Prayers for the "second week" of the preparation for the Total Consecration

On Monday, March 12^th, we begin the “second week” of the preparation for the Total Consecration according to the method of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort. During this week, we seek a knowledge of Mary.

Now is the time when the preparation begins explicitly to take on the specific Marian spirit which characterizes de Montfort’s consecration.

The Second Week, knowledge of Mary

“Each day of the second week they should endeavour in all their prayers and works to acquire an understanding of the Blessed Virgin and ask the Holy Spirit for this grace. They may read and meditate upon what we have already said about her. They should recite daily the Litany of the Holy Spirit and the Ave Maris Stella  as during the first week. In addition they will say at least five decades of the Rosary for greater understanding of Mary.”

From True Devotion n. 229

This would be a great week to make a concerted effort to read the Secret of Mary [here], especially paragraphs 24 through 64. This portion of the short work would (generally) take less than two hours of reading time.

Theme of the Second Week

Acts of love, pious affection for the Blessed Virgin, imitation of her virtues, especially her profound humility, her lively faith, her blind obedience, her continual mental prayer, her mortification in all things, her surpassing purity, her ardent charity, her heroic patience, her angelic sweetness, and her divine wisdom: "there being," as St. Louis De Montfort says, "the ten principal virtues of the Blessed Virgin."

We must unite ourselves to Jesus through Mary - this is the characteristic of our devotion; therefore, Saint Louis De Montfort asks that we employ ourselves in acquiring a knowledge of the Blessed Virgin.

Mary is our sovereign and our mediatrix, our Mother and our Mistress. Let us then endeavor to know the effects of this royalty, of this mediation, and of this maternity, as well as the grandeurs and prerogatives which are the foundation or consequences thereof. Our Mother is also a perfect mold wherein we are to be molded in order to make her intentions and dispositions ours. This we cannot achieve without studying the interior life of Mary; namely, her virtues, her sentiments, her actions, her participation in the mysteries of Christ and her union with Him.

Prayers for the Second Week

From March 12^th through March 18^th (days twenty through twenty-six of the preparation), we pray the Litany of the Holy Spirit and the Ave Maris Stella, together with at least five decades of the Rosary.

Litany of the Holy Spirit

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Father all-powerful, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, save us.

Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of both, sanctify us.

Holy Trinity, hear us.

Holy Spirit, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.

Holy Spirit, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.

Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us.

Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us.

Author of all good, [etc.]

Source of heavenly water

Consuming fire

Ardent charity

Spiritual unction

Spirit of love and truth

Spirit of wisdom and understanding

Spirit of counsel and fortitude

Spirit of knowledge and piety

Spirit of the fear of the Lord

Spirit of grace and prayer

Spirit of peace and meekness

Spirit of modesty and innocence

Holy Spirit, the Comforter

Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier

Holy Spirit, Who governest the Church

Gift of God, the Most High

Spirit Who fillest the universe

Spirit of the adoption of the children of God

Holy Spirit, inspire us with horror of sin.

Holy Spirit, come and renew the face of the earth.

Holy Spirit, shed Thy light in our souls.

Holy Spirit, engrave Thy law in our hearts.

Holy Spirit, inflame us with the flame of Thy love.

Holy Spirit, open to us the treasures of Thy graces.

Holy Spirit, teach us to pray well.

Holy Spirit, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations.

Holy Spirit, lead us in the way of salvation.

Holy Spirit, grant us the only necessary knowledge.

Holy Spirit, inspire in us the practice of good.

Holy Spirit, grant us the merits of all virtues.

Holy Spirit, make us persevere in justice.

Holy Spirit, be Thou our everlasting reward.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Send us Thy Holy Spirit.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety.

V. Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful,

R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

Let us pray. Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit may enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Ave Maris Stella

Hail, O Star of the ocean,

God's own Mother blest,

ever sinless Virgin,

gate of heav'nly rest. 

Taking that sweet Ave,

which from Gabriel came,

peace confirm within us,

changing Eve's name.

Break the sinners' fetters,

make our blindness day,

Chase all evils from us,

for all blessings pray.

Show thyself a Mother,

may the Word divine

born for us thine Infant

hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling,

mildest of the mild,

free from guilt preserve us

meek and undefiled.

Keep our life all spotless,

make our way secure

till we find in Jesus,

joy for evermore.

Praise to God the Father,

honor to the Son,

in the Holy Spirit,

be the glory one. Amen.

Fifteen, or at least five, decades of the Rosary