We recently prayed about the providential care of our heavenly Father. Today we have placed before us the loving protection of our heavenly Mother, our Lady of Guadalupe. We are, in the words of this collect, under Her “singular protection” as the Mother of God. This of course harkens to Her reminder to Saint Juan Diego:

Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that disturbs you, the thing that afflicts you, is nothing. Do not let your countenance, your heart be disturbed. […] Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you.

Now halfway through Advent, this is a welcome reminder and prayer. Mary is with us in this very Marian season, and never to promote Herself, but always to lead us to Her Son. Is not that the purpose of this season—to be prepared to meet Him? And who better to show us the way to the Way, the truth of the Truth, and how to live the Life than She Who bore Him, raised Him, lived with Him, and was ever so perfectly conformed to Him at every moment? Who better to teach us to be Christian than She Who was the first Christian?

She, the Mother of God, is our Mother also. We pray, in the words of another prayer, to be “worthy children of so noble a Mother.” We also, in the darkening days of Advent, pray for Her guidance and protection, to be “under Her shadow,” safe from the evil, prowling lion who shudders in fear at the mere mention of Her Holy Name. Like Juan Diego, we can hope to receive comfort from Her in our mortal sorrows, as well as miraculous roses even in the harshness of the winter.

She wants only our best, and cares for us as only a loving Mother could. Go to Her, then, today and every day. She is your Mother, Protector, Defender, and She will only lead you to Jesus, Her Son and our Lord. Go to Her and pray:

Hail, you Star of Ocean! Portal of the sky, Ever Virgin Mother, Of the Lord most high.

O! by Gabriel's Ave, Uttered long ago, Eva's name reversing, Establish peace below.

Break the captive's fetters; Light on blindness pour; All our ills expelling, Every bliss implore.

Show yourself a mother; Offer him our sighs, Who for us Incarnate Did not you despise.

Virgin of all virgins! To your shelter take us; Gentlest of the gentle! Chaste and gentle make us.

Still as on we journey, Help our weak endeavor, Till with you and Jesus We rejoice forever.

Through the highest heaven, To the Almighty Three, Father, Son, and Spirit, One same glory be. Amen.

Reflection Questions

• How do you need the maternal care of Mary this Advent season?

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.  

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