged by the fifth Commandment, just like any other.

[vianney]

in the context of the reading it wasnt talking about mary as mother of Jesus in the sense of her being his maternal mom. So I dont think that is what it was talking about. I understand that it COULD be talking about Mary simply taking things to Jesus to ask her to pray for etc but why wouldnt they just say that instead of saying what they said.

I dunno It just didnt sit well with me it sounds almost as if mary is above god. I know that is not what they meant but does ne one else think it came off that way?

[Anna]

Vianney,

There are several revised editions ("updated language") of True Devotion, so giving a page number doesn't help me find the quote.

Please provide a paragraph number! Each paragraph is numbered.

The sentence fragment you quote is an incomplete thought, what is the rest of the sentence? Does it clarify that fragment?

Chapter 1 begins: "I avow, with all the Church, that Mary, being a mere creature that has come from the hands of the Most high, is incomparison with His Infinte Majesty less thanan atom; or rather , she is nothing at all, because only He is "He who is" (Exod.3:14), consequently that grandlord, always independent andsufficient to Himself, never had, and has notnow, any absolute need of the holy Virgin for the accomplishment ofHis will and for the manifestation of His glory. he has but to will in order to do everything.

This book is written by a canonized saint, bears the nihil obstat and imprimatur, and the consecration is followed even by the Holy Father.

One thing that deMontfort consistently marvels at, is how God would be willing to come down and become man, and willingly be subject to a human woman...

I believe he also speaks later in the book on how Mary will never ask anything of God that would be inappropriate or not in accord with His Divine Will. She is so closely united to Christ and so conformed to the will of God ("be it done unto me according to your word") that all she asks is granted by the Most High.

I'm skimming the book, but not finding that quote...It may be that I have just a different variation of wording.

Pax Christi. <><

[vianney]

Paragraph 7 Page 5 for me. I am not doubting that this is legit. I started my consecration today. I am just wondering what is meant by that because It sounded bad to me. I dunno how else to take that quote. And I read it in the context and still it disturbed me, I couldnt get what he was trying to say out of it.

[Anna]

I can understand your point, vianney.

The entire quote is, "Yet, after all they (the saints) hav esaid, they cry out that the height of her merits, which she has raised up to the throne of the Divinity, cannot be fully seen; that the breadth of her charity, which is broader than the earth, is in truth immeasurable; that the length of her power, which she exercises even over God Himself, in incomprehensible; and finally, that the depth of her humility, and of all her virtues and graces, is an abyss which never can be sounded. O height incomprehensibe! O breadth unspeakable! O length immeasurable! O abyss impenetrable!"

The saint is speaking here in a poetic sense, certainly not as a theologian.

And in a sense, he is correct, by her merits, (many of which are still unknown to us, as her life was quite hidden) she was assumed into heaven, is easy enough to understand for instance...

But how does one measure charity as being broader than the earth?

The length of her power, incomprehensible (whichshe exercises even over God Himself) I take this to mean how powerful is her intercession.

And this, too, is true.

Only by Mary's powerful intercession have wars been averted or brought to a quick close.

There is a priest who has appeared on EWTN who was in a severe car crash. His neck was broken, and he could hear God's judgement being pronounced against him for being lukewarm.

Then, he heard her voice, begging, pleading, "Give him to me. Please give him one more chance..."

The priest made a miraculous recovery and is now tirelessly faithful to the souls who've been entrusted to him....

I'll get you this priest's name, as his story is remarkable. He had no devotion to Mary before this experience.

So, her intercession will even hold back the hand of God's wrath at times. But her only "power" is the power of intercessory prayer--prayer to God, to appease His Just Anger.

I'll get searching for that priest's story...

Hope this helps.

Pax Christi. <><

[Anna]

The priest's name is Fr. (John?) Shire...not sure if I spelled it correctly...could be Schyre, etc....so still am having trouble narrowing down a search. :(

[Anna]

vianney,

Well, I found what I was looking for!

(With my misspelling, I never would have found it, so I called EWTN! 205-271-2900, and there, I spoke with a wonderful theologian who had plenty to say about Our Lady's "power" within the understanding of the Teachings of the Church.)

Here is the story of Fr. Steven Scheier, as promised, (which I obtained from http://www.catholicfocus.com/sftfoh.htm) and which describes one event of Mary's "power" to intercede on behalf of men, and God's willingness to submit to Mary's will (for as the theologian explained, Mary's will is perfectly conformed to God's will, therefore, she will never ask Him to do anything contrary to His will!)

Without further adieu:

On October 18, 1985, Fr. Steven Scheier was traveling along highway 96 to return to his home parish, Sacred Heart in rural Kansas. While passing a large trailer truck, he was hit by an oncoming truck and thrown from his car along with three other passengers that were traveling with him. Fr. Scheier’s scalp was severely lacerated and a portion of his brain had been torn away by the impact. An ambulance took Fr. Scheier to a local hospital where the doctors gave him a 15% chance of survival because of the brain and broken "hang man’s" neck injuries that he sustained.

Although Fr. Scheier was unconscious throughout this episode, he recounts going before the judgment seat of Christ. During that time, Fr. Scheier heard Jesus recall the sins of his life and Jesus’ judgment, "I sentence you to Hell." Fr. Scheier could not argue, he could only agree that this was the proper sentence for the way that he lived his life. In the next moment, Fr. Scheier heard a woman’s voice, "Son, will you please spare his life and his eternal soul." Jesus said in response, "Let him reap the punishment he deserves." Mary continued by saying, "But Son, if we give him special graces and strengths and then see if he bears fruit…. If not, Your Will be done." Jesus said, "Mother, he’s yours…" From that day on, Fr. Scheier has been under the special care of our Blessed Mother. Fr. Scheier was given a second chance; may this program challenge you to look into your heart and ask a hard question, "What would Jesus say to me if I were to be judged by Him this day?"

Program length: 30 Minutes

The phone receptionist at EWTN said that you can obtain Fr. Scheier's homilies online, so I'm searching for that now, too....! This is one amesome priest. The theologian with whom I spoke said that Fr. Scheier's new mission is going from diocese to diocese, correcting errors and abuses. He's being used by Our Lady to clean up her Son's Church!

Pax Christi. <><

[vianney]

wow

[Good Friday]

I think Anna and Cheryl should share the title "Mother of Phatmass." lol. Talk about thorough, Anna even called EWTN to find out the information she needed. They could be "Co-Mothers of Phatmass." ::nods::

[Undercover]

Hey, as a non-catholic Christian, could you explain to me where you get Mary's high position from Scripturally? I understand that she's definetly an important person, but I see scripture saying that you should be willing to give up even your family for the sake of Christ. Also, I see no basis anywhere in Scripture for praying to anyone besides God the father, and maybe the Holy Spirit. I don't even see any indication that we should pray *to* Christ, but instead in his name.

I see Jesus as *the* way, and don't really feel that I need Mary to intercede for me, as Christ himself came to take away my sins and wants a personal relationship with me. I don't see the Disciples following Mary to get to Christ, that just doesn't make sense to me.

Now please, don't let this be a rebuke to your faith at all, I just want to see where thse ideas are from, so that I can minister to my Catholic brothers without hindering them.

[Anna]

Welcome, undercover!

How do you presently "minister" to Catholics?

For Scriptures, how about Luke 1..."Hail, full of grace!" (The angel greets her not by her human name, but by the condition of her soul) "Blessed art thou among women!" (Elizabeth isn't flattering Mary, these words are inspired, as she is filled with the Holy Spirit, and calling this out to the Virgin.) "All ages shall call me Blessed..." Also in Revelation, "A woman, clothed with the sun, with a crown of 12 stars..." and, of course, Genesis, "I will put emnity between you (Satan) and the Woman..."

We Catholics also have Apostolic tradition. The Apostles honored Mary, and just as Christ gave Mary to St. John at the foot of the Cross, so too Jesus and the Apostles have given Mary to us.

She's Our Mother. Few non-Catholics can comprehend the bond we share, as brothers and sisters in Christ, with Mary as our Mother, adopted children of God the Father, united by the Holy Spirit with all the Catholics that ever lived...from the Apostles to present day. It's a BIG family! :D

Pax Christi. <><

Edited November 5, 2003 by Anna