HolyMotherhood

Devotion to Duty

by jen.

: Image by Lawrence OP via Flickr

It’s really very fitting that I have scheduled this post for this month. I was doing a very good job after my retreat this summer and had even begun the process for becoming Consecration to Jesus through Mary. But I missed a key piece of finishing the consecration process and after that I kind of fell off the wagon for not only my prayer life, but for the rest of my duties as well.

With the busyness of my schedule (between shopping, cooking for after the baby, and all my gym, chiropractor, and midwife appointments), I have to be SUPER careful to avoid neglecting the best things (God, my lovely husband, and my wonderful daughter), to do the URGENT “have to get this done before the baby comes” projects. Let’s just say that writing about the importance of this could not come at a better time! With that said, let’s get on with it…

One of the things that the Apostolate of Holy Motherhood made very, very clear was that it is important to be devoted to the duties in your station of life. In section 22, titled “In The Daily Duty…Sanctification Will Take Place,” the Blessed Mother tells Mariamante:

…They need your attention more often…A mother must be available to her children when they need her and not busy about other less important things. Your husband must be made to feel needed and important. Help him have greater respect for himself and for others…Be careful not to let him feel left out.

I also recall reading somewhere that the devil would rather have you pray and neglect your duties; I wish I could find the source of that and I truly believe it. When I went to my Ignatian retreat in July, the thing that kept kicking me was the neglect of my daily duties because I was dorking around on the web. I not only neglected my duty to the people in my life, but the house wasn’t that great looking either! How can I become sanctified in my life if I’m not doing God’s will in light of my vocation as a wife and mother?

I can’t. It’s impossible. It’s so essential to pray for grace to keep devotion to the duties of your vocation. I have previously written a series of the study of the book, A Mother’s Rule of Life, which can help guide you in the duties of your vocation. Please use it with caution and pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is so easy to come up with schedules and rules and to-do lists and completely miss the heart of the matter (ask me how I know! Hmph.) I have also recently finished a series on creating your household notebook, according to the principles in the same book.

This month, I resolve to get up with my alarm (instead of ignoring it), and have some quiet time with the Lord to pray for guidance in my day. I have a schedule that is not too grueling, even as pregnant as I am now that the heat has abated. There is no reason not to follow it.

Join me in prayer and ask for God’s guidance. What are the most important things? Are your actions showing those? If not, how can you change things?

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Devotion to the Immaculate Heart

Aug 22nd, 2010

by jen.

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Rosary and scapular - rosary beads and Scapula...

Image via Wikipedia

Last month, I wrote about the need for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Because this month is devoted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I thought that it would be particularly appropriate to discuss a few Marian devotions that Jesus & Mary revealed to Mariamante in Apostolate of the Holy Motherhood.

Among other devotions that were revealed were several Marian devotions including:

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary & the Five First Saturday’s
the Brown Scapular, and
Consecration to the Mother of God for the Glory of God

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is focused on Mary’s love for God and it’s purpose is for us to imitate her humility, obedience, gratitude and adoration for Him. As part of the devotion we should be emulating her virtues, offering reparations for offending her, and asking her intercession with God on our behalf. Wearing the Miraculous Medal, while common, is not essential.

There are several things to do in reparation for offending her, however:

recite at least five Decades of the Rosary every day
wear the Brown Scapular
offer our daily duty to God as an act of sacrifice (ie., make the Morning Offering)
make Five First Saturdays of Reparation to Her Immaculate Heart
the Pope, in union with all the bishops of the world, must consecrate Russia to Her Immaculate Heart. Russia would be converted through this means, and a period of peace to be given to the world. If this is not done (and it hasn’t been done), Russia will “spread her errors throughout the world.” This consecration must be of Russia — not “the world,” but Russia by name

The brown scapular consists of two brown pieces of wool connected by two pieces of cord. One piece of the wool hangs in front like a necklace would, and the other goes down your back. The brown scapular has a picture of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on one side and St. Simon Stock on the other. It used to be that you followed the Little Office of Our Lady, but that is no longer required. You should, however, recite the Rosary daily and live chastely. You do need to be enrolled, if you have not already done so. If you wear the cloth scapular, you do not need to be enrolled every time you purchase a new one. If you get a medal, however, each new one does need to be blessed. The purpose of the scapular is to remind you of your obligations and Mary’s promise to help attain the grace of final perseverance (i.e. not going to hell).

Consecration to Jesus through Mary can be fully explained in St. Louis deMontfort’s book, Total Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (reviewed here). If I had to sum it up in one sentence, I would say that by consecrating yourself to Mary, you give everything to Mary so that she can spiff up your efforts and pass them on to Jesus in such a way that He will be more pleased with them than if you directly gave them to Him. Practically speaking, to do this requires a 33-day preparation. Once you have gone through the plan, the 34th day is the consecration. If there is no formal consecration celebrated at your parish, you will need to either fast, give alms or light a votive candle for the good of another. You will also be required to go to confession (within 8 days, either side) and receive communion (the day of) with the intention of giving yourself to Jesus through the hands of Mary. Say the Act of Consecration after Mass and sign your document. You can find more details on what is required before and after, as well as why you should, at Fish Eaters.com.

Can you make the time to add at least part of this devotion, if not all, to your schedule? A scapular, a medal, an extra Mass a month (and confession if you aren’t doing the Devotion to the Sacred Heart), and a daily Rosary and Morning Offering. It doesn’t sound like much when it’s listed like that, does it? Will you join me?

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The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Jul 25th, 2010

by jen.

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Image via Wikipedia

I apologize for being behind on my promised posting schedules, but well, I’ve been TRYING (poorly) to reorder my priorities.

I had planned on writing about three related devotions last month, during the month of the Sacred Heart. Since this month is devoted to the Precious Blood, I thought it would still fit.

In the book, Apostolate of the Holy Motherhood, they recommend 3 devotions related to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Practice of the Nine First Fridays, in reparation for sin
Wearing of the Sacred Heart Badge, and
Devotion to the Sacred Heart

In the book, Jesus appeared to Mariamante and said:

…Adore My Sacred Heart bruised for your iniquities. Make recompense for your sins by this devotion and have life in the fullest through it.

My Mother’s heart will be your repose, the garden from which you adore your Heavenly Savior Who also rested there in life. My Heart will free you from your troubles if you will abandon yourself to Me in this devotion.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart consists of consecration and reparation. As a part of devotion to the Sacred Heart, you are expected to consecrate yourself to Him by acknowledging him as creator, repenting and resolving to serve Him. You are also supposed to make reparations for the indifference and ingratitude given him by humanity.

Like all major devotions, there are some benefits:

He will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.

He will establish peace in their homes.

He will comfort them in all their afflictions.

He will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.

He will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.

Sinners will find in His Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.

Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.

Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.

He will bless every place in which an image of His Heart is exposed and honored.

He will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.

Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in His Heart.

In the excessive mercy of His Heart that His all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in His disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. His divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

In order to receive these promises, you must receive frequent communion, observe the Nine First Fridays by going to Confession, receiving Communion and offering your prayers for the intention of the Holy Father (if public First Friday services are not available), going to Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays for an hour, and celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart, which is Friday following the Second Sunday after Pentacost.

Some items of note regarding the devotional practices:

Eucharistic Adoration is on Thursdays because that is the day when Jesus was in Gethsemani with the Apostles and asked them, “Couldst thou not watch one hour?” (Mark 14:37)
You could also prepare for the Feast of the Sacred Heart by beginning a Novena on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

It’s not required as one of the practices of Devotion to the Sacred Heart, but there is also a Sacred Heart Badge that can be worn. The full story of the history of the Sacred Heart Badge can be found here, but there is a partial indulgence offered for those who piously wear the badge and a say the Our Father, Glory Be, and Hail Mary, daily.

We may have missed the Feast of the Sacred Heart, but you can get the badge anytime and begin doing the Nine First Fridays and related devotions immediately.

Can you find time to go to confession once a month, daily mass once a month and spend an hour a week with the Lord?

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Frequent Confession & Communion

Apr 25th, 2010

by jen.

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Photo by Lawrence OP

I have been struggling lately with sin and feeling this intense need to go to confession and be in a state of grace. This month, I was listening to a Fr. Corapi video on making a good confession and he made the point that if you are not in the state of grace, how can you expect to fight God’s battles? If you are in a state of mortal sin, you are not in a state of grace. Furthermore, if you are not in a state of grace you will (probably) go straight to hell if you die before you make it to confession. Not a fate I’d like to contemplate!

Furthermore, the Blessed Mother tells Mariamante:

…Frequent, regular Confession will make them grow in holiness in a way in which nothing else can… (pg. 28)

Catholic Theology teaches that there are three conditions necessary for a mortal sin:
1. Grave matter (breaking one of the Ten Commandments)
2. Knowledge that it was grave.
3. Full consent of will in doing the act.

I found an article with an excellent example of what these three conditions mean in a practical way. The best way to determine your sins is to do an examination of conscience. It helps to pray for the Holy Spirit to help SHOW you those things that you need to confess. The best guide that I’ve found to help guide an examination of conscience can be found at Beginning Catholic.com although I’ve found it other places as well. It methodically goes through each commandment and highlights seemingly simple things that we may have done that are contrary to it’s meaning.

I won’t go through the whole confession process because chances are there is a pamphlet in your church you can grab on the way in. If you want to prepare before, you can find A Guide for Confession at Catholic Online. Once you have had your sins absolved and have made your penance, you are now in a state of grace. Again.

Now that you are in a state of grace, the Apostolate of Holy Motherhood encourages frequent Holy Communion. The church REQUIRES that you are in a state of grace when you receive holy communion. If you are not, it is a sin against the first commandment. Catholic.com says:

First, you must be in a state of grace. “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:27–28). This is an absolute requirement which can never be dispensed. To receive the Eucharist without sanctifying grace in your soul profanes the Eucharist in the most grievous manner.

Because communion is union with God like nothing else, it makes perfect sense that we must be in a state of grace. Beginning Catholic sums it up best:

This sacramental union of ourselves with Jesus is more than the mere physical union between our body and the Sacred Host which we have swallowed. More importantly, it is a mystical and spiritual union of the soul with Jesus. This is produced in the soul by our physical contact with the sacred Body of Jesus.

This marvelous blending of the soul with Jesus is a very special kind of union. Obviously we do not become “part of God.” It is much more than the “ordinary” union with God which the Holy Spirit establishes in us by sanctifying grace. Yet it is less than the ultimate and most intimate union with God which will be ours in the beatific vision in heaven.

The Holy Eucharist (communion) is the one sacrament whose purpose is to increase sanctifying grace through union with God himself. For this reason, Communion is the sacrament of spiritual growth. The more frequently we can attend Mass & receive him, the more we can grow in holiness.

FOR THIS MONTH

If you don’t have regular Confession added to your schedule yet, find out when your area parish(es) have Confession and add that to your schedule at least monthly. In addition, look up daily Mass times for your area and prayerfully consider whether you can add daily Mass at least once a week. As we will find out later, a Friday and/or Saturday would be very useful if you can fit it in.

God Bless!

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