O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin prepared a worthy dwelling for your Son, grant, we pray, that, as you preserved her from every stain by virtue of the Death of your Son, which you foresaw, so, through her intercession, we, too, may be cleansed and admitted to your presence.

The Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception of Mary is the first happening of the new covenant. Mary, through no merit of Her own, was privileged to be the first participant in the fruits of the Cross, and was preserved from all sin, both original and personal, by a special and singular grace. This is why She calls God “Savior” in Her Magnificat: for the Lord did more than just remove sin from Her—He prevented Her from ever being touched by it.

The purpose of the Christian life is to become more like Christ, even to the point of union with Him. Today, in the midst of the Advent season, we realize that this life also makes us like Mary, for She was totally one with Her Son from the first moment of Her creation. The whole of our Christian living is therefore Marian as well, for we would never know Jesus without Her, and to be like Her is to be like Him.

Of course, we will never be free from sin in the way that She was and is, but we can make use of the many graces God gives us to be further from sin all the time. The greatest of these graces is frequent confession, in which we, like Mary, participate in the fruits of the Cross. It is in this sacrament that we are washed clean from sin, and, in the moment, even made immaculate in a way: we still have tendency to sin, to be sure, but in sacramental penance and reconciliation, we truly are made new as our sins are purged away in the Blood of Christ.

In addition to this, as the collect today states, we have our Mother’s intercession. It is in fact through Her prayers that we are asking to be “cleansed and admitted to God’s presence,” because God has so ordained that Mary’s prayers are powerful in His sight. The saints even speak of Christ granting His Mother’s every request.

Get to confession often, then. Once a month at least is a good schedule, and of course more as needed. These confessions are not wasted time and effort, for they make us one with Christ. And in that way, they make us like Mary, to Whom we offer our prayers today, and Whom we should love dearly as our very own Mother, the Immaculate.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

Reflection Questions

• How often do I go to confession?
• Do I have devotion to Mary?
• Do I ask Mary to help me overcome my sinfulness?

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.