Before Christ came, we were subject to the devil. We were, in the frightening phrasing of Saint Paul, "sons of wrath." With the Advent of the Son of God, however, we became sons of God in the Son of God. We became, again quoting Saint Paul, "a new creation."

Notice the radicality of this reality. God did not simply look the other way when it came to our sin. He did not simply pretend we were "okay now." No, when His Son offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, His Blood transformed us from within and at our very depths. Indeed and in truth, we became a new creation. No longer were we simply meant for Eden, nor were we slaves of Satan's kingdom. Now, in Christ and by His Blood, we were something altogether new. It was as if God has remade a better Eden. This time, however, it was not in a garden paradise. It was within us, in our hearts, and there, as in the Eden of old, God desired to dwell.

Unfortunately, too many of us too often want and even choose to return to the "stain of the old way of life," to the wrath of the old world without Christ. But we are meant for more. We are meant to be sons in the Son, men of God, soldiers of the Church. This is all part of the the new creation to which we belong, and so today we beg God for the mercy we need to live up to so high a calling. Are you ready to answer that call?

Reflection Questions

• In what ways do you still belong to the old creation? How do you still serve Satan and His Kingdom?
• Where do you see the new creation alive in your life? How can you foster that new way of living?
• What needs to change to be rid of the old way of life and be ever more part of the new creation in Christ?

The Cristeros Rule of Life

As Cristeros, we dedicate ourselves to a a life of true devotion to Jesus through Mary, particularly in the form of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray for Us.

We begin our days with a Morning Offering dedicating our day:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

At a high or low point during the day, we pray to the Holy Spirit, handing over our accomplishments or sufferings:

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle in us the fire of thy love, send forth thy spirit and we shall be created, and though shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

At some point each day, on our own or with our family or friends, we pray to our Mother Mary in the form of Guadalupe, giving all that we have and are to Jesus through Mary by reciting one of the following:

• A daily Rosary, focusing on the Fruits of the Mystery.
• The Hail Holy Queen

Every night before we go to sleep, by ourselves or with our wife, we pray a nightly examine using the ACTS formula:

• Adoration: We adore you and Christ and we bless You, because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.
• Contrition: Ask God for forgiveness for all the times you have sinned or fallen short that day,
• Thanksgiving: Thank God for all the gifts he has given you that day, including the grace for those moments you have acted virtuously and towards the Good.
• Supplication: We ask God for his blessings that night and the next day, either with particular requests or in general, and end with a prayer dedicating ourselves to Him through Our Lady of Guadalupe: All that we have and all that we are, we give to your hands Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Our Lady of Gudalupe, Pray For us.  

‍