Have you ever felt like your spiritual life is just a messy room that you can’t keep clean? I know I have. I used to try so hard to be good, but then I would mess up again. I felt like I was running in circles. Then, a friend told me about having a “spiritual mother” who could help clean up my mess. It changed everything for me. It wasn’t about me trying harder; it was about trusting someone else to help me. This is what the daily consecration to mary prayer is all about. It is like giving the keys of your life to someone who knows how to drive better than you.
I want to share with you what I learned from some deep reports and history books about this. I am not a priest or a fancy writer, and my English isn’t perfect, but I really want to help you understand this. It is a beautiful way to get closer to Jesus. So, here are 20 ideas and prayers based on the “Covenant of the Handmaid” to help you start your journey.
What is the Daily Consecration to Mary Prayer?
When we talk about a daily consecration to mary prayer, we are talking about a big promise. It is called “Total Entrustment.” The report I read says this is a “fundamental reorientation of the Christian life.” That means it changes the direction you are walking.
The main idea is simple. Jesus came to us through Mary. She was the path He chose. So, it makes sense that the best path for us to go back to Jesus is through her. It is often called Totus Tuus, which is Latin for “Totally Yours.” You give your body, your soul, and even your “spiritual merits” (the good things you do) to her. She then makes them beautiful and gives them to God. It is a way to surrender to the “Lordship of Jesus Christ” through His Mom.
Let’s look at 20 ways to pray this, based on the Bible and history.
1. The Prayer of the New Eve
The very first reason we do a daily consecration to mary prayer goes all the way back to the beginning of the Bible. In Genesis, there is a prophecy.
- The Scripture: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
- The Application: The first Eve said “no” to God and listened to a bad angel (the serpent). This brought sadness. Mary is the “New Eve.” She listened to the good angel Gabriel and said “yes.” This brought Life. When we consecrate ourselves, we are joining her side of the fight. The report says St. Maximilian Kolbe viewed this as “military enlistment.” We are standing with the Woman to crush the head of the serpent.
- Your Prayer: “Mother Mary, New Eve, I join your side today. I don’t want to be with the serpent. I want to be your offspring. Please place me in opposition to evil. Use me to help crush the bad things in my life. I offer this daily consecration to mary prayer to stand with you.”
2. The Prayer to the Queen Mother (Gebirah)
A lot of people get confused about why we call Mary “Queen.” It isn’t because she is God. It is because of how kings worked in the Old Testament.
- The Scripture: “Bathsheba went to King Solomon… The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne and had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right.” (1 Kings 2:19)
- The Application: In the family of King David, the Queen wasn’t the wife; it was the Mom. She was called the Gebirah or “Great Lady.” Her job was to ask the King for favors for the people. Solomon said, “I will not refuse you.” Jesus is the new King, and He loves His Mom even more than Solomon did. When we pray to her, we are asking the Queen Mother to speak to the King for us.
- Your Prayer: “O my Queen, my Gebirah, I come to you because you sit at the right hand of the King. You have the office of intercession. Please take my needs to Jesus today. I know He refuses you nothing that is good. Be my advocate through this daily consecration to mary prayer.”
3. The Prayer of the “Fiat” (The Yes)
This is the moment that changed history. It is the center of our consecration.
- The Scripture: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
- The Application: Mary’s “yes” (or fiat in Latin) allowed God to enter the world. The report calls this the “primordial act of human consecration.” She gave herself totally to God’s plan. When we say a daily consecration to mary prayer, we are trying to copy her “yes.” We want to be empty of our own plans so God can fill us up, just like He filled her. St. Louis de Montfort says we go to God through her because she knows how to surrender perfectly.
- Your Prayer: “Mother, teach me how to say ‘yes’ to God. I am often scared or stubborn. I want to be a handmaid of the Lord too. I repeat your words today: Let it be done to me according to His Word. Help me mean it.”
4. The Prayer of Entrustment at the Cross
This is the most important proof that Jesus wants us to have Mary as a mom. It happened when He was dying.
- The Scripture: “Woman, behold, your son… Behold, your mother.” (John 19:26-27)
- The Application: Pope John Paul II explained this beautifully. The disciple John represents all of us. When the Bible says John took her “into his own” (eis ta idia), it means he took her into his inner life, his messy room, his whole reality. Jesus gave her to us as a gift before He died. To consecrate yourself is to accept this gift. It is obeying Jesus’s command to “behold” her.
- Your Prayer: “Jesus, I accept the gift You gave from the Cross. I behold my Mother. I take her into my home and my heart today. I will not leave her outside. She is mine, and I am hers. This daily consecration to mary prayer is my way of obeying Your dying wish.”
5. The Prayer of the Ark
In the old days, God’s presence lived in a gold box called the Ark. Now, Mary is the Ark.
- The Scripture: “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant.” (Revelation 11:19)
- The Application: The Old Ark held the stone tablets and bread (manna). Mary held the Bread of Life (Jesus). Revelation 12 talks about the “Woman clothed with the sun” right after seeing the Ark. They are the same. The “rest of her offspring” are those who keep God’s rules. By consecrating ourselves, we are asking to hide inside the Ark. It is a safe place away from the dragon/devil.
- Your Prayer: “O Ark of the New Covenant, carry me safely today. The world is scary like a wilderness. Hide me in your grace. I want to be counted as your offspring. Protect me from the dragon as I say my daily consecration to mary prayer.”
6. The Prayer of “Hyperdulia” (Proper Respect)
We need to get our theology right so we don’t make mistakes. We don’t worship Mary.
- The Scripture: “For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48)
- The Application: The Church teaches there is a difference between Latria (worship for God only) and Dulia (honor for saints). For Mary, we use Hyperdulia. This is a fancy word for “super veneration.” She is higher than saints but she is still a creature. She is not God. When we give ourselves to her, we are not making her a goddess. We are treating her as the “Mediatrix” or helper who brings us to Jesus.
- Your Prayer: “Lord, I give you Latria and worship. You are my God. But I give Mary Hyperdulia. I honor her as Your masterpiece. I know she is not You, but she is the best path to You. Keep my heart straight as I pray this daily consecration to mary prayer.”
The Daily Prayer of Father Zucchi
Now we get to the practical stuff. How do you actually do this every day? There is a famous prayer written by an astronomer named Father Niccolò Zucchi in the 1600s. He designed telescopes, but he also designed a way to keep our souls clean. This is the most common daily consecration to mary prayer.
7. The Prayer of General Surrender
This is the start of the “O My Queen” prayer.
- The Scripture: “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” (Song of Solomon 2:16)
- The Application: The prayer starts: “O my Queen, O my Mother, I love you and give myself to you.” It establishes two things: Authority (she is Queen) and Intimacy (she is Mom). It is a total giving. We aren’t holding anything back.
- Your Prayer: “O my Queen, O my Mother, I love you. I am not just visiting you today; I am giving myself to you. Take all of me. I want to be totally yours.”
8. The Prayer of the Eyes
Father Zucchi was very specific. He didn’t just say “take my body.” He listed parts.
- The Scripture: “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.” (Job 31:1)
- The Application: The prayer says, “I give to you this day my eyes.” This is so important today with phones and TV. We see so much bad stuff. By giving our eyes to Mary, we are asking her to filter what we see. We are asking for protection against lust and greed.
- Your Prayer: “Mother, here are my eyes. Please guard them. Don’t let me look at things that hurt my soul. Help me see Jesus in other people. I consecrate my vision to you in this daily consecration to mary prayer.”
9. The Prayer of the Ears
We hear a lot of noise and gossip.
- The Scripture: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:9)
- The Application: The prayer says, “I give to you… my ears.” This is to protect us from gossip, slander, and bad music. We want to tune our ears to God’s voice. If our ears belong to Mary, we should only listen to things she would listen to.
- Your Prayer: “I give you my ears today. Block out the gossip and the noise of the world. Help me hear the truth. Let your voice be the one I listen for.”
10. The Prayer of the Mouth
Our words can hurt people very fast.
- The Scripture: “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)
- The Application: Zucchi included, “I give to you… my mouth.” This dedicates our speech to truth and charity. It is a promise to avoid bad words, lying, or being mean. We want our mouth to praise God like Mary did in her Magnificat.
- Your Prayer: “Mary, take my mouth. Use my voice to say kind things. Keep me from complaining or lying. Let my words be sweet like yours were.”
11. The Prayer of the Heart
This is the center of who we are.
- The Scripture: “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” (Psalm 51:10)
- The Application: The prayer includes, “I give to you… my heart.” This is the seat of our emotions and our will. Sometimes our hearts get broken or dirty. By giving it to Mary, we ask her to keep it safe and clean.
- Your Prayer: “My heart is yours, Mother. It is messy sometimes, but I give it to you. Fill it with love for Jesus. Don’t let me love the wrong things.”
12. The Prayer of Property
This sounds a bit legal, but it is comforting.
- The Scripture: “Ye are not your own… ye are bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
- The Application: The prayer ends with: “Keep me and guard me as your property and possession.” In Latin, it is rem et possessionem tuam. St. Francis de Sales said a good master takes care of his property. If you are Mary’s property, she has a duty to take care of you. You are her responsibility now.
- Your Prayer: “I am your property now. I am your stuff. You have to take care of me because I belong to you. Guard me from the devil because he can’t touch what belongs to the Queen. This is my confidence in my daily consecration to mary prayer.”
The Way of St. Louis de Montfort
If you want to go deeper, there is a man named St. Louis de Montfort. He wrote a book called “True Devotion to Mary.” It was lost for 100 years in a chest but was found in 1842. It is very powerful.
13. The Prayer of Holy Slavery
This sounds scary, but it means “Slavery of Love.”
- The Scripture: “I am the Lord’s servant.” (Luke 1:38)
- The Application: Montfort calls consecration a “holy slavery.” It means we give up our rights to ourselves. We give her our body, soul, and money. But the biggest thing is we give her the value of our prayers. We can’t say, “I offer this for my aunt.” We give it to Mary and let her decide who needs it. Maybe a person in China needs it more. We trust her.
- Your Prayer: “I am your slave of love, Mary. I give you the right to use my prayers however you want. You know who needs grace today. I trust your distribution.”
14. The Exchange of Merits
This is a great deal for us. It is like trading dirty clothes for royal robes.
- The Scripture: “He has clothed me with garments of salvation… as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest.” (Isaiah 61:10)
- The Application: Montfort says if we give a peasant gift (an apple) to a King, he might reject it. But if we give it to the Queen, she puts it on a gold plate and gives it to the King. He accepts it because of her. When we do the daily consecration to mary prayer, Mary takes our small, distracted prayers, cleans them up, adds her own merits, and gives them to Jesus.
- Your Prayer: “Mother, my prayers are weak and full of distractions. Please take them. Clean them. Add your perfect love to them and give them to Jesus. Make my small gift acceptable.”
15. The Prayer of the Chains
Montfort liked physical reminders.
- The Scripture: “I will draw them with cords of a man, with bands of love.” (Hosea 11:4)
- The Application: He suggested wearing small iron chains. Today, people usually wear a medal or a chain necklace. It is a sign that we aren’t slaves to sin anymore; we are bound by love to Jesus and Mary. It is an exterior sign of the interior reality.
- Your Prayer: “I wear this chain/medal as a sign. I am not free to do sin. I am bound to you. Let this physical object remind me of my daily consecration to mary prayer every time I touch it.”
The Way of St. Maximilian Kolbe
St. Maximilian Kolbe was a modern saint who died in Auschwitz. He saw consecration as being a soldier.
16. The Prayer of the Instrument
Kolbe didn’t just want to be safe; he wanted to work.
- The Scripture: “Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” (Romans 6:13)
- The Application: Kolbe asked to be an “instrument” (narzędzie) in the hands of the Immaculata. Like a pen in a writer’s hand. The pen doesn’t argue; it just writes. He wanted to convert the whole world, especially enemies of the Church, through her.
- Your Prayer: “Immaculata, I am your instrument. Use me today. Write your love on the world with my life. I don’t want to do my own will; I want to be used by you to save souls.”
17. The Miraculous Medal Prayer
Kolbe loved this medal. He called it a “bullet” against evil.
- The Scripture: “Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” (Traditional)
- The Application: The specific prayer for his group (the Militia Immaculata) is: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, and for all those who do not have recourse to you, especially the enemies of Holy Church and those recommended to you.” This prays for people who hate the church.
- Your Prayer: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for me. And pray for the people who don’t pray to you. Pray for the enemies of the Church. Bring them to Jesus through your love.”
Living the Consecration Daily
Finally, here are three practical ways to live this out, based on Montfort and Mother Teresa.
18. The “In Mary” Prayer (Interior Retreat)
You can hide in her spirit.
- The Scripture: “Abide in me, and I in you.” (John 15:4)
- The Application: Montfort says we should do all actions “In Mary.” This means retiring into her peace like a secret room or “oratory.” When you are stressed at work, you mentally go into Mary’s spirit. It is a place of rest.
- Your Prayer: “I hide myself in you, Mary. The world is loud, but your spirit is quiet. Keep me calm and peaceful inside your heart while I work today.”
19. The “With Mary” Prayer (Modeling)
This is about copying her.
- The Scripture: “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15)
- The Application: We do actions “With Mary.” We ask, “How would Mary wash these dishes? How would Mary talk to this annoying person?” We use her as our model for everything.
- Your Prayer: “Mary, do this with me. Help me be patient like you. I want to act just like you would if you were here. Be my partner in my chores today.”
20. The “I Thirst” Prayer (Mother Teresa)
Mother Teresa added a beautiful idea about comforting Jesus.
- The Scripture: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), ‘I thirst.'” (John 19:28)
- The Application: Mother Teresa said Mary was the first to hear Jesus cry “I thirst” on the Cross. It wasn’t for water; it was for love. Her consecration was about lending Mary her heart so Mary could love Jesus through her. She prayed, “Mary, lend me your heart.”
- Your Prayer: “Mary, lend me your heart. My heart is too small to love Jesus enough. Give me your Immaculate Heart so I can satisfy His thirst for love. Use me to comfort Him.”
FAQ: Questions You Might Have
You probably have some questions about this. Here are answers based on the “Covenant of the Handmaid” report.
1. Is a daily consecration to Mary prayer considered worship? No. It is called Hyperdulia (veneration), not Latria (worship). Worship belongs only to God. Consecration is just using the path God chose (Mary) to get back to Him.
2. Who wrote the ‘O My Queen’ prayer? It was written by a Jesuit astronomer named Father Niccolò Zucchi in the 17th century. He wrote it to help people guard their senses from sin.
3. What is the “33 Day” preparation? St. Louis de Montfort created a 33-day retreat to prepare for consecration. It involves 12 days of emptying yourself of the world, then weeks of learning about self, Mary, and Jesus.
4. Can I do the prayer without the 33 days? Yes. Method 1 in the report says you can simply recite the “O My Queen” prayer every morning. This is a great way to start.
5. What does ‘Totus Tuus’ mean? It is Latin for “Totally Yours.” It was the motto of Pope John Paul II and summarizes the whole idea of giving everything to Jesus through Mary.
6. Do I have to wear chains? Montfort recommended small iron chains as a sign of “holy slavery,” but today many people wear a medal or a simple chain necklace instead. It is an exterior sign of an interior love.
7. What if I forget to say the prayer? Don’t worry. It is about your heart’s intention. Just say it when you remember. Mary is a Mom, not a police officer.
8. What is the “Gebirah”? It is the Hebrew word for “Queen Mother.” In the Bible (Old Testament), the King’s mom was the Queen and the intercessor. This helps us understand Mary’s role.
9. Can Protestants do this? This is a Catholic tradition, but the report shows it is rooted in the Bible (Genesis, Kings, Luke, John). Anyone who loves Jesus and respects His mother can learn from her “yes” to God.
10. What does it mean to be an “instrument”? St. Maximilian Kolbe taught that we should be like tools in Mary’s hands to help save souls. She does the work; we just let her use us.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. The daily consecration to mary prayer isn’t just one boring paragraph you read. It is a “Covenant of the Handmaid.” It is a multi-layered adventure. Whether you are using the short “O My Queen” prayer by Father Zucchi or doing the full “Holy Slavery” of St. Louis de Montfort, the goal is the same.
You are saying, “Lord, I am too weak to do this alone. I am too poor to approach the King. So I am going to ask His Mom to help me.”
The report says this doesn’t hide Jesus; it glorifies Him. It validates the method He chose. He came to us through Mary, so we go to Him through Mary. Ad Iesum per Mariam.
If you start this practice, you might find that your spiritual room gets a lot cleaner. Not because you are scrubbing harder, but because you finally let the Mother in to help you.