The image which must be constantly
impressed upon every apostle is the
image of a life utterly, totally, entirely
and absolutely dependent upon His
Mother. No other image is adequate;
not the image of the heart supplying
life-blood to the body, not the image
of holy slavery itself, for no one can
express such complete dependence as
the image of an unborn babe. This is the
logical and simple conclusion to be
drawn from any appreciation of Mary’s
relationship to the Mystical Body of
Christ.
O
f necessity, piety centered in Christ
leads to a deep veneration of and
total consecration to the Blessed Virgin
Mary, but that veneration and total
consecration have only one goal: The
formation of the Christ-life by Mary
in each of His members!
Through her FAITH, She was granted
the grace of Divine Motherhood; by
her VIRGINITY, She was made worthy
for the operation of the Holy Ghost;
by her HUMILITY, her OBEDIENCE to
the Will of God, her PERFECT LOVE for
Him and for all mankind, She was led
through all the darkness and desolation
of the Seven Dolors to the glorious
happiness of the first Easter Morning.
For the perfection of his own interior
life, no lay apostle will find any sacrifice
too great, no barrier insuperable and
no conquest impossible. No service
but the highest, no consecration less
than the fullest and no sacrifice other
than the bitterest, for the ideal of all
our Catholic Action is surely that it
may reflect completely the spirit of
Mary, Our Mother!!!
(Extract from Souls at Stake by Fr. Francis J. Ripley - 1948)
IMMACULATA, Queen of Heaven and earth,
refuge of sinners and our Mother who loves
us so much and to whom God has entrusted the
entire Kingdom of Mercy!
I (name), an unworthy sinner, cast myself down at
your feet and implore you with all my heart: deign
to accept me utterly and entirely as your possession
and your property. Do what you will with me, with
all the faculties of my soul and my body, with my
whole life, with my death and my eternity.
Dispose of me as it pleases you, so as to fulfill what is said of you:
“She will crush the head of the serpent,” and also “Thou alone has vanquished
all heresies throughout the world.”
Make me an instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands to serve
you, so as to increase as much as possible your honor in so many tepid
souls that have fallen away from the Faith and, thus, to extend the Kingdom
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For upon whatever place you enter, you
implore the grace of conversion and sanctification, for all graces come
to us from the Sacred Heart of Jesus only through your hands.
Grant to me to praise thee, O most Blessed Virgin; give me strength
against thine enemies.