Day 24 or 25 of the 33-Day Consecration to Mary- Rejoice Even in Your Mourning

Today is day 24 or 25 of the 33-day consecration to Mary, depending on whether you were ending on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Can you imagine a grieving person taking off the black clothes right after the funeral, and putting on something vibrant to rejoice and then returning to black the next day? That is what the Church is doing this Sunday. In the penitential and heavier seasons of Lent and Advent, there is one Sunday to take a break and return to joy. The readings call you to rejoice. And the priests and deacons will be wearing pink…I mean, rose. (They will always call you on that. They are often hilariously self-conscious about wearing pink…rose!) In the middle of difficulties in your life, in the middle of difficulties in your family, in the middle of difficulties in our nation and Church, we are putting on something vibrant and singing for joy. It can seem funny to put on a happy face when your heart is heavy. But the Christian should always have a spot in the heart that can’t be covered with the misery of this life. Jesus Christ came to save. He has already saved, and He is going to save. Right now, we might be going through a difficult time – if not personally, then for mourning things around us. But it is not ending like this. Right now, in my own difficulty, I am stubbornly refusing to give up hope. It’s not ending like this. Whether the issues we deal with are resolved on earth or in Heaven, the Lord never forsakes (Deuteronomy 31:6). He will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4). It doesn’t end like this. So, we put on pink…uh, rose…and we sing! We will smile and rejoice! It’s not ending like this. It ends with joy. Zephaniah 3:14 Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! Today, we consecrate ourselves, our families, our nation and our church. A Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Most Holy Virgin Mary, tender Mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the request of the Vicar of Your Son on earth, we consecrate ourselves and our families to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and we recommend to You, all the people of our country and all the world. Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us as You wish to accomplish Your designs in the world. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and Queen of the World, rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Our King. Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the Rosary more faithfully. We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love. Inflame us with the same Divine Fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home. Amen. --Venerable Pope Pius XII