Consecration to the child Mary, Mary: Day 193

Consecration to the child Mary

Alluding to the ancient tradition that Mary consecrated herself to God when she was quite young, St. Alphonsus laments the fact that his own childhood was not consecrated that way.

Beloved Mother of God, most amiable child Mary! You presented yourself in the temple, and with readiness and without reserve you consecrated yourself to the glory and love of God. If only I could offer you, this day, the first years of my life, to devote myself without reserve to your service, my holy and most sweet Lady!

But it’s now too late to do this. Unfortunate creature that I am, I’ve lost so many years in servitude to the world and my own caprices, and I’ve lived in almost entire forgetfulness of you and of God. Woe to the time when I didn’t love you! Even so, it’s better to begin late than not at all. Behold, Mary, this day I present myself to you, and I offer myself without reserve to your service for the long or short time that I still have to live in this world. In union with you I renounce the pursuit of all created things, and I devote myself entirely to the love of my Creator.

I consecrate my mind to you, my Queen, so that it may always think of the love that you deserve; my tongue, to praise you; my heart, to love you. Accept, most holy Virgin, the offering that this miserable sinner now makes you. Accept it, I beg you, by the consolation that your heart experienced when you gave yourself to God in the temple. But since I’m entering your service late, it’s only reasonable that I should multiply my acts of homage and love, in order to com- pensate for lost time. Help my weakness with your powerful intercession, Mother of Mercy, by obtaining perseverance for me from your Son, Jesus, and strength to be always faithful to you until death. In this way, always serving you in life, I may praise you in paradise for all eternity. —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Do I ever regret not coming to love and serve God sooner than I did? If so, how can I now make up for lost time?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a “Novena to Maria Bambina”: Holy child Mary of the royal house of David, Queen of the Angels, mother of grace and love, I greet you with all my heart. Obtain for me the grace to love the Lord faithfully during all the days of my life.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Paul Thigpen and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.