# Day 29 – St. Louis de Montfort: Passion, Baptism, and Gift
*2018-05-07*

> Bill reviews the final five days of the 33‑Day Marian Consecration, focusing on St. Louis de Montfort’s three key words—Passion, Baptism, and Gift—and how they deepen our union with Mary.

## Opening Prayer

We begin with the traditional prayer to Our Lady of Fatima: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

## The Purpose of the Final Review

For the past four weeks we have been reflecting on Marian consecration, guided by Father Michael Gately’s booklet. As we enter the last five days, we shift from daily meditations to a more focused synthesis. Pope John Paul II spoke of Mary’s “wise capacity for remembering and embracing” the mystery of Christ; our task now is to cultivate that same capacity by pondering with greater depth.

Over the next four days we will meditate on three words that St. Louis de Montfort chose to summarize his teaching: Passion, Baptism, and Gift. By concentrating on these themes we hope to capture the essence of Marian consecration in a single, living formula.

## Passion

St. Louis inherited a fiery temperament from his father, a trait that could have led to disaster. Instead, he consecrated himself to Jesus through Mary, allowing her to channel his zeal into a holy fire. Mary, cooperating with the Holy Spirit, transformed his anger into a blazing love for Christ that spread throughout Brittany and inspired saints, popes, and ordinary sinners.

We may not possess such a temper, but we can ask Mary to stir the Holy Spirit within us, igniting a passion for Christ. The Holy Spirit seeks souls united to Mary; when we make room for Him, He works through Mary to raise new saints. Let us therefore surrender completely to Mary, inviting the Spirit to fill us with holy fire.

## Baptism

St. Louis places devotion to Mary at the heart of the mystery of baptism. He begins his consecration formula by renewing our baptismal promises, because baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit, who initiates baptism, continually forms us into Christ’s likeness, and He often works through Mary—just as He did at the Annunciation and at Pentecost.

Each baptism is a new birth of Christ in the soul, and Mary, cooperating with the Spirit, brings the grace of baptism to its fullness. Baptism is not the end but a glorious beginning; after it we must continue to grow in Christ. Mary’s role is to nurture that growth, leading us to the Pauline ideal: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

## The Gift of Total Consecration

When we give ourselves completely to Mary, we receive an extraordinary gift: the marriage‑type consecration to Jesus. The more we entrust ourselves to her, the more she pours out her immaculate heart, purifying our merits and granting us greater graces. She fills the emptiness we create by offering herself as the source of the Spirit of God.

Mary intercedes for our families, anticipates our needs, and orders the details of our lives for God’s greater glory. The path of holiness with her is “a path of roses and honey,” turning even our crosses into something sweet. Belonging wholly to Mary is the surest way to Jesus.

## Today's Prayer

Spend the day meditating on the three words—Passion, Baptism, and Gift—letting them guide your contemplation of St. Louis de Montfort’s teaching. May the Holy Spirit, through Mary, deepen your love for Christ.

Amen.

*Total consecration to Mary transforms our baptismal promise into a living, passionate union with Christ.*