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I am sorry for being late with the final blog, but I want to thank all those that followed and that participated in this retreat.  I would like to just share a few things tonight that I believe in my heart to be true and I believe them in my heart for I have felt and seen how our spiritual mother points us to Jesus.

1)  “Seeing Mary stand at the foot of the Cross, next to his beloved disciple, John, Jesus Said, ‘Woman Behold, your song’.  Then, to John ‘Behold, your mother’ (Jn19:26-27)”   I do believe in my Heart that Mary is our Spiritual Mother and that she is there like all Mothers to care to to bring peace to her children.  Mary does this by pointing us to the Savior of the World, and allowing us to be within Her Immaculate heart, where we will all find Jesus.

2) Some of the greatest Church Fathers, Saints recognized by the Church, were loyal, dedicated, and devoted to Mary.  This devotion brought them peace, brought them strength, and brought them closer to Jesus, which in turned brought us all closer to Jesus.  I want that!

3) I just wanted to share the final paragraph in the consecration prayer to Mary.  Thanks for taking the time to read the blogs.  Chris, Julie, and Nick, thanks for taking the time to write comments, for they have been a great part of this retreat.   It is recommended that we renew our consecration yearly, if not even more, so may we all take this Journey together again next year.

“With you, O Immaculate Mother- you who always do the will of God-I unite myself to perfect consecration of Jesus as he offers himself in the Spirit to the Father for the life of the World. Amen”

Today’s readings were a review of Mother Teresa and her teachings on Mary.  Thirst, Heart, and Covenant.

Part of tonights readings stated:
“Our Lady, was the first person to hear Jesus’ cry ” I Thirst” with St. John, and I am sure Mary Magdallen. Because Our Lady was there on Calvary, she knows how real, how deep is His Longing for you and for the poor.

Questions to myself and others.
1) Do we truly want understand Jesus’ thirst to be with each of us?
2) If We do/did understand the words of Jesus “I Thirst”, did/would it change how we live?

Mother Mary, show us the depths of Jesus’ thirst for each of us.

Sorry fell asleep last night on chair, woke up to all kids up with ice cream and popsicle and this was at 10:20.  Obviously Tammy wasn’t home.

Yesterday’s reading were needed for me.  It answered the question if we experience the tender care of Mary, and see here signs, yet we still don’t feel love for the Immaculata or her love for us, what do we do?

Kolbe’s Quote:  Never worry that you do not feel this love.  If you have the will to love, you already give a proof that you love.  What counts is the will to love. External feeling is also a fruit of grace, but it does no always follow the will.  Sometimes, my dear ones, the thought, a sad longing, as if a plea or a complaint, may occur to you:  “Does the Immaculata still love me?” Most beloved children! I tell you all and each one individually, in her name, She loves everyone of you.  She loves you very much and at every moment with no exception.  This …I repeat for you in her name.

I think this quote can sum up more than just the Love between the Mary and ourselves, but also the love between our family, our spouses, and those closest to us.

Mary most Holy, let us be at peace knowing that we love you, and you love us, and that this love is always pointing us to Jesus, destroyer of sin.

I will keep it simple again, for I really not sure if I have anything that would be of benefit for those reading.   I hear that sometimes we sound much smarter if we choose to be silent, so I will stick with that theory  tonight.

Yet, Here’s something to reflect on:  Pope John Paul II,  as we all survived an assassination attempt.  After this attempt and his recovery, he visited  Fatima and while there he entrusted the world to Mary.  He stated that Marian Consecration “means accepting her help to offer ourselves and the whole world of mankind to the infinitely Holy God”.  He is talking about bringing the entire world to Divine Mercy through Mary.

1)  What is it that is keeping us from accepting the help of Mary?

2)  It says “accept her help”, so are we willing to change (if that’s what needs to happen), and to do the things needed to be fully devoted to Mary.

My Answer:  I am struggling with giving up a few things, and I am struggling with the willingness to change things.  Example:  Cursing, Daily devotion to Rosary, or prayers asking for the Intercession of Mary.

Day 26 completed the three day mini retreat with Mary and Day 27 went on to talk about Pope John Paul II teaching on entrustment to Mary.  Yet I am going to go a different direction, where I feel the Spirit is leading me.

I have been busier here lately and I have missed some daily posts.  In fact the one night I fell asleep on the chair and I guess my wife and kids were banging on pots and pans to wake me due to they said they could “hear me sleeping”.  I don’t remember the pots and pans but I do remember getting up and moving to the bed.  It seems with each day that I learn more about Mary, and about giving ourselves to Her, it brings about more distractions that are trying to keep me from blogging.  I see this as the works of the devil.  I think the one mistake that so many of us are guilty of, is that we fail to recognize that the devil is real and the devil will do anything to keep us from Jesus.  Due to the readings in Genesis we can also see that the devil probably  despises Mary.  Lucifer was/is an angel, not a human, and for God to have a small 15-16 year old girl give birth to the Savior of the world.  God and Mary united through the Holy Spirit at the Annunciation formed the One “that will crush the Devils head”.  So I believe The Virgin Mary who is now Queen of Heaven and spiritrual mother to all humans has to infuriate the devil.  So for those of us that are participating in this retreat, we must realize he will do whatever to keep us from totally giving ourselves to Mary, for He knows that She will give us Jesus.   Be vigilant.  When you feel the distractions starting to get in the way,  and when you feel the devil trying to take you from Mary and Jesus, Shout loud and sternly,  Get Away from me satan,  I choose to only serve Jesus!

Mary Queen of Heaven and Earth, Show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb. Jesus.

So we are having a retreat within a retreat.  As the books says, that during her earthly life, Mary was kinda on a retreat/pilgrimage too.  Mary was also called to walk by faith, just as each of us are called to do it today.    Just as Mary pondered things in her heart I am going to share two things that I believe that are worth pondering, and I believe that in prayer these two points  really show the importance of Mary, and they show that Marian Consecration has been around for a while.

First a quote for Pope John Paul II–For it must be recognized that before anyone else it was God Himself, the Eternal Father, who entrusted himself to the Virgin of Nazareth, giving His own Son in the mystery of the Incarnation.”

Second–using a few quotes  from Pope John Paul II about the wedding at Cana where Jesus performs His first miracle, turning water into wine. — At the wedding Feast, “there is a human need-they need more wine”.  “Mary puts herself between the human need” and Jesus, (She Mediates),  Mary “wishes the messianic power of her Son to be manifested, the salvific power which is meant to help man in his misfortunes””Her Faith evokes his first “sign” and helps to rekindle the faith of the disciples.

Maybe these two points don’t do much for you and your Marian Consecration, but for me I see it like this.  If God trusted her, and in a sense gave himself to her in Jesus, then I should have no trouble giving my everything to her.

Just a few thoughts on todays readings.  The Readings stated “maternal mediation basically means that Mary is our spiritual mother, who assists us from heaven with her prayers and motherly care to help bring us to God.  Yet a bible verse that was always a challenge for me to answer was 1 Timothy 2:5  “There is one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ”.  After reading todays readings, it was clear on Mary’s purpose and why Mary’s Intercession does not contradict 1 Timothy 2:5.  As it says, God is generous with His love.  He calls us all to be saints and to participate in His Kingdom. To quote the book “In other words, Jesus doesn’t keep his role as mediator to himself.  He wants Mary–and not just Mary, but all Christians (You and I) to share in his one mediation, though in subordinate ways.”   This makes sense to me for we all called to pray for others, we all called to bring Jesus to others, We are called to detach ourselves from the World, and say “let it be done according to thy will”.    I do believe that Mary is our Heavenly Mother, and its a very peaceful thought to know that I have an amazing mother here on earth and an amazing mother in Heaven, both who point me to Jesus, and both who pray for me.    God our Father, Mary our Mother, and Jesus ( the Son and the Savior of the world)    Also known as -A Family!

As the book says, “During this fourth and final full week, we will be focusing on the example and words of another great teacher of Marian consecration:  Blessed John Paul II

Pope John Paul II was the Pope when I was a kid.  I remember my Grandpa and Grandma Steinlage talking about him often. How he was shot, how he went to the man who shot him and forgave him.   Pope John Paul II was another person dedicated to Mary, who gave himself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  So its no surprise that he proclaimed to the world often and he still does today, “the saving power of God’s Merciful Love”.   The church celebrates a Feast Day that he established as Pope called “Divine Mercy Sunday”.   This is a feast that celebrates the depth of God’s Merciful Love.  I don’t believe its a coincidence that Pope John Paul II died on the first Saturday and the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday.   In a previous blog, it was brought up that within the Immaculate Heart of Mary you find Jesus.  The more I reflect on this, the more I read of these Saints who gave themselves to Mary, and the more I give my self to Mary, I Hear the words of Jesus  upon the cross.  “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do”     These words can also be said like this “Forgive Him Father, For Wade knows not what he does”.     So many people believe these words were meant for others, but being humbled by things I couldn’t control in life and by the challenges  of Sin, I have come to understand that God’s Merciful Love is for me.   As I have said this many times, but just to remind those reading, I Wade Talley cuss to much, I get upset, I talk bad about others at times, I have family that drive me nuts due to political views, and I have things in the past that I don’t like, but God’s Merciful Love is bigger than all of it.  I am willing to fight for Jesus and I am willing lose the things of this world, for the Man that picked me up out of a Hole that I would have never gotten out of by myself.  Mary I thank for bringing me to Jesus!  May we all echo the words of Pope John Paull II when he repeated his on person consecration to mary.  “To You, Mary, I repeat: Totus Tuus ego sum.”

Well I have had a few political debates and it seems that some believe that some of my ways are just not Christian  So with that said, I especially tonight want to ask Mary for guidance towards the truth of Jesus.  Pride can still consume me, yet my goal is to not win a debate to be right, but in the end I hope both parties are closer to the Truth of Jesus.  Tensions are High right now, and so may we all pray for peace and understanding.

So I missed yesterday’s reflections but for me they can be summed by discussing contract verse’s covenant.  Do we see our relationship with Mary, With Jesus, with our Spouse as a contract or a covenant for there is a huge difference.  Contract is an exchange of goods or services, where Covenant is an exchange of Persons.  In a covenant, a complete giving of oneself to another is involved, and with it comes an unbreakable bond that entails rights and obligation.     As mother Teresa pointed out, this is something to take very seriously.  Some questions I pondered, Do I take my Faith Seriously, Do I take my Relationship with Mary, With Jesus Seriously, or does other things take precedence.  With this question, comes a flashback to a conversation I was having with Jesus, many years ago, and something that He put on my heart that really changed me and hit me hard. “Wade you never miss a KSU football Game on Saturday, A KC Chiefs football game on Sunday, and you never miss any of your sporting events, yet you miss church on Sunday regularly.”    This was a harsh reality at the time, that I didn’t take my Faith seriously and Jesus was just there when I needed him.    Day 20’s readings have challenged me again.

Day 21  When I read Be the one, so many things popped into my mind.  Coaches telling me to be the one, me as a dad saying be the one to my kids, me as a teacher/coach telling kids to be the one, telling those at music ministry events that I am here with hopes that I can help just one person through a hard time.  Yet Mother Teresa challenges us/me with this Be the one statement, in the fact that we should all Tell Jesus, “I will be the one” I will comfort, encourage, and I will Love Him.  St Teresa goes into much more depth and states that we need Mary “to Help us understand the thirst of Jesus for she is the one that consoles him best”.  “To console Jesus in others is to respond to their sufferings, especially to that deepest, most universal suffering, a thirst for love.”    Her teachings are amazing, and what I love is that the retreat is reminding us that “Everyone thirsts: rich and poor , young and old, believer and unbeliever.  Everyone has a restless heart for God, for man is a restless thirst. ”     So the challenge that Mary has left me tonight, is am I willing to help quench the thirst of those that don’t believe, that mock Jesus, that mock Mary, and those that use Jesus?  If I am not willing to quench the thirst of these, then I am not willing to quench my own thirst, for I too have been in their shoes. (who knows I may be in their shoes right now)

Mary most Holy, Pray for us!

I am sorry I didn’t get this up last night.  I had some plans get altered this morning.  So I plan to comment on Yesterdays and Today’s readings this evening.

God Bless!