CONSECRATION
As we begin this journey toward the Heart of God, for the Love of God, we hear His voice calling us through Sacred Scripture: “If my people, upon whom my name has been invoked, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
It is time for each of us to declare whether we are children of God or children of the world. If I answer that I am a child of God, then I must do everything in my power to honor and respect that relationship and responsibility. My first act, made in free will, is to consecrate myself and my family to the love and protection that God the Father promises us.
Only in this way will I have the necessary weapons to enter the spiritual battle that surrounds us—the battle of good against evil. This weapon is the prayer of the consecrated.
WHY SHOULD WE CONSECRATE OURSELVES?
More and more people find themselves caught in this stampede that is pushing all of us toward the edge of a cliff, into a world abandoning its very nature. A world that has lost its gift of common sense. A world that, though it no longer trusts, and in many cases no longer cares, still listens to those forces in the world shaping us all, especially our children—forces of technology and media, most of which are not of God. Unless we begin to step away from this stampede driving much of humanity to the brink of an abyss, we will lose the Kingdom of God.
In a world where the humble, meek, pure of spirit, and merciful are despised, ridiculed, and used, it is precisely these qualities that set us apart from those who are of the world and allow us to see God.
In every life, there is a moment and a place where we are suddenly confronted with questions we cannot answer about who we are and our future. Moments when we begin to seek answers. Times when the Holy Spirit comes to us unexpectedly, and we begin to feel our hearts being moved. It is in these moments of grace that the call of the Father comes to His child. It is then that many of us realize we do not know God as we should, that we lack the bond between a Father and His child, that we do not have peace, and that something is missing.
At that moment, it is the Holy Spirit who enters and extends God’s grace, His invitation. We know in our hearts that we need to change. Yet, many of us are lukewarm, serving two masters, and we are afraid to give up the things of this world to follow God. It is at this very moment that we ask God for help because we recognize that we cannot make this change on our own. Many of us do not know a spiritual life that provides the strength needed to resist temptation and sin.
It is here that we need the strength of the graces found in the act of consecration. Through consecration, we declare once and for all that we are children of God, surrendering all that we are and all that we have to His love and protection. With a true desire in our hearts to change and draw closer to God, we begin this journey.
Thus, we start our journey back to the heart of God with the grace that consecration brings, which is the gift of conversion. Gradually, one day at a time, we say no to the things of the world that offend God and yes to Him and His Will for us and our loved ones. As we do this, we begin to feel the presence of God’s love, our Father, working within us to transform us into His true children.
CONSECRATION IN SACRED SCRIPTURE
Throughout history, in both the Old and New Testaments, consecration is a recurring theme. Here are some examples:
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Exodus 19:10-11: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.’”
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Leviticus 11:44: “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.”
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John 17:11-19: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one… I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one… Consecrate them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
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1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”
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Romans 14:8: “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
God's Covenant with Israel in the Old Testament
The Book of Exodus reveals God’s salvific and liberating will, which remains firm despite the infidelities of the people of Israel. Through His covenant, God leads His chosen people to the Promised Land.
After being freed from Pharaoh’s oppression—a prefiguration of deliverance from evil—through signs and wonders culminating in the great sign of the “Passover” (the passage from death to life, from slavery to freedom), the Israelites began their journey. Still blind and unfamiliar with their God, they experienced hunger and thirst, grumbling against Moses and Aaron, unaware they were complaining against God. Yet, the Heavenly Father demonstrated His providence by providing manna to eat and sweet water to drink. These were prefigurations of Jesus as the Fountain of Living Water and the Bread of Life:
"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).
God’s Call to Listen and Obey
During their journey, God not only granted His gifts but also expected something in return:
"You have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:4-6).
The Israelites responded in unison:
"We will do everything the Lord has said” (Exodus 19:8).
God’s covenant is initiated by Him. He promises to be their God and asks the Israelites to be His treasured people. The key word here is LISTEN. By listening to God’s voice, we are compelled to follow His teachings and become His personal possession.
God respects human free will, asking us to accept Him as our God. In a world of polytheism, Israel could have chosen to be like the other nations and reject the revelation of one true God. God does not impose Himself; Israel had the choice to accept or reject Him. Despite their infidelity, God remains faithful to His covenant.
The Covenant on Mount Sinai
God’s covenant with humanity is uniquely manifested on Mount Sinai when Moses ascends to speak with Him. Moses receives the “Ten Words” or “Commandments,” also known as the “Law of God,” written on two stone tablets. The first three commandments emphasize love for God, while the remaining seven address love for one’s neighbor.
The Israelites affirmed their commitment, saying:
"We will do everything the Lord has said” (Exodus 24:3).
To ratify the covenant, Moses built an altar, offered sacrifices, and sprinkled the people with the blood of the offerings, saying:
"This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words” (Exodus 24:8).
This event foreshadows the words of Jesus at the Last Supper:
"This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).
Our Journey with God
The Israelites’ journey mirrors our own. Once again, God calls us to live by His Commandments and abandon the ways of the world, which are cursed by their rejection of God. We are invited to take a step of faith toward a new life as God’s chosen people.
This journey requires placing our full trust in Him, even when we do not fully understand Him. Though the path may seem uncertain, we must resist the temptation to grumble or harden our hearts. Instead, we must believe in God, who has carried us as on eagle’s wings and brought us to Himself.
Jesus as the Fulfillment of the Covenant
Jesus fulfills the covenant, bringing God’s Law to perfection:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied:
"The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).
This transformation turns God’s Law into the Law of Love. Jesus, the Word made flesh, offers Himself as a sacrifice for the salvation of all:
"This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me… This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20).
The Sacraments as the New Covenant
The new covenant is expressed in the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. The Eucharist, in particular, represents the fullness of God’s Law of Love.
Today, the Eucharist is present in the tabernacles of our churches as the Bread of Life, the Eternal High Priest, and the Paschal Lamb—the sign of the New and Eternal Covenant.
"Make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8).
"I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
The best way to remain in His presence and receive His strength, vitality, and love is by partaking of the Bread of Life. Just as God provided manna each morning, let us seek the Eucharist daily to strengthen us on our journey.
TYPES OF CONSECRATION
The Mission promotes the consecration of individuals, families, parishes, cities, states, armed forces, countries, dioceses, archdioceses, businesses, schools, religious orders, and more. This is based on the understanding that all authority comes from God. We aim to place everything we are and everything we have into His hands within our societies, seeking His Love and Protection so that His Will may be done in all of us.
This is carried out through three levels of consecration in the following order:
1. TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS AND THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY:
We must remember that, as one of His final acts, Jesus entrusted the world to His Mother and His Mother to the world. In effect, Jesus consecrated all who would become part of His mystical body through the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of His Mother. From Mary's Heart, those who invoke her through consecration receive the grace of conversion and a deepened holiness.
When we consecrate our hearts, our being, our future—everything we are and everything we have—to the intercession of the Two Hearts, they renew our hearts so that we may begin to act, think, speak, and most importantly, love as they do. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque explained that Jesus revealed to her that all lukewarm Catholics who consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will become fervent, and the fervent will quickly achieve great perfection.
The Two Hearts are inseparable, as Mary's Heart was the first to adore Jesus' Sacred Heart. The Mother's Heart resides in the Son's Heart. When the soldier pierced the Sacred Heart with his spear, the Immaculate Heart was also pierced with sorrow. Where the Son is, there the Mother is also.
In simple terms, consecration can only be made to God. However, as Jesus is God made man, consecration is thus made available to us. When we consecrate ourselves to Mary, we do so in an extended manner, as the Church now teaches us—offering it as a commitment or an offering. Through consecration to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart, we ultimately consign ourselves to Jesus. Saint Margaret Mary wrote, “There is no quicker path to perfection and no surer means of salvation than consecration to the Heart of God.”
This form of consecration calls the person living in the world to a life of prayer, penance, and service to their brothers and sisters, according to their state in life and the spiritual gifts given to them. All members of this Mission consecrated in this way work for the sanctification of the world, particularly from within.
👉 Novena to the Sacred Hearts
👉 Devotion of the First Five Saturdays
👉 Promises of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
2. TO THE CHASTE HEART OF SAINT JOSEPH:
As impurity becomes the downfall of our societies, we turn to the Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph, invoking his intercession for the purity of our marriages and children. In a world descending into perversion and losing its moral compass, God sends us the Putative Father of Christ for these times. When we consecrate ourselves to his Chaste Heart, we implore Saint Joseph to protect and shelter every family and home that recognizes the need for this great gift to the world: Saint Joseph.
The intercessory power of Saint Joseph before God is still largely unknown to the world. We are invited to take refuge in his heart so that we may be chaste, righteous, and holy in God’s sight.
As the Patron of Interior Life, he intercedes for those enduring the dark night of the soul or experiencing dryness in prayer, so they do not fall into the temptation of despair but instead lovingly and confidently surrender to God’s providence.
👉 Apostolic Exhortation - Redemptoris Custos
👉 Thirty Days of Prayers to Saint Joseph
👉 Novena to Saint Joseph
3. TO GOD THE FATHER:
This is the highest level of consecration. It teaches the consecrated faithful a deeper understanding focused on creating a lasting covenant with God the Father through consecration to Him. This includes understanding its meaning and God’s promises to all who turn from their sinful ways and return to Him in all things, especially in the small moments of daily life.
👉 Message of God the Father to His Children - Sister Eugenia Ravasio
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF CONSECRATIONS
LILIAN PEIRCE
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