Many of you are familiar with venerating the cross on Good Friday. We begin Lent with the words "Repent and believe in the Gospel." At the end of Lent, we're given an opportunity to kiss the wounds that brought us our salvation, offering our sins and allowing him to cleanse us as a libation to his wounded heart. He was pierced with a lance, so that we could receive his mercy.
In the morning on Friday, the Community of St. John journeys the Stations of the Cross together, carrying a life-size cross through the woods of the priory. It's a trek that takes 3 hours, the priests are available for confession throughout the stations, and the monks take turns leading the pilgrims in meditations.
I've walked the stations with the brothers every summer since I was 16, as living the Stations of the Cross is part of the Eagle Eye Summer Institute (the camp which introduced me to the Community of St. John.) This time, I didn't worry about keeping everyone together, didn't have to sing the songs as we walked, I could just pray.
My soul wanted to pray the Consecration to Our Lady, the prayer that has been my heart-song for several months. Even though I've been praying it a lot lately, I still don't have it memorized, so I asked Fr. Nathan, my spiritual director, to pray me through it. I noticed a line I feel like I've never heard before and it took me so much more deeply into the Way of the Cross. So I'd like to share the prayer with you.
If Mary is someone you struggle with, let me know what you're questions are, I'd love to chat with you.
I, Mary Ann Pometto, a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today through you my baptismal promises I renounce forever Satan, his empty promises and his evil designs, and I give myself completely to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after him for the rest of my life, and to be more faithful to him than I have been until now. This day, with the whole court of heaven as witness I choose you, Mary, as my Mother and Queen. I surrender and consecrate myself to you, body and soul, with all that I possess, both spiritual and material, and even including the spiritual value of all my actions, past, present and to come. I give you the full right to dispose of me and all that belongs to me, without any reservations; in whatever way you please, for the greater glory of God in time and throughout eternity.
Accept, gracious Virgin, this little offering of my slavery to honor and imitate that obedience which the eternal Wisdom willingly chose to have towards you, his Mother. I wish to acknowledge the authority which both of you have over this little worm and pitiful sinner. By it I wish also to thank God for the privileges bestowed on you by the Blessed Trinity. I solemnly declare that for the future I will try to honor and obey you in all things as your true slave of love. O admirable Mother, present me to your dear Son as his slave now and for always, so that he who redeemed me through you, will now receive me through you. Mother of mercy, grant me the favor of obtaining the true Wisdom of God, and so make me one of those whom you love, teach and guide, whom you nourish and protect as your children and slaves. Virgin most faithful, make me in everything so committed a disciple, imitator, and slave of Jesus, your Son, the Incarnate Wisdom, that I may become, through your intercession and example, fully mature with the fullness which Jesus possessed on earth, and with the fullness of his glory in heaven. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment