TTM stands for Totus Tuus Maria which is Latin for "totally yours Mary" en ingles or "totalmente tuya María" en español (p.s. If you are a guy I believe you would say "totalmente tuyo María"). This phrase was the motto of Pope Blessed John Paul II. I think the story goes that when JPII was a young boy his mother died and so his father took him before an image of the Blessed Mother and told him "This is your mother now." From that time on Our Lady had a very special place in his heart and he even made this the motto of his pontificate and put it on his papal flag.
I came to learn about this phrase and the meaning behind it when I went to college. I think I talked about this a little bit before when I went back to visit Franciscan University, but my college was very special in that it had something called households. A household is kind of like a fraternity or sorority- but so much more! You have different prayer commitments each week with your household (usually about 2-4 per week) and usually you live with those girls, share meals with them and they are some of your closest friends on campus. What mostly unites you to your household is the shared charism with the sisters (or brothers if you're a male). Each household has it's own charism or devotion. My household is named Totus Tuus Maria and has a great devotion to Mary (under the name Our Lady of the Streets) and all of us sisters make a total consecration to Jesus through Mary as we enter household.
There are many different ways and prayers to consecrate yourself to Mary. The way or method that I have done is total consecration to Jesus through Mary according to St. Louis Marie de Montfort. St. Louis Marie writes that total consecration "consists in surrendering oneself in the manner of a slave to Mary, and to Jesus through her, and then performing all our actions with Mary, in Mary, through Mary, and for Mary." Most basically you give yourself completely to Our Lord through Our Lady- you make yourself totus tuus Maria. The theology behind this is that Jesus came to us through Our Lady and so the best way to go Him is by following His example and going back to Him through Our Lady. When I made this consecration, I gave everything that I am to her- physically and spiritually, all my merits, graces and goods- trusting that she will present me most lovingly to her Son and plead on my behalf when I am found unworthy. I put everything that I am and everything that I have in her hands.
I cannot describe how much totus tuus Maria is a part of my life, how much belonging completely to Mary has changed me and brought me closer to her Son. For those of you who know me personally, trust me when I say that everything good about me is because of her. She is my Mother, my model, my Lady. She is helping me get to heaven so that I can spend an eternity filled with joy and love with the Trinity.This is why I include TTM after my name in this blog. I am and always will be totus tuus Maria. And I want to act totus tuus Maria, too. When I wrote about the phrase "Contenta con la Vida" I said that I want my blog name to remind me to be content and happy with the life God has given me no matter where it takes me. It's the same with signing my name TammyTTM- it reminds me that everything I do should reflect Our Lady and belonging completely to her. You may also remember from when I shared pictures of my getting my tattoo in Chile, that this is what is written permanently on my right foot. I want to constantly have within my sight that I am totus tuus Maria and to give her honor through it.
The act of consecrating yourself to Mary is a prayer that only takes a few minutes to pray. But because it means so much, St. Louis Marie recommends preparing for it. So there is a booklet that has thirty-three days of preparation prayers to get yourself ready for the first time, and then you are also supposed to renew the consecration and do the preparation prayers again once a year. I am really excited because I am renewing mine right now. I'm currently on Day 15 and I will end by renewing my consecration on July 16th which is the feast of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel (La Virgen del Carmen). This is very significant to me because la Virgen del Carmen is the patroness of Chile- so I think it's very fitting that I re-consecrate myself on that day and I pray that she watch over and guide this new chapter of my life in Chile.
María, soy tuya y todo que tengo es tuyo.
María, soy tuya y todo que tengo es tuyo.
María, soy tuya y todo que tengo es tuyo.
Nuestra Señora de las Calles, totus tuus!
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I hope I do not need to say this and that you did not misunderstand this blogpost, but I want to make clear that I (and my fellow Catholics) in no way consider Mary to be God or above God. We do not worship her. BUT we do have a great respect and love for her above all others because she is the Mother of God and free from all sin.
Beautiful Tammy!
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily! So, I found your blog finally, but it's posts are from 2008... do you have another one or you just haven't posted in a long time? :)
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