“Consecration is not the act of our feelings but of our will.”

"Love the Immaculata ! Confide in her and consecrate yourself to her without reservation. Strive to do everything as she herself would do in your place, especially by loving God as she loves Him. If you want to grow in perfection, you cannot advance by yourselves - you need a guide. Hence, when you go to God, go through Mary and with Mary !"  - Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)

Gospel Text: (JN 17:11B-19)

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying:

“Holy Father, keep them in your name

that you have given me,

so that they may be one just as we are one.

When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me,

and I guarded them, and none of them was lost

except the son of destruction,

in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

But now I am coming to you.

I speak this in the world

so that they may share my joy completely.

I gave them your word, and the world hated them,

because they do not belong to the world

any more than I belong to the world.

I do not ask that you take them out of the world

but that you keep them from the Evil One.

They do not belong to the world

any more than I belong to the world.

Consecrate them in the truth.

Your word is truth.

As you sent me into the world,

so I sent them into the world.

And I consecrate myself for them,

so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

Did you hear that? Take a moment right now to set aside all your other thoughts and concerns, and focus on this amazing truth. Jesus has consecrated himself for us!

Benjamin Franklin, the noted American thinker, once said, “God helps those who help themselves.” While the sentiment may be inspiring, this passage paints a different picture. Jesus didn’t wait for us to begin “helping ourselves” before he consecrated himself to us. Just as he loved us before we loved him, so too did he consecrate himself to us before we consecrated ourselves to anything.

Of course, Jesus wants us to consecrate ourselves to him. But he wants us to do it out of love and gratitude, not because we are afraid of his retribution or rejection. Jesus already belongs to us. Now he wants us to belong to him.