You Are Safe Here
Under Our lady of Guadalupe’s Mantle
Dear Roses of Tepeyac,
In Hope’s Garden we have a place - a garden - in which to plant our seeds of desire for Christ And His healing. In this garden, a home is being built for those of us who have not known a home as God intended. The foundation is made of all our misery, sins, suffering and broken dreams. The beams are His Cross. The walls are made from the prayers, sacrifices and love of all the members and these walls are continually expanding. The roof is the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the stars on her mantle will be the light we need. As the darkness gets deeper, this light cannot and will not be overcome. Under her mantle, we will always walk in the Light. Mary reminds us not to be discouraged or afraid and to never give up hope because our hope is in God alone and we must cling to her mantle and to Jesus.
In St. Juan Diego, we see a witness of obedience and humility; a witness to what trust and love can do for a little soul. Our Lady desires that Juan Diego be a witness to men of what it means to tend to His Roses. Through Mary, these men brought to her through Juan Diego, will be tenderly taught how to be submissive to the will of God so that they can lead their families to Heaven.
“For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church… As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.” Ephesians 5:21-30
Our Men of Hope community draws all men to learn from St. Juan Diego and to allow their hearts to be drawn to Mary, who will always lead them to Christ. The blooming of the Rose can only happen through a strong, healthy and tended stem whose thorns are meant to protect the Rose and not to harm.
“It is the duty of men to uphold the dignity of women; it is the duty of women to uphold the integrity of men.” St. John Paul II
Just as Our Lady asked Juan Diego to tenderly hold her roses as he took them to the bishop in his tilma, so men and women are called to tenderly bring one another into the fullness of Christ’s love in complementarity with one another. Merciful love is transformational in bringing strength from our weakness. Our “yes” is what is needed to begin the journey to healing love. Come, as a spiritual infant, and allow Our Lady of Guadalupe to feed you with the spiritual milk of her love and she will help you to grow until you are ready for solid food. She will meet you and love you exactly where you are and lead you into the Garden of His Love where you can bloom into the woman God has called you to be.
Hope and healing await you in the Hope’s Garden community.
Together in His Heart,
Laura 🌹
