What is Consecration?
Consecration means to dedicate, to make holy, or to become righteous. The law of consecration is a divine principle whereby a man and woman voluntarily dedicate their time, talents, and material wealth to the establishment and building up of God’s kingdom.
TWO TYPES OF CONSECRATION
- General
This is the type wherein whole classes of people or objects can be dedicated to the service of God. It is in this sense that the entire world has oftentimes been consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary or the Sacred Heart of Jesus. - Specific
In this type, an individual person or item (such as a chalice) is set apart as distinctly dedicated to the divine service.
FIVE MAIN ASPECTS OF CONSECRATION
- Basis- God’s purchase
We can give ourselves to the Lord because God purchased us. - Motive- God’s love
We consecrate ourselves to the Lord because God loved us and we love Him back. - Meaning- To be a sacrifice
We lay our hands on Christ to be identified with Him as the burnt offering and we become a sacrifice for His satisfaction. - Purpose- To be used by God and to work for God
We allow God first to operate in us so that we may choose and work for God’s good pleasure. - Result- To abandon one’s own future
Our future is God Himself, and our destiny is to become “ashes” (this is the result of the burnt offering).
WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE CONSECRATED?
- By drawing ourselves near to God and by letting Him draw near to us, God is able to prepare us for His use.
- Through consecration, we glorify, enthrone and crown Jesus as our Lord in our own heart and life.
Consecration to Mary
My Queen and my Mother,
I give myself entirely to you;
and to show my devotion to you,
I consecrate to you this day my eyes,
my ears, my mouth, my heart,
my whole being without reserve.
Wherefore, good Mother,
as I am your own,
keep me, guard me,
as your property and possession.
Amen.
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and My Mother
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from your sublime heights turn your eyes of pity on me. Filled with confidence in your goodness and knowing full well your power, I beg you to extend to me your assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. In order that I may never be a slave of the devil through sin, but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to you. I consecrate my heart to you forever, my only desire being to love your divine Son, Jesus. Mary, none of your devout servants has ever perished; may I, too, be saved.
Amen.
An Act of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin
O blessed Virgin Mary our Mother, when the Son of God decided to take upon Himself our human life in order that we might share in His Divine Life, He did not wish to come to us without your free cooperation. He deliberately willed to have need of you.
Look down today from heaven upon little (name of infant). He (or she) has received from his (or her) parents the life of man, and now by the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, he (or she) has been given a life which is infinitely superior, the very life of God. We know that just as God is his (or her) Father and our Father, you are, in regard to his spiritual life, his (or her) Mother and our Mother.
We confide this child to you. Show yourself his (or her) Mother. Watch over his (or her) education; nourish him (or her) with the life of grace; make him progress in his Christian life just as his (or her) human parents aid him (or her) to progress in physical as well as spiritual life.
Protect the precious life which has just been received. Be for him a real Mother to guard him (or her) in your arms when the devil seeks to destroy his (or her) spiritual life in your son Jesus Christ. May he (or she) love you as Jesus Christ loved you, for our love for you is nothing else but a participation in the love of your Son for you.
In the name of this child (name of infant), we wish to make today his (or her) first prayer to his heavenly Mother.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee,
blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
— composed by Fr. Noel le Mire, S.M. and adapted by Fr. William Cole, S.M.
Sources:
“The Result of our Consecration: Abandoning our Future”, 21st Century Nazarites, http://www.21centurynazarites.com/the-result-of-our-consecration-abandoning-our-future-2013-university-training/
“The Basis, Motive, Meaning and Purpose of our Consecration to God”, A God-man Christ, http://www.agodman.com/blog/the-basis-motive-meaning-purpose-and-result-of-our-consecration-to-god/
“Understanding your Part in Consecration and Gods!”, Taste Heaven Now, http://tasteheavennow.net/how_to_repent/role_of_consecration.htm
Prayers to Mary, http://www.marypages.com/PrayerstoMary.htm
Prayers of Consecration, http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/prayers/consec01.html
33 Days to Morning Glory, https://www.amazon.com/Days- Morning-Glory-Do-Yourself/dp/1596142448