Three days ago on the 13th of September was the 106th anniversary of the penultimate Apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. Our Lady promised a miracle at her next visit in October. This post has nothing to do with that, but I thought I’d bring it up anyway.
However, for this Immaculate Heart Saturday post, I’ll continue along with the series I began last week: the Apparitions of the Angel of Peace to the little shepherd children in the Summer of 1916. The children had finished pasturing their sheep and were resting when the Angel appeared and said to them:
“What are you doing? Pray, pray very much! The Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.”
Lucy asked: “How are we to make sacrifices?”
“Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is so offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners. You will thus draw down peace upon your country. I am its Angel Guardian, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, accept and bear with submission the suffering which the Lord will send you.”
Again we see the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In this case, their mutual intent is having ‘designs of mercy’ on the children. It seems as if the children are to be channels of mercy for the world. These merciful designs are tied to sacrifices the children must make for sinners, especially those who grievously offend God, and also for their country, Portugal.
The idea of making sacrifices became a major theme of the Fatima Message. Our Lady also made this request for ‘making sacrifices’ for sinners in her August 1917 Apparition. Making sacrifices for sinners was the apostolate of the short lives of Sts. Jacinta and Francisco Marto, two of the seers.
And finally, the Five First Saturdays are all about making reparation for the sins of others. It may not seem like it, but trying to fulfill the conditions of the devotion can seem like making a sacrifice. The actual devotion is really quite simple to fulfill, but if you find difficulty in doing it, that’s Satan just trying to interfere.
For this Sacred Heart Friday, I bring up the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. It recalls Mary’s seven painful sorrows throughout her life; I believe she often ‘pondered them in her Heart.’
The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34)
The Flight into Egypt by the Holy Family (Matthew 2:13)
The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:43)
Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother along the Way of the Cross (Luke 23:26)
Mary stands at the Foot of the Cross (John 19:25)
Mary receives the dead body of Jesus in her arms (Matthew 27:57)
Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (John 19:40)
Sorrows unite the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The Sorrowful Heart of Mary was pierced in particular by the sufferings of Jesus during His Passion and Death. How could they not?
Jesus was sorrowful even unto death, yet he endured His Passion for our sake. As I have mentioned in previous posts in this series, several approved private revelations have spoken of the closeness of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary: as she was how Our Lord came into this world, then she certainly would have been attuned to the pains endured by His Heart during the tortures of Good Friday.
This lends a sublime empathy for Our Lady. She suffered for Him, and since we are the adopted sons and daughters of God the Father, we are siblings to Our Lord; with Mary being our Mother. Therefore, just as Mary was united with Our Lord in His sufferings; she is united to us in ours. Recall all the sufferings you endured (and caused) during your drinking and drugging days. Mary was there. You were not alone.
For today’s Immaculate Heart Saturday post, I will bring up something from the Apparitions of the Angel of Peace to the young shepherd children of Fatima in the Spring of 1916.
In the first apparition of the Angel, he taught them what was to be the first of the “Fatima Prayers:” “My God, I believe, adore, hope and love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You.”
They were told to recite it three times.
The Angel then said, “Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.” (Emphasis mine.)
This means that the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are united in listening to your prayer requests, but especially in regards to practicing the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity of which this first prayer recalls.
Ponder that. “The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive…” They are united (‘allied’ as per the title of this series) in their attentiveness to our prayers. This brings me tremendous comfort. Which brings up another point I thought of after Confession earlier this week.
“The Power of the Hail Mary in the Alliance of the Two Hearts”
When you pray the Hail Mary; it seems to me that you’re not just asking for Our Lady’s help. Because Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and remains so for all eternity, the Holy Spirit is also the recipient of the prayer. And then when you add the whole Hypostatic Union of the Trinity, meaning where one member is the other two are present, the entire Trinity is listening in on the prayer.
Now, keeping that in mind, take another look at the “Hail Mary:”
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus,
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
Now, and at the hour or our death,
AMEN
The first section of the Hail Mary closely links Mary with Jesus. She is referred to twice in relation to her Son in words that strongly imply that Jesus is the cause of her blessedness and grace-filledness. Or rather, her union (‘alliance’) with Jesus! So, when you pray the Hail Mary, you’re praying to Jesus, too. (Just recall the Hypostatic Union reference a few paragraphs up. You’re essentially praying to the entire Trinity, and not just our Blessed Mother.)
A funny thing happened while writing today’s Sacred Heart Friday post. I was writing this (brilliant) piece in my series of posts on the Alliance of the Two Hearts of Jesus and Mary and linking it to today’s feast day on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Unfortunately, after reading it and thankfully before hitting “send to blog” I noticed that it had much more to do with the Immaculate Conception of Mama Mary than her Birth. Actually, it didn’t have anything to do with her Birth.
Oops.
Yes, if I had started drafting it earlier this week I might have noticed. But I was very busy all week, especially today with stuff, and only got around to writing it tonight.
So, no Sacred Heart Friday post for today. But there’s an utterly brilliant one scheduled to go out on Friday, December 8th!
Oh Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth and tender Mother of men, in accordance with Thy ardent wish made known at Fatima, I consecrate to Thy Immaculate Heart myself, my brethren, my country and the whole human race.
Reign over us, Most Holy Mother of God, and teach us how to make the Heart of Thy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ reign and triumph in us even as it has reigned and triumphed in Thee.
Reign over us, Most Blessed Virgin, that we may be Thine in prosperity and in adversity, in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in life and in death.
O most compassionate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven, watch over our minds and hearts and preserve them from the impurity which Thou didst lament so sorrowfully at Fatima. Assist us in imitating you in all things, especially purity. Help us to call down upon our country and upon the whole world the peace of God in justice and charity.
Therefore, Most Gracious Virgin and Mother, I hereby promise to imitate Thy virtues by the practice of a true Christian life without regard to human respect. I resolve to receive Holy Communion regularly and to offer to Thee five decades of the Rosary each day, together with my sacrifices, in the spirit of reparation and penance. Amen.
Despite numerous reminders throughout the week, I kept forgetting to compose an Immaculate Heart Saturday post for today.
I’ve actually been busy this week, spending 6-8+ hours a day working on a book. Details later.
So, I’ll just leave you with this image of the Immaculate Heart I found online. Images can be devotional as they can help us focus on what you’re praying.
For this Sacred Heart Friday, I bring to your attention that St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, founder of the Militia of the Immaculata, had as the focus of Marian Consecration the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Here is a portion of the Consecration prayer that he wrote:
Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This Immaculate Heart Saturday post is intended to suggest ways to practically apply one’s Marian Consecration; this is the fruit of my closer studies of the writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe and Militia of the Immaculata literature and lots of woolgathering. It will hopefully help make manifest my Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary in my daily life and society as a whole and to encourage you to join the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.). This can be a roadmap for others in and out of the M.I. inasmuch as we ‘become the change we wish to see’ in the people around us and in the world at large. The ultimate change we seek is to win the world for Jesus. This the ultimate goal of Marian Consecration, especially for an M.I.
I used the formula of Marian Consecration developed by St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe when I consecrated myself to Mary on October 7, 2002. In doing so I became a member of the Militia of the Immaculata movement he founded in 1917. His formula differs slightly, but significantly, from the more popular method by St. Louis deMontfort. Whereas the latter is also a total dedication of yourself to Mary, that’s where it remains. You are her property, slave, subject, whatever. Kolbe’s method adds an additional evangelical level to the Consecration. You become Mary’s, but with the proviso that you are also allowing her to use you ‘like a pen (or paintbrush) in her hands’ to bring about the conversion of many to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (Incidentally, if you wish to join the Militia of the Immaculata, and already consecrated yourself to Our Lady by deMontfort’s method, that’s good enough. You needn’t use the consecration formula of Kolbe. Registering with your country’s national M.I. Office and letting them know when you consecrated yourself adds the evangelical dimension to it.)
That is the essence of belonging to Mary: you become a soldier in her Militia. While you do not take up actual weapons of war, you do allow her to supply you with the graces needed to go on missions for her.
In essence, you take up spiritual weapons to establish the Reign of the Sacred Heart. The Kingdom of the Sacred Heart includes the Social Reign of Christ: the institution of a just and moral social order based upon Traditional Catholic Social Justice Teachings; rooted in Scripture, Tradition (Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy) and exemplified by the governance of St. Maximilian in Niepokalanow (including during the Nazi Occupation), the life and teachings of St. Teresa of Calcutta and Therese of Lisieux, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, and Popes Leo XIII, Pius XI and St. John Paul II. Servant of God Dorothy Day emphasized the preference for such weapons by Christians in the 1930s and 1940s, when the world was ravaged by the World War II and its precursors, the Spanish Civil War and Japanese invasions of China. In winning the world for Jesus, we use our Marian Consecration by being “Christ-bearers;” since we belong to Mary we become like her in bearing Christ to others. True Marian Devotion always ends with Jesus, not Mary, and thus we help fulfill Mary’s desire to lead others to her Son.
To expand on this, an M.I. emulates St. Maximilian Kolbe in his role as the Prophet and Sign of the Civilization of Love and Apostle of a New Marian Era. (The ‘Civilization of Love’ and ‘New Marian Era’ are two phrases describing the same future culture.) This implies that we incorporate the Fatima Message of prayer, penance and reparation, since Fatima is a prophetic message that parallels Kolbe’s. The Fatima Apparitions prophesied the future establishment of the New Marian Era. We also seek to make use of the Message of Lourdes (daily recitation of the Rosary and a focus on Mary as the Immaculate Conception as the source of healing of the world’s ills, and not just medical and physical, but the political divisions that result in war and cultural clashes.) We can also call to mind the lessons of the Apparition of Our Lady at Guadalupe. There, an entire society was converted from barbaric paganism (human sacrifice was rampant) that was influence by the demonic over to Catholicism. Their new Catholic faith helped heal their society from its past and Guadalupe can serve as a lesson for the wholesale conversion of modern Western society.
As soldiers of Mary, we assist her in crushing the head of Satan and in destroying heresies. By heresies, I don’t think this only refers to traditional things such as doctrinal and dogmatic errors, but also combatting the influence of Satan in society by the pervasiveness of immorality, the normalization of sexual deviancy and political extremism of the Left and Right.
We use our talents, such as they are, in accordance with our state in life.
We surrender ourselves in love without reserving anything from her, enabling her to use us to bring others to her and thus onward to Jesus. This is how the Kingdom of the Sacred Heart is established; first in the hearts of humans and then by means of their will and actions, society. Everyone ‘becomes the change they wish to see’ and therefore society is renewed and transformed. We see this in the Act of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin as written by St. Maximilian Kolbe (and the boldface type is the part I emphasize that shows this ‘be the change you wish to see’ tactic):
O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. I, (your name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.
If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: “She will crush your head,” and, “You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world.” Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against your enemies.
Satan knows this, and is vigilant and always ready to attack Mary’s Knights and Ladies. We defend ourselves through our consecration, prayer (especially the Rosary), Mass, and the Sacraments, and reading Sacred Scripture and the Catechisms.
Continuing with the concept of emulating St. Maximilian Kolbe, we acknowledge him being also the “Patron of Mass Media.” So, in this contemporary age we use such means as are available to us: blogs, social media and creative works like novels, short stories, poetry and visual arts to spread the aims and means of the Immaculata. Kolbe had observed long ago that the visual arts, such as cinema and theatre, were being used to spread immoral ideas amongst the populace. Rather than shun such media as evil, he embraced the technology and the concept and worked to use it to spread moral values. His publishing empire included newspapers and magazines and books, and eventually a radio station. His friary of Niepokalanow never produced literary or cinematic works, but I believe they were eventually planned.
Taking St. Maximilian’s suggestions of using cultural expressions to advance the cause of the Immaculata, we can visualize a future social order rooted in the Social Kingship of Christ and its various forms. This recalls the main ‘title’ for St. Maximilian: “the Prophet and Sign of the Civilization of Love and Apostle of a New Marian Era.” He was the ‘Sign’ of this Civilization in his governance of the Niepokalanow friary, especially during the Nazi Occupation in his handling of refugees and making use of friary resources to assist the local population survive. He implemented his ideas of a just social order in hospitality and service to others. But, focusing on cultural tools, we can use creative works: fiction, such as novels and shorter works; and for those inclined, videos to illustrate how the Social Kingship would look like. Do you think that Distributism is the ideal economic system? Great! Create stories in which Distributism is that model. Do you believe that Monarchism is the ideal political system? Fine! Create stories featuring a Catholic Monarchy and how it would wield power. This latter example is interesting and intriguing given numerous Catholic prophecies (from approved apparitions and private revelations) involving a future “Great Catholic Monarch” and his realm existing during this ‘New Marian Era.’
Given St. Max’s interest in science, we should eventually endeavor to show that Religion and Science are two sides of the same coin. Divine Revelation occurs in two forms: God’s self-revelation through Sacred Scripture and the revelation of Himself through His works (the Universe and the means He used to create and sustain it.) Truth does not contradict Truth. Scientific research and investigation should be guided by moral principles. No more doing things just because we can; we should only proceed if the research can be seen to benefit the human condition in moral and ethical ways. In short, our humanity is enhanced, not sacrificed. This may include, when possible, space exploration and perhaps eventually colonization (remember that St. Max invented a plausible spaceship! [See Complete Writings!] So, perhaps stories involving space exploration of our Solar System and the Cosmos at large are in order! This fits wonderfully for those of us who have a predilection for science-fiction!
Of course, Distributism, Monarchism and science-fiction are suggestions based on my interests. You may have other ideas to creatively explore.
The thought occurred to me that if science rejected its militant atheistic bent, then we may make even greater progress in scientific achievements. God desires us to know Him better, therefore if we approach scientific exploration with the idea of knowing God better through His handiwork, well then perhaps He may open our eyes to things. Cures! Cheap Fusion power! Rocket propulsion that opens up the Solar System to humanity!
So, if you’re an M.I. with a talent for creativity, get started! Start writing or filming!! Is it crazy? Sure is! Read what Steve Jobs said about this (and yes, I know the Founder of Apple Computers was controversial in some regards and angered many by his behavior at times. Please recall the next to last petition in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” You can’t forgive Steve? He ‘trespassed’ against you? Be careful…)
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
So be the crazy Catholic misfit and rebel soldier of Mary and change the world by showing how things can be. Cause trouble. Mother Angelica did! There are enough blogs and essay sites where people write non-fiction about Catholic culture, economics and politics. But what will it look like? Theory is one thing, the practical aspects will convince people. Show them how things can be! Disrespect the secular status quo. See things differently. Don’t listen to those who say “You can’t write that! No one will publish it!” So try self-publishing! Be a rebel! Push the cause of the Immaculata forward! Pray before writing, research as much as necessary so you at least appear to know what you’re talking about and then get to it!
I am not the only one who thinks that Steve Jobs can inspire you to be a better Catholic (as well as achieve mighty deeds as a Knight or Lady of Mary.) Watch this when you can.
This is a weird way to conclude, but although Steve Jobs was not a Catholic, nor even a Christian, (he was Buddhist of a sort,) I do believe that if things were somehow different during his formative years he would have made an interesting one. I cannot help but think that during this hypothetical Catholic life of Steve Jobs, he would have been drawn to St Maximilian Kolbe by his life and creative vision. St. Maximilian was certainly a crazy misfit, troublemaker and dreamer. Jobs would have looked at St. Max’s M.I. movement, his writings on Marian Consecration and concluded that this would be an effective way to change the world. Whether he would have still invented the Apple computer, the iPod, iPad and iPhone is a whole different area of speculation. He quite possibly would have, but with his Catholic Faith and Marian Consecration through St. Maximilian, sustaining and inspiring him in ways superior to his Buddhist beliefs.
On this Sacred Heart Friday, I remind you that the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe is coming up this Monday. He is an ideal patron for those of us who are growing in their devotion to the Immaculate and Sacred Hearts of Mary and Jesus. His method of consecration is deeply rooted in the Two Hearts, for he wishes us to lead others through the Heart of Mary to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. By purifying ourselves in the love of Mary by adopting her virtues, we can be more effective in being ‘Christ-bearers’ to others.
Since becoming a devotee of St. Maximilian over twenty years ago, I, like countless others have felt it most appropriate that he died of the Vigil of the Assumption. That glorious day when the Mother of God was assumed into Heaven and took up her role as Queen of Heaven and Earth is a day which should inspire us to yearn for our true home. We are but transients on the Earth; our destiny lies in Heaven. St. Maximilian’s work was done. He ran the race, kept the Faith and lived it most sincerely. He was ‘another Christ’ to the other inmates at Auschwitz. And not just in his capacity as a Catholic priest, but as one human ministering to others in a place akin to Hell. And then he was called home, welcomed as a good and faithful servant of Our Lord (and Lady.)
While we may not ever be sentenced to a death camp (but not entirely out of the question,) we should take to heart his response to being subjected to such an evil.
In this post I announced that I’ll be starting a new series of posts, these to be called “Immaculate Heart Saturdays.” Just like their related series, Sacred Heart Fridays, these will focus on Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There will be a lot on the Five First Saturday Devotions (reminder, today is a First Saturday!) and other things related to the theology and devotional life of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
I figured that I’ve managed to successfully not miss a single Friday for the Sacred Heart Friday posts, perhaps I can ‘kick it up a notch’ and begin this.
Given that this is a blog primarily dedicated to addiction recovery, the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary can play a crucial role in helping keep yourself clean and sober. Particularly for those addicted to lust and porn. I found this older post on that: Immaculate Heart of Mary and Purity.
