Old and new, slavery and freedom, death and life. This is what is placed before us every day, and the choice is ours. The collect today begs God for grace that we might choose rightly, lest we lose everything. It begs God that we choose Christ and not our sinful ways.

The trouble is that too many of us are fine remaining with what is old (the sinful and fallen) instead of living fully in the newness of Christ. We are fine with “just enough” Christianity in our lives that we leave ourselves, ultimately, open to falling back into old ways very easily. To use a building analogy, too many times in life we are ok with there being cracks in the bricks and mortar, because at least the building is still standing, right? But the smoke of Satan can enter through the tiniest crack in the wall and eventually fill the whole of the structure.

The great question today, then, is whether or not we are willing to repair those cracks and holes, to firm up the foundation, and to allow the whole of the structure, i.e. our soul and life, to be given over to Christ. Rather than living as if He hadn’t come or didn’t exist or matter, we must give Him all Who gave all to us in Himself. We must be renewed by the New Law of grace and Gospel in Christ, so as not to live the old life of squalor and sin, even in the smallest of ways.

To seek to do this even now will allow Christ to be the true King and Lawgiver of our hearts. It will mean we are set free by the newness of Christmas and Christian living. It will mean that the world will not reign in us, for Christ will already sit enthroned in our deepest recesses, and there will be no place even for the smallest whispers of Satan’s lies.

Are you willing to give it all?

Reflection Questions

• Where do I make compromises in my life for sin or fallenness? Am I willing to “fortify the walls” so that sin has no place?
• Am I reticent or hesitant to take steps to avoid sin?
• Am I confessing all the sins of my life, even the seemingly small and trifling ones, or am I hiding them “because they are small”?
• Do I ask God for help “fortifying the walls” of my heart and soul, or am I hoping I can do it all on my own? Do I ask trusted friends for help when necessary?

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.