e worldwide phenomenon 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, which has encouraged millions to consecrate themselves to Mary, is now available in a new, expanded edition from Marian Press, designed speci cally for group retreats and o ering exclusive access to videos and bonus material on DivineMercyPlus.org. In honor of the Great Mercy Pope who established Divine Mercy Sunday as a universal feast in the Church calendar, we share here an excerpt about Pope St. John Paul II from Day 28 in 33 Days to Morning Glory: Group Retreat & Study Guide. On May 13, 1982, exactly one year a er being shot in St. Peter’s Square, Pope John Paul II went to Fatima, Portugal, “in order to give thanks that the mercy of God and the protection of the Mother of Christ” had saved his life. On that occasion, he delivered a heartfelt homily that’s a rich source of the theology of Marian consecration and entrustment. e entire homily and Act of Entrustment are too long to cite here. So, I’m going to summarize. Speci cally, I’m going to draw out from them the connection the Pope makes between consecration to Mary, Divine Mercy, and the redeeming consecration of Christ. Mary and Divine Mercy Let’s start with the connection between Mary and Divine Mercy. Before we begin, a few things about Divine Mercy: 1. According to John Paul, Divine Mercy is the limit imposed by God on evil, the love of God in the face of evil; 2. Divine Mercy is symbolized by the pierced side of Christ and the blood and water that gushed forth fromHis side; 3. A central part of the modern Divine Mercy devotion is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which o ers atonement and implores mercy for our sins and those of the whole world. In what follows, notice how these three aspects of Divine Mercy are central to the Pope’s most important homily on Marian consecration. e homily’s context is the widespread, “almost apocalyptic” evil of our time, an evil that “menaces,” is “spreading,” and gathers “like a dark cloud over mankind.” e Pope confesses that this evil causes “trepidation” in his heart. Despite this, he nds hope in “a Love more powerful than evil” which no “sin of the world can ever overcome.” is Love he identi es as “merciful Love.” And what about this merciful Love? What does it have to do with Marian consecration? Everything. It has everything to do with consecration because Mary is the one who brings us to the source of merciful Love. Mary is the one who brings us to the love that is more powerful than evil. Indeed, as John Paul says in his The Great Mercy Pope & Mary 26 MARIAN HELPER • SPRING 2023 • MARIAN.ORG Pope St. John Paul II Consecration to Mary is “drawing near to the Fountain of Life that sprang fromGolgotha.”
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