“God could make a bigger world or a wider sky, but He could not raise a pure creature higher than Mary, for the dignity of Mother of God is the highest dignity that can be conferred on a creature.”

                                       ~St. Bonaventure

For Reflection:

Pray the Prayer of Consecration to Jesus Through Mary by St. Louis Grignion de Montfort, below or write your own. Say it for the next year. Add this to your list of resolutions for the coming new year.

I, (say your name), a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today into thy hands, O immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism.

I renounce Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after him all the days of my life and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.

In the presence of all the heavenly court, I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present, and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity. Amen.

In Conversation With God Vol 1 Advent/Christmas Francis Fernandez-Carvajal Pb 387 pgs The Christmas Season                              30 December 36. DO NOT BE AFRAID 36.1 Jesus Christ is always our safeguard against the difficulties and temptations we may have to undergo.  We win every battle with him at our side. The history of the Incarnation opens with these words: Do not be afraid, Mary.  And the Angel of the Lord says also to St Joseph: Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David. And again to the shepherds the angel repeats: Do not be afraid. This beginning of God's coming into the world marks a style proper to Jesus' presence among men. Later on, now accompanied by His disciples, Jesus was crossing the little sea of Galilee. And behold there arose a great tempest on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves....Our Lord, tired out after hours of preaching, was asleep in the boat. Then, overcome with fear, they turned to Our Lord as their one and only recourse. And they went and woke Him, saying, 'Save us Lord; we are perishing'.  And He said to them, 'Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?"  When we are confused and going through unpleasant times, Jesus does not forget us. As St Teresa said: "He never fails His friends."