One of the most famous and loved of the approved Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Our Lady of Guadalupe. “The Patron of the Americas” (so named by Pope St. John Paul II) appeared near the City of Mexico to Saint Juan Diego.

Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego in the course of four days on four separate occasions—from December 9^th to December 12^th, 1531. These apparitions to the humble, simple, child-like Juan Diego would radically transform the face of the earth and the Catholic world. In fact, within 30 years—from 1531- 1561 close to 5 million Mexicans would be converted to Catholicism! This monumental miracle of massive conversions has never been equaled in the history of the world, in the history of Catholicism.

Juan Diego, living with his elderly uncle Juan Bernardino, would travel on foot frequently to the City of Mexico for the following important reasons: 1) To continue his formation in the Catholic faith (Juan Diego was an adult convert); 2) To attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; 3) To receive the Sacraments.

What a great model for adult Catholics today! Adult Catholics urgently need to build upon their catechetical formation. To attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is essential. And of paramount importance, in fact it is indispensable, the frequent, fervent and worthy reception of the Sacraments, especially Confession and the most Holy Eucharist.

This brief reflection will not center so much on the happenings, the appearances of Our Blessed Mother and the person of Saint Juan Diego (much has already been written on these all-important topics); rather, we would like to accentuate and highlight the extraordinary fruits that have blossomed and flourished as a result of the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our loving Mother, coming to visit us. In truth, the abundant fruits of her appearance and presence cannot be measured in their magnitude and far-reaching extension.

Let us abound in thanksgiving to Jesus, the Son of Mary, for having sent His Heavenly Mother to us, showering us with a deluge of graces and blessings.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE’S TREASURE BOX

1. MARY’S TENDER AND LOVING MOTHERHOOD.  To Saint Juan Diego, and to each and every one of us, Mary calls herself Mother. Saint Therese of Lisieux stated: “Mary is Queen, but more than Queen, Mary is Mother.” Saint Augustine with flaring eloquence asserts: “Put all the love of all the Mothers of all times and places together, the love of Mary for each and every one of us is much greater.”

2. MARY HEALS!  The great dilemma of Juan Diego as he hurried along heading to Mexico City to fetch a priest was the health of his elderly uncle, Juan Bernardine. Mary appears to Juan Diego and reassures him not to worry about his uncle, and she heals him immediately. So we can turn to Mary in our illnesses, as well as the illnesses and infirmities of our loved ones, and entrust these sicknesses to her. Among the many titles given to Mary is “Health of the sick.”

3. MARY TELLS US NOT TO WORRY.  Our Lady of Guadalupe told Juan Diego not to worry, that he, Juan Diego, was in the crossing of her arms, in her shadow, and in the opening of her garment (tilma). How many of us have worries, fears, doubts and many anxieties! Mary wants us to entrust our cares to her maternal care and protection. As we pray in the Memorare: “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided….” Right now: let us cast our cares, worries, fears and anxieties in the Heart of Mary. She will never forget us!

4. MARY AND THE CHURCH.  Then there is the ecclesial aspect of the Appearances of Our Lady of Guadalupe. With great insistence and determination, Our Lady commanded Juan Diego to inform the Bishop Juan Zumarraga that she wanted a Church to be built where she had appeared to him. Another clear message of Our Lady of Guadalupe is ecclesial. Mary is the Mother of God; she is the Mother of the Church, and she is the Mother of each and every one of us. Mary loves the Catholic Church and she encourages us all to attend Church, love the Church, pray for the Church, and to be precious, living stones in the structure of the Church.  The Second Vatican Council proclaimed Mary as “Mother of the Church. (Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium Chapter VIII)

5. MARY AND HOLY MASS AND HOLY COMMUNION.  Furthermore, Mary as Mother of the Church desires most ardently that we attend Mass frequently and participate in Holy Mass fully, actively and consciously. By this is meant, to be well-prepared to receive the Sacred Body and Blood of Her Son, Jesus in Holy Communion. Mary always leads us to Jesus. Her last recorded words in Sacred Scripture, in the context of the Wedding Feast of Cana, were: “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2:5)

6. MARY AND CONFESSION.  In the present Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe many Masses are celebrated every day. Still more, during the course of the day, from the opening of the Basilica until its close in the evening, there are confessors attending lines of pilgrim people, reconciling their souls and their lives to God through a Sacramental Confession.

7. MARY AND CONVERSION OF SOULS TO CHRIST.  In the history of the world never has there ever been recorded such a massive conversion in numbers to the Catholic faith as resulted from the Apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As mentioned in the opening comments, it is calculated that in the short span of 30 years close to 5 million people in Mexico were converted to the Catholic faith! The numbers literally stagger the imagination! Now it is the country with the highest number of Spanish-speaking Catholics in the world! Thanks to Jesus who sent His loving Mother to Mexico in 1531!

8. OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE AND THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT.  Of critical importance in the modern world is the presence, power and purpose of Our Lady of Guadalupe as an icon against the greatest moral evil of our times: the reality of abortion. The black ribbon around her waist points to the fact of her pregnancy. She is carrying the baby Jesus in her womb—Jesus who is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. The Pro-Life Movement has adopted Our Lady of Guadalupe as their patron against the onslaught and murder of innocent babies!

9. OUR LADY AS MISSIONARY, EVANGELIST AND STAR OF EVANGELIZATION (POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II). One of the most frequent and visited pilgrimages for Pope St. John Paul II was Mexico, most especially the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This great pontiff had in mind that massive conversion of Mexico and the present need for evangelization. Our Lady was proclaimed as the Patroness of the Americas and the New Star of Evangelization. May Our Lady of Guadalupe motivate all of us to leave our comfort-zone and do our part to drop the nets into the deep (Duc et altum) and haul in an abundant catch of fish, an abundant harvest of souls. “The harvest is rich but the laborers are few.” (Mt. 9:37)

10. OUR LADY CARES FOR ALL, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR THE POOR, ELDERLY AND ABANDONED OF SOCIETY.  Our Lady of Guadalupe showed tender care for the elderly and almost-dying Juan Bernardino. She desired that the Basilica be built, first for the Sacraments and to house the Eucharistic Presence of her Son in the tabernacle, and second, so that all (not just a select few) could come to her with their problems and she would be there to help all in their needs. Mary is the universal Mother, but she has a very special love for the poor, the elderly, the sick, the marginalized, the abandoned, the depressed and those who seem to have lost all hope. She is that shining star in the midst of the dark clouds, storms and tempests in life. Indeed, Our Lady of Guadalupe, as in the prayer the Hail Holy Queen, is: “Our life, our sweetness and our hope!”

In conclusion, our humble little literary exposition is simply an invitation for all of us to get to know, love, pray to, and entrust our lives, fears and cares to Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Read up on Our Lady of Guadalupe. Make a pilgrimage, if possible, to her Basilica in Mexico. Purchase a beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and enthrone it in your homes. Invite many, starting with your family, to pray the Rosary in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Never forget the words that she addressed to Saint Juan Diego as well as to you and to me: “My little one, do not worry. I have you in the very crossing of my arms”, that is to say: you are hidden in the very depths of my Immaculate Heart. Let us find our sure refuge in two places: the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

There is no woman in the History of the world who has left a more powerful presence in the most positive ways than the most holy, loved and venerated Blessed Virgin Mary. No woman who ever lived can even come close to the omnipotent and holy presence of God’s Masterpiece of Creation—the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Indeed, Mary is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, the Mystical Rose, the Gate of Heaven, the Tower of Ivory, the House of Gold, the Tabernacle of God, the Queen of Angels, Virgins, Martyrs, and all saints, as well as the Queen of all hearts. These are just a few of the countless Biblical, Mystical and Poetic titles attributed to Mary.

Mary’s person, her influence, her life and now her powerful presence in Heaven have left an indelible mark and seal on all of humanity that will perdure until the end of time and extend from time into eternity.

Indeed, what an extraordinary blessing to be aware of the holy and omnipotent presence of Mary, the Full of Grace, upon the universe at large. No doubt, we are truly blanketed and covered and protected under the powerful mantle of Mary’s ubiquitous presence!

Therefore, this being said, let us highlight the many indelible marks that Mary has engraved on the world, on humanity, as well as the History of the entire world. After Jesus, the Son of Mary, it is Mary herself who has the most profound impact on the whole of humanity and it is precisely for that reason: Mary’s relationship and love for Jesus Himself!

We humbly invite all to open their eyes to the wonderful world that envelops us and to become more cognizant and aware of Mary’s far-extending, powerful and sanctifying influence. Mary teaches us: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Lk. 1:46-47)

The following is a list of the many and various ways that Mary has marked the world and will continue to influence the world until the very end of the ages, all the way into eternity!

1. NAMES GIVEN TO CHILDREN AT BIRTH AND BAPTISM.   Parents have the moral obligation to choose the NAME of their child and the Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights that the name should have a Christian meaning. Thanks be to God that in the History of the world over the last two millennia huge numbers of parents have willfully chosen to name their child after Mary. Among the Marian names are the following: Mary/Maria, Fatima, Lourdes, Guadalupe, Conception, Assumption, Rosa, Nativity, Rosary/Rosario, Carmen, Milagros, Maryanne, and many others. Parents who have chosen to bless their child with a Marian name in reality initiate their child with a real blessing because by this Marian name, Our Lady will bless them all the more.

2. CITIES, TOWNS AND COUNTRIES NAMED AFTER MARY. Impossible to express because of the vast extent of the geographical presence of Mary; it cannot be denied the countless cities, towns, villages, counties, countries who have chosen the Name of Mary as their geographical identity! To name just a few. Los Angeles, California— “Santa Maria, de los Angeles—Our Lady Queen of Angels! Paraguay has as it’s Capital City, “Asuncion” —The Assumption of Mary into Heaven. One of the fifty states in the USA— “Maryland”—the land of Mary! One of the states/Provinces of Argentina is Rosario—Our Lady of the Rosary. How many cities and towns throughout the world have chosen Carmel—Our Lady of Mount Carmel, including California? Chile has a city with the name Concepcion—the Immaculate Conception. Obviously, we are just scraping the surface of the almost universal geographical presence of Mary throughout the entire world.

3. POETS AND POEMS. It is almost impossible to mention the universal presence and significance of Mary in the realm of literature, specifically that of poetry. Just to mention a few! Dante in “The Divine Comedy” once he reaches heaven depicts with beautiful word-images Mary as the enchanting Rosa-Mistica, the Mystical Rose. Beyond the heights of the Mystical Rose, Dante presents us with the Beatific Vision of the Blessed Trinity. Of course, one of the most renowned writers and poets who proclaimed the glories of Mary is the Mellifluous Doctor, Saint Bernard in his poetic-mystical Masterpiece titled:  Maria, Stella Maris—Mary, the Star of the Sea. In the midst of the trials, storms and tempests in our lives, like sailors tossed and turned by the tumultuous waves, we must lift our gaze to Mary. She is the Star of the Sea that will lead us safely and surely to the Port of salvation—Heaven.

4. RENOWNED WRITERS AND THEIR PEN.  Not only does the presence of Mary abound in an abundance of poetic excellence, but also in prose—books on Mary. The number is limitless, therefore, we will mention only one, possibly the most renowned of all: THE GLORIES OF MARY! Of all the writings of one of the most prolific writers in the history of the world—Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori—the same author considers his greatest work precisely that—THE GLORIES OF MARY. This spiritual masterpiece is a Marian compendium of Biblical passages, and sayings from the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and other saints, writers and poets expressing their love and confidence in Mary, in her infinite mercy towards all of humanity. This classic explains in minute detail every word from the prayer THE HAIL HOLY QUEEN.

5. MARY IN MUSIC AND SONG.  Saint Augustine has correctly commented: “He who sings, prays twice!” Song, harmony, melody, chant, and music are integral parts of the life of humanity and can indeed enrich our emotional life, moral life, and spiritual life as a whole. Countless Marian songs and hymns have been composed over the past two millennia and in a wide variety of languages. What cannot be fully expressed in prose can be better expressed in poetry, and at times even better in song! It is beyond possibility that can we name and express all the Marian hymns, but with great simplicity and humility we will list a mere few: “The Hail Holy Queen, Salve Regina, (English and Latin), Immaculate Mary, Sing of Mary, Ave, Ave Maria (To Our Lady of Fatima), Regina Caeli (Easter Season hymn), Hail Mary (Gentle woman), the Ave Maria (In Latin)—often sung in weddings, Ave Stella Maris—Mary, star of the Sea! By song and chant we joyfully lift our hearts, emotions, minds and souls to pay tribute and homage to our Heavenly Queen and loving Mother.

6. CHURCHES HONORING THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.  Of course, one of the most famous Churches in the world built and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary is in Paris, NOTRE DAME—OUR LADY! Sad to say that this masterpiece has undergone severe damage due to a fire, but is in the process of being restored. Millions of pilgrims have traveled to Paris to place their lives, families and problems at the feet and in the Heart of Mary—Our loving Mother. In Rome, the oldest Basilica built and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary is SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE—SAINT MARY MAJOR. Before traveling on important Apostolic missions, Popes will kneel in front of an image of Mary in this Basilica and beg for special graces and blessings. Mary indeed does bless them!

7. LOCALLY IN THE USA: THE BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.  In the Capital of the USA, you will encounter the most majestic, beautiful, enchanting and enthralling Architectural Masterpiece of spiritual beauty—THE BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. Of the hundreds of Churches, Cathedrals and Basilicas in the USA, by far the most beautiful and majestic is THE BASILICA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION in Washington, D.C.  Incidentally, the Immaculate Conception has been named the Patroness of the USA!

8. ART.  During the course of the centuries countless artists have spent long hours, often preceded by prayer and fasting, so as to depict to the best of their abilities the Majesty, the Beauty, the Splendor, and the sublime Glory of Mary who is indeed the Queen of the angels and the saints. One of the most noteworthy is the renowned Dominican, Blessed Fra-Angelico with many magnificent depictions from the lives of Jesus and Mary.

9. MOVIES.  Many movies over the past decades have been presented on the Blessed Virgin Mary, some better than others. A few can be mentioned: The Song of Bernadette (Our Lady of Lourdes), Our Lady of Fatima, Cartoon version of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Full of Grace (Our Lady after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven). These are a few. However, it must be said that one of the greatest cinematic Masterpieces beyond a shadow of doubt must be attributed to the famous Rosary-priest, Venerable Father Patrick Peyton. Family Theater from Hollywood, with the support of many excellent Catholic actors, helped this humble priest to compose the Movie on the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary (1958). One of the most faithful depictions of the fifteen Gospel scenes—the fifteen Mysteries of the Holy Rosary—Father Peyton offers for our viewing the  life of Jesus and Mary from the crib to the cross, to the empty tomb. In our love for the Blessed Virgin Mary and the most Holy Rosary, this movie is a must on our list. Over time EWTN has presented the fifteen mysteries, one at a time, each Mystery lasting close to 25 minutes. Viewing this cinematic masterpiece will enhance our love for praying the most Holy Rosary. Remember the immortal sayings of Venerable Patrick Peyton. “The family that prays together stays together.” And, “A world at prayer is a world at peace.”

10. MARY’S VISITS TO SUFFERING AND SINFUL HUMANITY. God is so good that He has sent His loving Mother to suffering and sinful humanity. This has been carried out by what may be termed approved Marian apparitions. There are many in the course of 2000 years of history. For sake of brevity, we will highlight three and invite all to strive to get to know these approved Marian apparitions better.

1) OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE. She appeared in 1531 four times to Saint Juan Diego in Mexico, and as a result the massive conversion of 8 million to Catholicism in 30 years!

2) OUR LADY OF LOURDES. She appeared in 1858 to Saint Bernadette in Lourdes France, 18 times over four years. It was after the dogmatic proclamation of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854, that Our Lady identified herself to Bernadette in these words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Bernadette had no idea what that meant, but the Catholic hierarchy examining the authenticity of the apparitions knew very well.

3) OUR LADY OF FATIMA. She appeared in Fatima, Portugal to three shepherd children, Lucia de los Santos, and her cousins, Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto. Her apparitions took place during the First World War, 1917, 6 Apparitions in total, from May 13th to October 13th, concluding with the great miracle of the twirling and spinning sun, seen by 70,000 people!

These approved Marian Apparitions have left a profound and indelible mark of influence on the whole world. In fact, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico is the second most visited pilgrimage site in the world, second only to the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome.

In conclusion, as we have briefly traveled with our pen and ink in this short essay, we can perceive the profound and universal influence that the Blessed Virgin Mary has left on all of humanity. She has left a universal and profound down-pouring of graces and blessings on the whole world. The blue sky symbolizes her loving mantle and her loving Heart in which she so desires to embrace and enfold us now and forever. Therefore, let us pray for purity of vision, purity of sight, the eyes of true mystics so that we can perceive God working in all times and in all places in the fabric of our daily lives and existence. Furthermore, let us beg for the unique grace to perceive Mary present behind the scenes always at work with the purpose of glorifying God in all times, places and circumstances. In these words: “My soul does magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” (Lk. 1:46-47)

The Sanctifier, the Paraclete, the Finger of God, the Interior Master, the Gift of Gifts, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the bond of Love uniting the Father and Son, the Helper, the Advocate, the Secret Friend—all of these are titles given to the Third Person of the most Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

As Saint Paul came to Ephesus on a missionary journey, he asked some of the people there if they had received the Holy Spirit. Their response could easily be seen in the light of the present situation with respect to the lack of knowledge of the faith, and the lack of knowledge of the Holy Spirit in general: “We did not even know that there was a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19: 1-8)

We have never lived in a world with so much information. However, at the same time, we have never lived in a world with so much widespread confusion—effect of sin and the Tower of Babel!

Therefore, we would like to offer a short essay on how we can grow in our knowledge, love and friendship with the Holy Spirit, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls Him—“The Gift of Gifts!” Let us freely receive this Gift into the depths of our hearts, minds, souls, understandings and allow Him to permeate us with His Presence and take total possession of our lives. A gift is a gift and it can be freely received or freely rejected. Let us open our entire beings to receive this greatest Gift, God Himself!

Hopefully these short suggestions can be of great help to unite you more closely to the Holy Spirit. Be ready and willing to share the knowledge that you have received freely. If we have received freely then we should give freely! The following are ten short points or ideas to enhance your knowledge, love and docility to the Holy Spirit.

1. PRAYER.  Never allow a day to pass without saying at least a short prayer to the Holy Spirit. Here is a short one that can be memorized easily: “Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.” Say this prayer often and with great faith and love.  Consequently, the Holy Spirit will be more active in your life.

2. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.  Read through the book in the Bible that follows the Gospel of St.  John attributed to Saint Luke, the Acts of the Apostles.  This book has been called “The Gospel of the Holy Spirit.”  Be keenly observant of how many times the Holy Spirit is mentioned in this spiritual masterpiece.  See also the different ways that the Holy Spirit works in the primitive Church.  You might even underline with your pencil the number of times the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.  Allow the Holy Spirit to enter more fully into your life by meditating on the Word of God.

3. NOVENA.  Get into the habit of making novenas.  One of the most powerful novenas in the history of the world was precisely the novena in preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit that first Pentecost.  The Apostles prayed and fasted nine days and nights in union with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Then an extraordinary phenomenon occurred: a powerful wind, and then fire descended upon the heads of the Apostles, transforming them into fiery lovers of Jesus, ready to shed their blood for the sake of the His name! (Read Acts chapter 2)

4. SYMBOLS.   Get to know the various symbols that the Church has given to know the Holy Spirit better. The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives several of them: Fire, a Cloud, the Dove, Wind, Water, Oil, the Seal, a Finger, a Lamp.  Symbols are physical realities that point to a more profound spiritual reality.  (CCC 694-701)

5. READING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT. One of the books that I highly recommend is “In the School of the Holy Spirit” written by Jacques Philippe.  A short but superb masterpiece on the topic of the Holy Spirit, Philippe invites us to pursue the path of holiness by the simple path of being docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, wants to make us saints, if we will only allow Him to operate freely in our lives.

6. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  At the moment of Baptism we receive the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit; then the Sacrament of Confirmation fortifies these wonderful gifts.  Get to know them; pray that they become more operative in your life; your sanctification and salvation depends on this deep union with the Holy Spirit and His Gifts.

7. THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  If you are floundering in “no-man’s land” as to what the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are, the following is your cheat sheet. Try to memorize them: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord.  According to Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, Wisdom is the greatest of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and can be defined as relishing the things of God. If you like, the Psalmist sums up wisdom in these concise words: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” (Psalm 34:8)

8. FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Traditionally the fruits of the Holy Spirit are twelve, even though Saint Thomas Aquinas says these are not all inclusive. The following are the traditional twelve: charity ( or love), joy, peace, patience, benignity (or kindness), goodness, longanimity (or long suffering), mildness, faith, modesty, continency, and chastity.  Saint Thomas states that when we are corresponding to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and carrying out God’s will in our lives then we experience this interior sweetness in our soul; these are the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

9. RECOVERY OF THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  A moral tragedy could occur in our lives: falling into mortal sin! If you have fallen into the mud of mortal sin, never give into despair, but trust God all the more fully.  By committing a mortal sin, we willingly expel the Holy Spirit from our soul. However, the Good News is this: CONFESSION!  By making a good sacramental confession to the priest, not only does God’s grace return to our soul, but also the Holy Spirit returns as the Sweet Guest of our soul.

10. OUR LADY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Mary had the deepest and closest relationship to the Holy Spirit after Jesus Himself.  The Immaculate Conception, in which Our Lady was preserved from the stain of Original Sin, was the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Virginal Conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary was due to the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit.  The birthday of the Church on that first Pentecost, in which the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in tongues of fire came about in the presence of Our Lady. Her powerful prayers facilitated the coming of the Holy Spirit and the advent of the missionary Church.  Our Lady has a deep and intimate relationship to the Blessed Trinity. She is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and she is the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit.  For this reason, Saint Louis de Montfort expresses in his words of great enthusiasm:  “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into those souls.”  May Our Lady attain for you a renewed Pentecost and a powerful infusion of the Holy Spirit. “Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.”

The devil has many names! The Bible gives us many; the saints have their own descriptions! The different names from the Bible and from the saints present the various manners that the devil works in the world and in our lives.

What, then, are some of the Biblical names or descriptions of the devil? Jesus gives a double name for the devil: “He is a liar and a murderer from the beginning.” (Jn. 8:44) He also calls the devil “the Prince of this world”. (Jn. 14:30) A somewhat strange name that Jesus gives the devil is that of Beelzebub—meaning literally, “The Lord of the flies.”

Other names in the Bible would be the following: devil, Satan, Lucifer, serpent, as well as the ancient serpent—referring to the temptations of Adam and Eve in the Garden.

Still more the devil is called the Accuser. In one of his Letters, Saint Peter compares the devil to an animal, a ferocious and vicious animal. “He is like a roaring lion on the prowl seeking whom he can devour.” (1Pt. 5:8)

In the History of the Church, the saints have their own descriptions of the devil. With his typical conciseness, Saint Thomas Aquinas calls the devil…“The Tempter”. Saint Augustine, following in the line of Saint Peter, using animal images, describes the devil as an angry dog on a chain or leash. Saint Martin calls the devil a bloody brute. Finally, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who has bequeathed to us the Spiritual Exercises calls the devil the enemy of our human nature.

The devil both hates God and hates all of humanity, as well as each and every one of us individually. One vice that the devil does not have is that of laziness. Quite the contrary, the devil works day and night tempting us. His purpose, with regard to us, is to tempt us to give into and succumb to sin. He wants us to be slaves of sin. Then he hopes to blind us to our slavery and addiction to sin. Finally, his greatest desire is to lure us into living in mortal sin and dying in the state of mortal sin. Then we will be the sport of the devil in hell for all eternity!

A note of great hope is that God is much stronger than the devil. However, God gives the devil permission to tempt us. We must rely on God’s grace and Mary’s intercession so as to win the battle and attain the salvation of our immortal souls.

The following are typical temptations of the devil who indeed, in the words of Saint Ignatius, is our mortal enemy. Our victory over the devil depends essentially on the grace of God, but also knowledge of his astute tactics.

TEN TYPICAL TEMPTATIONS OF THE DEVIL: THE ENEMY!

1. STATE OF DESOLATION.  Take this for granted: in the state of desolation the devil will tempt us; this is universal for all people, times and places. In a word, desolation is when we feel discouraged, sad, and depressed and that nobody really cares for me or loves me.

2. KRYPTONITE RULE.  Now the devil, aware of my facial expressions, seeing me sad, depressed, and discouraged applies the Kryptonite rule. Remember that Superman was strong except when he was exposed to Kryptonite. Then his strength left him. We must beg for the grace, as well as have access to spiritual direction, in order to discover our own Kryptonite.

3. PROCRASTINATION.  One of the typical temptations of the devil is to coax us into believing that we have a long life, a lot of time ahead of us, and that we can easily put off for tomorrow what we should do today. Put what off? Precisely this: put off our spiritual practices of piety. The devil speaks to us in this fashion: “You can go to Confession later – there’s no big hurry and the priest does not have time today.” Rosary – put it off, do it later, until finally you fall asleep at midnight. If you are in the habit of making a Holy Hour – you can skip it today and do it tomorrow, or next week, or never. In a word, the devil wants us to neglect our prayer life or at least diminish it.

4. HARBOR RESENTMENTS IN YOUR MIND AND HEART.  A chief tool of the devil is to surface in our minds past hurts and so harbor resentments. In other words, Satan desires that we hold back forgiveness and disregard being merciful. When the devil wins this huge victory, then we go through life both angry and depressed! Worse yet: we make the people around us angry and depressed! Double victory for the ancient serpent!

5. THE WORLD OF IMAGES.  In our modern, technologically advanced society and culture in which the image dominates, the devil, especially when we find ourselves in the state of desolation, can whisper in our ear to seek out bad images, scenes, videos against the virtue of purity or chastity. Unfortunately, viewing this material can easily form a habit, and then a long-term addiction. Better in desolation to run to the beautiful images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

6. LAZINESSS/INDOLENCE.  In Spiritual Theology and practice, experience shows that when we are indolent and doing nothing of real value, it is then that the devil tempts us and offers us the opportunity to enter into his factory or field of work, and that would be SIN! On the other hand, legitimate hard work not only builds us up and serves to help others, but it also serves to avoid many temptations from the devil. How true the proverb or saying: “Idleness is the workshop of the devil.”

7. BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS MORALS.  Saint Paul expresses a truism that all of us should consider: BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS MORALS. This being the case, all of us should choose with great discernment and wisdom who we would like to be our companions, especially our close friends. A bad companion can result in our ruin; however, a good friend is a treasure and can result in our growth in sanctification.

8. WANDERING EYES.  One of the greatest challenges is that of controlling our eyes. Eve, in the Garden of Eden, allowed her eyes to wander and to fix their gaze upon the forbidden fruit. This culminated, of course, in the commission of Original Sin, which was transmitted to all of humanity. The devil constantly tempts us to allow our eyes to wander. Remember the sins of King David—both adultery and murder—and it all started by the laziness of David and his wandering eyes.

9. DISOBEDIENCE IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS. Very often the devil will tempt us in many forms to disobey. Children being disobedient to their parents, Religious to their Superiors, workers toward their bosses, Catholics to the Magisterium (The Teaching Office of the Church)—behind much of this disobedience is the disguised presence of the devil. By the way, remember that the sin of Lucifer and the sin of Adam and Eve were essentially sins of disobedience to God. In a word, sin is disobedience.

10. TO IGNORE, TO SHOW INDIFFERENCE, COLDNESS AND REJECTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. It is a very interesting fact that once a Catholic leaves his true faith and becomes a Protestant or Jehovah Witness or enters into another Religious Sect, Our Lady is very often rejected. One of the key tactics of the devil is these words: “Catholics adore Mary, as well as images of Mary. They practice idolatry!” With this brain-washing they turn against Mary. Such individuals will ignore Mary, be cold or indifferent to Mary, reject Mary, or even have a real antagonism and outright hostility towards Mary. Behind these attitudes is the devil. Satan has a mortal fear of Mary because he knows her power of intercession, her power for good and for the salvation of souls. Saint Louis de Montfort asserts with precision: “He who does not have Mary as Mother, does not have God as Father.”

In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, our life is truly Combat, a mortal fight until the end. Our enemies are many, but especially three: the devil, the flesh and the world. Our short essay has as its purpose to help us beware of the many tricks, lies, disguises, and traps of the devil, who is a liar and murderer from the beginning. With this self-knowledge and awareness, we can fight the good fight, run the good race, and eventually win the merited crown in Heaven that awaits God’s victorious soldiers. “Que viva Cristo Rey! Que viva Maria, la Generala!!!”

Starting off on the right foot can set the stage and tone for a fruitful and successful day. The Cure of Ars stated that if we start our day off well, then there is a good chance that we will end it well. The saintly priest-confessor was referring to prayer. In other words, if upon waking, we can direct our first thoughts, words and sentiments to God, we are on the right path. We are putting God in the right place—the first place that He indeed merits!

Then during the course of our day, we should spice and condiment and season our daily spiritual menu with frequent and fervent prayers. A saint calls these short and fervent prayers fiery darts that penetrate the heavens!

Thinking about God frequently, talking to God frequently, having recourse to God often, thanking God often—this is the golden-key to opening up the treasure-gates of holiness. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church on prayer, Saint John Damascene offers us a short, pithy, but substantial definition of prayer: “Prayer is the lifting of the mind and heart to God.” Another superb definition of prayer is the following: “Prayer is listening to God, talking to God and loving God.”

Therefore, let us present some key moments in the course of the day when we can turn to God, lift up our minds to God, raise our hearts and souls to God and unite our wills to the Will of Our Lord, God, Savior and Friend. By the way, it must be expressed clearly that God, as our loving Father, is always ready and willing for us to enter into intimate dialogue and conversation with Him. How ironic this truth: God is never too busy for us; however, we are all too often, too busy for God.

1. MORNING OFFERING.  As mentioned above, as soon as we hear the alarm clock, we should immediately lift our mind and heart to God and pray our morning offering. A classical way is to offer all we have, all we are, and all that we do to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. If we place our intentions in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, she will bless us and all we do with abundant blessings.

2. KISS YOUR SCAPULAR.  All of us, as a sign of our consecration to Mary, should wear constantly the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This is Mary’s garment, the garment of grace and our exterior sign of consecration to Mary. Soldiers wear their uniforms; athletes their uniforms, Doctors and nurses their medical attire. However, as sons and daughters of God, and sons and daughters of Mary, we are proud to wear our Brown Scapular. It is our identity card, as well as our shield and protection against the fiery arrows of the enemy.

3. PRAY THE ANGELUS/REGINA COELI AT THREE SET TIMES: 9 am, 12 noon, and 6 pm. This prayer is so pleasing to Jesus and Mary and it can be prayed in 2-3 minutes. These three key moments in our day serve to sanctify the morning hours, the afternoon hours, and finally the night. The Angelus reminds us of the two principle events in the History of salvation: 1) the Incarnation of the Son of God made man through the Yes of Mary; 2) the Paschal Mystery of our Redemption: The Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus. Mary stood at the foot of the cross in that key moment of our Redemption.

4. THE MERCY HOUR 3:00 P.M.  Every day when the clock strikes 3:00 p.m. we call to mind that key hour, that key moment when Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, after shedding His Precious Blood on the cross for our salvation, breathed forth His spirit into the arms of His loving Father. In this MERCY HOUR (if at all possible) pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It will not take more than a few minutes. This prayer is very pleasing to the Merciful Heart of Jesus and a powerful prayer to attain the conversion of sinners and most especially death-bed sinners. If it is not possible to pray the Chaplet, at least for a few seconds lift your mind and heart to the agonizing and dying Jesus on the cross and beg for the conversion and salvation of poor sinners.

5. MEAL-TIME PRAYER.  Ven. Father Patrick Peyton stated: “The family that prays together, stays together.” We might even add to these words of wisdom: “The family that prays and eats together, stays together.” Meal-time for the family should be a most important social and binding time every day. Many have abandoned this indispensable family custom and habit. Meal time is the prime-time for bonding with the family. Conversing, sharing about our day, joking and laughing, smiling and bantering—all can and should be done at the meal time. However, meal-time should always be initiated by inviting Jesus to sit down at the table with the family. This is done by starting off with the prayer of the blessing of the meal. Let us strive to save our families by fervent and frequent prayer, but also by loving and sharing, especially at the Meal-time!

6. START OF EVERY HOUR—A SHORT ASPIRATION.  It is not always possible, but it might be worth the effort to commence every new Hour that God gives you by praying a short prayer, a short aspiration. Indeed the prayers can be short—brief fiery darts that pierce the Heavens! Some examples of short aspirations might be the following:

Jesus, I love you; save souls.

Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

God, I love you; shower me with your love.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for me.

Jesus meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto yours.

Jesus, I trust in you.

 Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.

The Hail Mary….

By cultivating this practice, we will be fanning the flame of God’s love in our hearts, a fire that can easily be extinguished by the world, the devil, and our own disordered passions!

7. THE EXAMEN PRAYER.  Saint Ignatius of Loyola insists as indispensable the importance of being faithful to the Daily Examen, which can be done at any time during the course of the day. This can be done in 15-20 minutes. How is it done?

FIVE STEPS:

1) THANKSGIVING… Start by thanking God for the gifts that He has bestowed upon you this past day (the past 24 hours);

2) PETITION… Beg the Holy Spirit to enlighten you to see the past day through the eyes/the lens of God, to see what happened with great clarity and objectivity; 

3) REVIEW… Review the past day. Go through the day, hour by hour, or event after event, and recognize God’s loving Presence in your life, sometimes called Divine Providence; also look for what was not of God.

4) CONTRITION… Humbly admit your short-comings and failures, keenly aware of God’s loving kindness and mercy;

5) PRAYERFUL RESOLUTION… With the self-knowledge of your weakness and fragility, but also of God’s abundant grace and mercy, propose for the following day how to avoid falling into the same human weaknesses and errors.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola insists on doing this Spiritual Exercise with a determined determination as an indispensable practice to attain true holiness of life. Find the time to be faithful to this practice!

8. HOLY HOUR.  Even though for many, the practice of the HOLY HOUR might be considered too long and too demanding, it has been proven to be a very powerful tool to advance on the Highway to holiness. The Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, despite his busyness of life (preaching, writing, T.V and radio celebrity, and Head of the Missionary as activity of the entire Church) always found time for his daily Holy Hour. He insisted that all priests find time for a daily Holy Hour. He coined the immortal proverb, words of true wisdom: THE HOLY HOUR: THE HOUR OF POWER!!! If you want God’s power in your life, of the 24 Hours in your day, give the Lord an Hour and you will quickly see the difference!

9. NIGHT PRAYERS.  Not only is it good to start off our day by giving ourselves to God, but also, it is good to end our day by surrendering ourselves to God’s loving and Providential care. It is a good spiritual-sandwich! What prayers? Highly to be recommended would be the following: Prayer to your Guardian Angel, the Our Father, and the practice of the three Hail Marys for purity of mind, soul and body. We may go on vacation, but the devil never takes a break. Especially not when we are in bed in our resting hours at night. Sometimes, in those hours the devil works overtime. Prayer can be our shield against the deadly arrows of the night devil—who will sometimes shoot his arrows in those dark hours of the night!

10. THE MOST HOLY ROSARY.  How true the words of wisdom of Ven. Father Patrick Peyton: “The family that prays together, stays together.” In his Apostolic Letter, “The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary”, Saint Pope John Paul II warmly encouraged and exhorted the whole world to pray the most Holy Rosary. Saint Padre Pio called the Rosary “his weapon!” The saintly Pontiff John Paul II mentioned two key intentions in the family Rosary: 1) world peace; 2) the salvation of the family. Given that the family is the basic building block of society and the Domestic Church, Saint Pope John Paul II firmly believed, like Ven. Father Patrick Peyton, that a key practice to save the family and the world at large is through the daily practice of the most Holy Rosary. Therefore, all families should find some time, place, and method to pray the Rosary together on a daily basis. This should be a firmly rooted habit that is never neglected. Our Lady of Fatima appeared six times to the three shepherd children—Saint Jacinta, Saint Francisco, and Lucia. In every one of the six Apparitions Our Lady insisted upon the daily recitation of the most Holy Rosary!

In conclusion, friends in Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph, food must be condimented, if not the taste is too bland and boring. Of greater importance in our spiritual lives, we must condiment our daily life with frequent and fervent prayers as suggested above, all fiery darts that penetrate the Heavens. We hope and pray that by implementing these spiritual practices your lives will be more sparkling, effervescent, and dynamic, as well as pleasing to God, the Father of all Heavenly Gifts!