Sinner’s Guide to Becoming The “Spotless Bride” -

This always got me stuck, Just how was little ol’ me to do this? Become a spotless Bride for Him Whom I  Love.  -& yes, I know, it’s Jesus, Who Does it, but I still have to receive His action in my soul, by opening myself up to His Grace, & the fruits would then be seen in my actions, in my Life. So, when I found an easy route to ‘cleaning up my life’ I was delighted, it’s something for “little children” to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

I’m also amazed at how few realize this route is available, or who see it for what it is, a real treasure to be & shared, TB2G.  ( Thanks be to God). Take this route & watch what spiritual ground you cover, what spiritual battles you win, it’s as though Old Hairy Legs (my Mum’s term for the Evil One) can’t come too close anymore… are you ready?

Now, there is a HUGE grace Jesus has given us, through the Treasury of Grace / the Treasury of Merits, & we can tap into that grace. Really it’s just that Jesus won such Grace that could never be used up, & accumulated with the grace won by all those good souls, Saints & Martyrs who did the Will of the Father.  Now, the Church has been made custodian of this Huge Storehouse of Grace, & when Jesus gave Peter the Keys to the Kingdom, this is a part of that role, that authority of opening up all Heaven for our benefit! YAY! I Love being Catholic!

Now, don’t be afraid! I know there is a load of misinformation out there about this but we need to understand: Satan will attack what is most treasured / holy,  -yes ?  I decided to make it a daily thing, to gain what we call a Plenary Indulgence. Now basically, this is appropriating God’s Grace when we haven’t earned it. O.K ? Easy. Indulgences are either partial or plenary ( complete ). It means to regain our Baptismal Grace /our Baptismal Innocence, & the remission or removal of all temporal punishment due to sin ( that’s already been confessed, – yes?) . So Purgatory: bye-bye. I choose another route! No stop over in Purgatory, but freeway bypass, One Way.  I don’t know about you, but I NEED THIS big time !!

Prepare to be His Bride

So bearing in mind that this is a simplified version, the purpose being to boil a load of info. down to something that can be easily grasped & practiced daily. Grace / Indulgences for Dummies type style.  So we can become ‘as little children’ so as to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now, we need to have the understanding that this is not our merits, but God’s Grace, that carries us. Having said that, there are somethings that we need to do, to appropriate this grace, so that we open ourselves to receive this Gift. Here we go:

Have the Intention / Desire to receive a Plenary Indulgence (tell Jesus: you want them All! Every grace possible, you now & forever say YES to. Easy!)

Be in a state of Grace, (not having any mortal sins unconfessed, with no attachment to sin)

Confession 8 days either side ( every 2 weeks will suffice for a daily indulgence, ie: 8 days before & 8 days after, but I recommend Weekly Confession, why – because you’ll never get caught out of range, & It’s just soooo beneficial for your soul to get rid of the junk! )

Receive Communion ( a Spiritual Communion will suffice if  physical Communion is not possible, on the day you wish to receive a Plenary Indulgence, so Daily is good! )

Pray for the Popes Intentions ( generally an Our Father, & Hail Mary; but any prayer will do. The Intentions of the Pope can be found on EWTN etc, & generally consist of praying for the poor, missionaries, knowledge of the Gospel, the sick etc) Daily, if you wish to receive a daily indulgence, the prayer is for the day you wish to receive the Indulgence.

Those buttoned up, there then needs to be one specific act for your day, so you get to choose!  Choose One:

Half an hour of Scripture reading

Half an hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Adoration or just before the Tabernacle

Family / group Rosary ( 5 decades)

Indulgenced Rosary (blessed by the Pope: any live Wednesday Audience EWTN / Radio will do, the Pope blesses religious articles; or one decade of a Living Rosary for those who are enrolled) so this Indulgenced Rosary can be prayed solo.

Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament / in a Church.

The Stations of the Cross

An act of Mercy

Now most of us can easily make this a part of our daily devotion. Once you have, look back after a while & you’ll realize many spiritual battles have just …gone!  Many things that used to be a real issue for you are now  NOT even a temptation anymore , it’s wonderful, as though you grew spiritual wings & have left the ground for flight.

A few others worth mentioning, but are more time /detail specific:

Renewing your Baptismal Promised at the Easter Vigil / on the feast of your Baptism.

Corpus Christi Mass & many other major feast days

A First Holy Communion / Confirmation/ Baptism Mass

Papal / Bishops blessing live even via radio / T.V. (EWTN Wednesday Papal Audience available each week! Get all religious articles blessed too, wedding rings, statues, pictures etc.)

Kissing a Crucifix at the hour of death.

P.s. you can gain an Indulgence for yourself or someone who has died. But not the living, since they must CHOOSE grace for them selves, it will not be forced on someone.

He knows our heart

P.p.s The Good News is that nobody is perfect! So, we humbly ask Jesus to make up for whatever is lacking in our thoughts, intentions, deeds or omissions … TRUSTing that He Who Died for us, longs for our Full Redemption, we throw ourselves on His Infinite Mercy & Love with confidence that ‘our little way’ of Faith pleases Him. That we can only try our best & this pleases Him Who KNOWS our hearts.

Hey: Ricky ( my husband) says : “A Plenary a day, keeps the Devil away.”  :)