Jesus told us: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matt. 7:13-14)
How do we find this narrow gate? The most direct way to find the narrow gate is through the heart of Jesus, and the best way to get to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is through consecration. Your guide to consecration is Total Consecration through the Mysteries of the Rosary: Meditations to Prepare for Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary by Father Ed Broom, O.M.V. Here is how to get to the narrow gate.
1. Go To Your Mother First
When you were young, who did you ask for help first? Who did you talk to when you had problems with friends? Most people run to their mothers. Why? They were there for you, they would listen and nurture any pain you may be feeling (whether that a physical hurt or mental heartbreak). After hearing your troubles, your mother would also talk to your father about what had happened or if it was something you were asking for, she would be your advocate. Just like your mother, Mary, our mother, will give us loving care, guide us to where we need to go to resolve our problems, and even go to Jesus and ask Him for help on our behalf.
2. Use Our Most Powerful Weapon: The Rosary
Photo: Divine Mercy Rosary
Did you know the Devil is afraid of the Rosary? (Source: An Exorcist Explains the Demonic by Fr. Gabriele Amorth). Why? Because Mary always leads us to Jesus, in fact, the center of her prayer is—Jesus. Mary repeats over and over in all of her apparitions to pray more faithfully the Rosary. It is through this simple prayer of repeating the Our Father’s, Hail Mary’s, Glory Be’s and Fatima Prayer we focus upon the mysteries of the life of Jesus. When we focus on Jesus, He will always guide us to the narrow gate.
3. What Total Consecration Is
“Total Consecration through the Mysteries of the Rosary” will guide you through the meditations, said daily for five weeks, meditating deeply upon each of the mysteries of the Rosary and the Sorrows of Mary. After meditating on the mystery for that day and reciting the Rosary, you can journal what Jesus and Mary revealed to you throughout your prayer. He might reveal a sin you must confess, a resolution to a problem you’re having, revealing a miracle, or just allow you to rest upon the heart of Jesus.
4. When and How Do I Start
Well, there’s no time like right now! First, get the book, Total Consecration through the Mysteries of the Rosary: Meditations to Prepare for Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary by Father Ed Broom, O.M.V. It will guide you through the steps and contains the scriptural meditations on each of the mysteries of the Rosary. Typically, you begin about five weeks before a Marian feast day, such as the Immaculate Conception on December 8 (begin the last week of October) or the Assumption of Mary on August 15 (begin the second week of July).
5. External Sign of Consecration
As an external sign of your Consecration, you can wear and enroll into the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, showing the world that you belong to Mary.
6. Excerpt of Sorrowful Mysteries
Reading the days of the sorrowful mysteries moved me to tears (actually, all of them did, the life of Jesus is so beautiful!). Use your imagination as you read and ponder part of the third mystery, the scourging at the pillar:
The cruel, barbarous soldiers act like wild animals as they take turns whipping Jesus, watching the instruments tear His flesh and cause blood to pour forth from His wounds. Our Lady must witness this, and, if we are to grasp fully the sacrifices Jesus made for us, so should we.
Do this now: Be present with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Mary Magdalene in witnessing this horrendous scene, even though doing so is excruciatingly painful. Jesus and Mary suffered these pains because of their great love for us. Ask our Lady for the grace to suffer with her and to suffer with Jesus!
7. Fruits of Consecration
Stained glass window at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, depicting the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, By Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24579501
While consecrating yourself to Jesus and Mary will not make you rich, nor give you an easier life, it will provide you a shortcut to heaven, our eternal destination. You will learn to appreciate the Gospel, deepen your prayer life, bring interior peace and holiness, and a greater appreciation for the Holy Rosary.
If you have longed to have a more fruitful prayer life, desire to grow closer to Jesus and Mary, or are looking for a new way to pray the Rosary, use Total Consecration through the Mysteries of the Rosary: Meditations to Prepare for Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary by Father Ed Broom, O.M.V. to consecrate yourself to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.