Consecration means Transformation!

How exciting to be on this journey to consecration together! I made my first consecration back in 1999, and "33 Days to Morning Glory" has re-invigorated my passion and understanding about this very important spiritual act. I seem to see it echoed in so much of what we do in our Catholic lives.

Recently in the Mass, during the Offertory, I watched two mothers bringing up the bread and wine to the priest and had a little epiphany: "This is exactly what our Lady does for us! Like these beautiful Catholic moms, our Mother brings all of our offerings to her Son Jesus, the High Priest." In a way similar to the Presentation in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40), Mary also brings us to the place of worship and sacrifice.

As Mass continued, our priest prayed, "make holy these gifts we have brought to you for consecration that they may become the Body and Blood of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ." Another epiphany! In the New Covenant and Christ, consecration means more than simply being set apart for God, in a fuller sense, it means being transformed into Christ! In the Mass, the ordinary bread and wine will become the bread of life and our spiritual drink - Jesus Christ himself. In Marian consecration, we are being set apart for service AND are being transformed into Christ! (Romans 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 John 3:2). And like the Eucharist, we are transformed to be shared. The world is looking and longing to see Jesus. May our upcoming consecration, help them to meet Him in us!

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