What Consecration Means of Russia and Ukraine

by G. Cantaluppi

PFor those who have a "pure" heart, that is, free from prejudices and ideological closures, the greatness and perfection of the Universe, once again revealed by the progress of science, produces a sense of amazement, which is transformed into gratitude to God. Paul VI wrote : «Man recognizes, accepts and loves his being from God. It is that attitude that is called religion. Religion is therefore the free ratification of the original creature-creator relationship. It essentially consists in professing this dependence, this relationship, which classifies our life in the ontological order and which is at the root of our way of thinking and acting" (2 February 1971).

Religious dependence on the Creator can be expressed  in different ways, for example through the good deeds we perform, as they demonstrate submission to the divine will. Consecrating oneself to God also falls within the scope of the "virtue of religion" and is an expression of adoration: this is underlined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 2095).

The main act of the virtue of religion is to adore God, that is, to recognize him as creator and savior, infinite and merciful love; equally it is recognizing the "nothingness of the creature", which does not exist except through the work of God; it is praising him, exalting him and humiliating oneself, confessing with gratitude that he has done great things and that his name is holy, like Mary in Magnificat. 

For the Christian faith, consecrating means separating something or someone from the world and entrusting it to God. It is an act that falls within the scope of the first commandment, that is, it expresses the adoration due to God alone and total abandonment to his Providence.

It also has a protective function and implies a path of repentance and conversion. Personal consecration is understood as a constant and consistent commitment by one or more people to follow a particular line of conduct faithful to the law of God. 

Pope Francis underlined this well in his homily on March 25th: «It is not a magic formula, no, it is not that; but it is a spiritual act. It is the gesture of full entrustment of children who, in the tribulation of this cruel and senseless war that threatens the world, turn to the Mother. Like children, when they are scared, they go to their mother to cry, to seek protection. We turn to her Mother, throwing fear and pain into her Heart, handing ourselves over to her. It means placing in that clear, uncontaminated Heart, where God is reflected, the precious goods of brotherhood and peace, everything we have and are, so that she, the Mother that the Lord has given us, protects and guards us."

For our part, "if we want the world to change, our hearts must change first." It is the path from which to start again to change course, to become "artisans" of that peace which, we read in the deed of trust, we have wasted.