Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary: The 33-Day Guide

St. John Paul II was one of the greatest popes in history. He helped bring down Communism, traveled the globe, and survived an assassination attempt. What was his secret? He had a motto embroidered on his papal coat of arms: "Totus Tuus" (Totally Yours). It was a shorthand for: "I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O my dear Jesus, through Mary."

He learned this secret from a dusty old book written by a French saint named St. Louis de Montfort. That book, True Devotion to Mary, describes a spiritual path called Total Consecration.

It is not just a prayer. It is a complete surrender of your life, your soul, your merits, and your eternity to Jesus through the hands of His Mother.

Here is why you should do it, and how to prepare for the 33 days that will change your life.

Why "Through Mary"?

Many Protestants (and even some Catholics) ask: "Why not go straight to Jesus?" St. Louis de Montfort answers: "Because Jesus came to us through Mary."

God did not need Mary. He could have descended from the clouds as a fully grown man. But He chose to come as a helpless baby, dependent on a human mother. He spent 30 of his 33 years on earth submitting to her authority in Nazareth. If it was humble enough for God to go through Mary, it should be humble enough for us.

The Mold of God

St. Louis calls Mary the "Mold of God." If you want to make a statue, you can chip away at a hard stone with a chisel (hard, slow, risky). Or, you can pour molten liquid into a mold (quick, easy, sure). Mary is the mold. If you pour yourself into her—by surrendering your will to hers—you will take the shape of Jesus, because she was made specifically to form Him.

"This devotion is a smooth, short, perfect, and sure way of attaining Jesus Christ." — St. Louis de Montfort

The 33-Day Preparation

You don't just sign a paper and say "I'm consecrated." You must prepare. St. Louis designed a 33-day retreat (which you can do while going to work/school) to empty your soul of the "spirit of the world" and fill it with the "Spirit of Jesus."

Period 1: Emptying (Days 1-12)

Theme: Casting off the Spirit of the World. Before you can fill a cup, you have to empty it. For the first 12 days, we examine our conscience. We look at how the world (money, fame, pleasure, pride) has infected us. We pray to the Holy Spirit to empty us of ourselves.

Prayers: Veni Creator Spiritus, Ave Maris Stella.

Period 2: Knowledge of Self (Days 13-19)

Theme: Who am I? We look in the mirror. We realize that without God, we are nothing. We face our sins, our weaknesses, and our need for a Savior. This creates humility—the foundation of all holiness.

Prayers: Litany of the Holy Spirit, Litany of the Blessed Virgin.

Period 3: Knowledge of Mary (Days 20-26)

Theme: Who is She? We study the Masterpiece of God. We look at her virtues: her profound humility, her blind obedience, her continual prayer. We ask her to lend us her heart so we can love Jesus with it.

Prayers: Litany of Loreto, The Rosary.

Period 4: Knowledge of Jesus (Days 27-33)

Theme: Falling in Love with Wisdom. Now that we are empty, humble, and holding Mary's hand, we are ready to meet the King. We spend the final week focusing entirely on Jesus Christ—the goal of all devotion.

Readings: The Gospels, Imitation of Christ.
Prayers: Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.

Day 34: Consecration Day

On the 34th day (usually a Marian Feast Day), you go to Mass. After receiving Holy Communion (with the intent of giving yourself to Jesus), you recite the Act of Consecration. It is traditional to write the prayer out by hand and sign it, like a contract.

Which Version Should I Do?

In recent years, new books have updated St. Louis's classic method for modern readers. All are valid.

1. The Classic: Preparation for Total Consecration (St. Louis de Montfort)

Vibe: Intense, theological, old-school.
Best for: People who want the raw, undiluted original. It uses litanies and deep Scripture.

2. The Modern Favorite: 33 Days to Morning Glory (Fr. Michael Gaitley)

Vibe: Narrative, easy to read, inspiring.
Content: Instead of just St. Louis, it creates a "retreat" with four Marian giants:
- St. Louis de Montfort (The Passion)
- St. Maximilian Kolbe (The Militia)
- St. Teresa of Calcutta (The Thirst)
- St. John Paul II (The Gift)
Best for: Beginners, busy people, and families.

3. The Warrior's Path: The Militia Immaculata (St. Maximilian Kolbe)

Vibe: Short, urgent, mission-oriented.
Content: Kolbe viewed consecration not just as personal holiness, but as becoming a "bullet" in Mary's gun to defeat evil.
Best for: Those who want to fight for the Church.

How to Live It (The "After" Phase)

Consecration isn't a graduation; it's an enrollment. After Day 33, everything changes. You are no longer the owner of your life. Mary is the owner.

When you wake up: "I am all yours, my Queen."
When you lose your keys: "Mother, help me find your keys."
When you suffer: "Mother, I give you this pain. Use it to save souls."
When you do good: "Mother, take this merit. Give it to whoever needs it most."

This is the most radical part: You give away your merits. You trust Mary to distribute the grace from your prayers to the souls she knows need it (maybe a sinner in China, maybe your grandmother in Purgatory). You stop worrying about your own spiritual bank account and let her manage the finances.

Popular Start Dates

You can start anytime, but it is best to end on a Marian Feast.

Conclusion: The Apostles of the Latter Times

St. Louis prophesied that in the "Latter Times," God would raise up a generation of saints who would tower over previous saints "like the cedars of Lebanon tower over little shrubs." He said these saints would be formed by Mary. They would have the Rosary in one hand and the Crucifix in the other.

Are you one of them? The world is waiting. The battle is raging. Get the book. Pick a date. Give her everything.

We have the full 33-day prayer plan built into the MyPrayerTower app. Download it and start your journey today.