The Atomic Nucleus

Guadalupe's third "formula" for holiness is about building the base of one's spiritual life around the Eucharist, praying to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

#Formula 3: The smallest constituent unit of which an element of matter is composed is the atomic nucleus. It is made up of smaller particles called protons and neutrons, and makes up 99% of the total mass of the atom. It also possesses other particles - electrons - which are constantly moving around the nucleus.

The majority of an atom's mass is found in the nucleus. In a similar way, the bulk of the interior life of a Christian is also found in that union with God in the Eucharist. Guadalupe strove to have Jesus always present, giving stability to the atomic nucleus of her life and the lives of others.

Guadalupe expresses this awareness in a letter to Saint Josemaría Escrivá written from Mexico on March 15th, 1951, having arrived there year before:

“Dear Father,
Right now, almost all of us are writing to you, so that on the 19th of this month, it will give you a little joy to know that in Mexico, you already have many daughters - young and old - asking God through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe (here we ask Her for everything, always), and St. Joseph, to grant you what you're asking for, and more. I am sure that when you think through all the countries where the Work has already setup Tabernacles, you would like to be able to concretize with the Lord how we are doing and where we are still lacking. For this reason, my greeting for your saint’s day includes the wish that He might come to live with us in the Residence soon.

In a letter to another member of Opus Dei, Encarnita Ortega Pardo, Guadalupe wrote:

“Dearest Encarnita:
You can already imagine what we are asking the Lord for you on the 25th of this month; and I am certain that, since so many of us are asking, He will hear us and will give you all the energy and heart you need to help the Father together with Nisa [Narcisa González], and that you give a push to all of us along this little path that is so simple and so difficult, so that we never go off the path but keep advancing on it… or, better put, fly along it. What do you think? You can tell the Lord is in the house now: if you were here, you would notice it. He helps us even in the smallest things. The girls are very happy and wonderful in every way. What’s more, we truly love each other, just as the Father likes. And if this weren’t enough, Dora [del Hoyo] and Concha [Andrés], are very committed to the cause. It seems like a dream, doesn't it?”

On April 28th, 1946, after Nisa Gonzalez had moved to Madrid and Guadalupe stayed on in Bilbao to manage the Abando Student Residence, Guadalupe wrote:

“Dearest Nisa:
I am striving never to make decisions alone; and these days, the Lord is clearly by my side, and it seems like He tells me what I should do. How good He is! ...”

On March 28th, 1950, Guadalupe wrote to Genoveva Abdalá, a future resident of Copenhague, a student residence in Mexico City:

“Dearest Genoveva:
Even if I don’t know you, thanks to Armida I know that you want to come to Mexico next summer and since that is still a long was off, I thought if we started writing each other now as friends, you could get to know us beforehand. I will try to tell you things about our life, which is simple, normal, but completely at God's service, which will help you understand the spirit of Opus Dei. In this way, when you talk to Our Lord in your prayer, you will remember to pray that we be what God wants us to be, and in no time at all, across America there will be groups of people who seem to be living like everyone else does, but who carry so much Love of God inside them that it just flows out of them.
I don’t know if it will be easy for you to understand my letter; if my handwriting or my way of writing is difficult to understand, tell me and I will make sure to do it differently. Have a lot of trust in me: I am a woman like you (maybe a little older), I am also studying (Chemistry) and while I have completely given my entire life to God, I am up to date in everything.
Armida must have already told you that we have a residence for female university students. It’s still not ready yet: every day new furniture and curtains arrive, etc… We have a simple oratory; that is where the Master of the house is, along with Our Lady of Guadalupe, and, since Armida told me a bit about you, I pray for you there, so that God gives you what’s best. Well, I leave you for today, but know that I am willing to write you whenever you want. I hope to receive your letter. A very big hug from your new friend, Guadalupe”