Revival

April 17, 2010

I am reviving this blog, which I've so long neglected, after an interesting experience the other night. Board members of a pro-life group here, of which I am one, were ending a meeting with the Hail Mary. This is a prayer that I have said thousands of times, I'm sure. But as we said it I felt a real presence and sense of protection. As I drove home, I wondered how I had gotten on this board that does good work and includes such faithful Catholics in an area that is so heavily Protestant. And I remembered that I just said, "Yes," when someone asked me to attend a meeting. That was all it took.

So, I have resolved to say, "Yes" more often to those urgings of the Holy Spirit and to renew my commitment to really being a "Mom under Mary."

A few years ago at my parish in Tennessee a very devout woman gave me and another Mom a little set of books. One was Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin, by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, and the other was a book on preparation for that consecration. I followed the month-long prayer and preparation and did make the consecration in 2007, but I have not been faithful in living it. So I am beginning a renewal of that consecration which I may share here as an encouragement to others who may be inspired to follow that path of spirituality.

The first 12 days of prayer and reading involve casting off the spirit of the world, which certainly creeps into our lives so very easily. I am on Day 2, and am reminded that the heart of Christian spirituality is humility.