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Easter season is here, and with it a renewed hope in Christ, in our Church, in our faith, and in our families and homes. We start to think about summer, about planting a garden, and about taking family trips. It’s a season of freshness and renewal in so many different ways.
Recently, my sister asked me about renewing our consecration to Jesus, through Mary, via a book that we both enjoyed in the past, 33 Days to Morning Glory, by Fr. Michael Gaitley. Marian consecration is a devotion stemming from St. Louis deMontfort’s writings and prayers regarding the importance of the Mother of God in our Christian walk. St. Louis deMontfort laid out a 33 day plan of reflections and prayers to prepare oneself for consecrating their heart to Jesus, through his mother Mary, and Fr. Gaitley compiled the prayers into an easier-to-use format. Fr. Gaitley’s book also adds in additional reflections from saints whose lives were devoted to Our Lady: specifically, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John Paul II. He created the writings and reflections as a daily retreat, one that can be undertaken from the comfort of home, and integrated into one’s regular prayer routine.
I discovered 33 Days to Morning Glory some years ago, and was quite taken with the affable and relatable writing style of Fr. Gaitley. With three of my favorite saints included in the book, I figured I should give it a try.
I found the daily readings to be not only manageable in length for a busy mom, but also edifying and enlightening. I loved moving between the three featured saints, getting excited as time went on to glean more insight into the Mother of Our Lord from these different perspectives. I loved the feeling, as consecration day approached, of coming nearer to an important milestone in my faith life.
This is a devotion that can be completed either singly or in a group. It is something that you can approach as a total newbie, or something that you can renew on an annual basis. It is a versatile and poignant addition to one’s life in Christ.
As noted above, the retreat takes 33 days, and ideally, the final day, which includes the Marian consecration prayer, should fall on a Marian feast day. Fr. Gaitley includes a chart in the book to locate a start/end date that works for you, and by beginning on April 10, we could make or renew our consecration on May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima! I have decided to begin this year on this date to try and feel united with Our Lady under this title. I will use this time in retreat to reflect on how I can be a better wife and mother, a stronger Christian woman as I enter a new stage in life with both of my children now in school and asking questions of their own about our faith. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us! The book is available as an ebook for quick download if you would like to start with me!
Have you ever consecrated yourself to Jesus, through Mary? Are you interested in pursuing the timeline for consecration on May 13?
Copyright 2018 Tiffany Walsh
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