Day 1 - Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe for a New Culture of Life

Day 1 Novena Reflection

When I was a very young man I spent nearly two years in a Benedictine Monastery dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. At every time of formal prayer, and during personal prayer, I was deeply inspired by a wall size image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which had been painted by a pilgrim when the Monastery was founded.

It drew me ever closer to Jesus and had a profound effect on me.

More than Over forty years have passed and The Image of the pregnant Virgin Mother of the Lord, Our Lady of Guadalupe, communicates deeply, to my heart.

I am not alone. This beautiful image is still drawing all pilgrims, those who approach for reflection and assistance, to the Son whom she carried in her womb as a living tabernacle.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in Mexico as the pregnant Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ to St. Juan Diego, on December 9, 10 and 12, 1531.

She left a Miraculous Image, an Icon, of her appearance on his cactus fiber cloak (Tilma) which still exists today for all to observe and venerate in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Saint John Paul II said of this beautiful Image:

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"Our Lady is brilliantly seen in the mestizo countenance of this image of Mary of Guadalupe who appeared in the beginning of the evangelization of the Americas...

I ask her to 'visit' as a 'pilgrim of faith' - each and every diocese, parish and family in America, repeating to her children what she did at Cana, 'Do whatever He tells you.' (Jn: 2:5). May she cross this continent bringing it 'life, sweetness and hope!'"

We seek her intercession for an end to the culture of death, the building of a new Culture of Life and the conversion of the Americas to Jesus Christ and His Church.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization, pray for us.

Novena Prayer Asking the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Beloved Father, through the life, death and resurrection of your only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, we have become your adopted sons and daughters.

Through Baptism we are now members of His Body, the Church, which is Your family.

Before your Son and our Savior gave up the last drop of His Sacred blood - and breathed his last breath - to set us free from sin and death -

He turned to His Beloved Mother at the foot of the Cross.

And said
'Woman, behold your son.'
Then he said to the disciple whom he loved with a special affection, John, and said,
'Behold your mother'" (John 19: 26-27).

The Mother of Jesus is the Mother of His Church - and our Mother.

And Now Dear Father, in the name of Jesus, and under the maternal care of Mary, His Mother, under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we ask for the end of the culture of death.

We ask for the spread of a new culture of life in the Americas.

We pray for the new evangelization of the Church and the conversion of the Americas to Jesus Christ and His Church.

And here, I present my own personal intention:

PAUSE FOR YOUR PRAYER INTENTION