Every family longs for peace, but in today’s world, peace can feel fragile – overshadowed by busyness, division, or exhaustion. Yet amid this noise, God has given families a mother to turn to. 2026 can be the year to increase your Mother of Fairest Love devotion.

Under this beautiful title, first invoked in Scripture (Mater Pulchrae Dilectionis in Sirach 24:24) and cherished deeply by St. Josemaría Escrivá, Mary reminds us that love within the family is meant to be fairest: pure, patient, sacrificial, and rooted in God. And she stands ready to intercede for every need that touches your home.

This year, make her your go-to intercessor for your family life. Here’s how.

1. Entrust Your Family to Her Care

The first step is simple: invite her into your home as you would a beloved guest. Say the prayer to Mary, Mother of Fairest Love (the long or short version), entrusting your family, your home, your needs to her motherly intercession.  

You can place a prayer card to her in a place where you will see it and be prompted to ask for her intercession during the day. 

2. Bring Her Your Everyday Concerns

Mary’s maternal heart is not reserved for grand, dramatic miracles – she’s attentive to the details of daily life. Just as she noticed the empty wine jars at Cana, she notices when you’re running on empty, too.

Turn to her in small frustrations and hidden sacrifices: the sleepless nights, the hard conversations, the balancing act of work and home. Whisper the prayer while folding laundry or driving carpool. Ask her to bless your spouse before you speak in anger, or to comfort a child struggling at school.

No need is too small. As St. Josemaría wrote, “Love Our Lady, and she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle.”

3. Pray as a Family – Even Imperfectly

Families often imagine prayer must be serene and beautiful. In reality, it’s usually chaotic – someone’s distracted, someone’s grumpy, someone’s wiggling. But Mary is a mother; she’s not bothered by imperfection.

Start with something simple: one Hail Mary together at night, or a brief decade of the Rosary on Sundays. The point isn’t polish – it’s presence. By inviting her into your family prayer life, you let her shape your home into a “little Nazareth,” where love becomes a daily offering.

4. Let Her Teach You How to Love

Mary’s title as Mother of Fairest Love isn’t just poetic – it’s profoundly practical. In her life, she shows us what real love looks like: patient in hardship, faithful in silence, courageous in suffering, and joyful in service.

When your spouse tests your patience, ask, “Mary, help me to love as you loved Joseph.”
When your children rebel, pray, “Mary, help me to guide them as you guided Jesus.”
When your heart feels weary, whisper, “Mary, teach me to find rest in God’s will.”

The more we imitate her love, the more our homes reflect heaven.

5. Join the Family of Devotion

Finally, deepen your connection to this title by joining others who share your desire to strengthen family life through Mary’s intercession. You can:

• Enroll your family in the Fairest Love Prayer Circle and submit intentions for others to pray for.
• Listen to our Fairest Love podcast to keep her virtues present in your home.
• Share the devotion to her with a family member or friend who could use it. 
• Pray the Novena for an intention that is especially weighing on your head and heart.

Every small act spreads the devotion St. Josemaría dreamed of – so that families everywhere might rediscover the joy of living under Mary’s mantle.

This year, when family life feels messy, uncertain, or exhausting, remember: you’re not alone. Mary, Mother of Fairest Love, walks beside you. She knows the rhythm of family life – the laughter and the tears, the faith and the fatigue.

Let her be the one you turn to first, not last. She will take your worries, your hopes, and your love, and carry them straight to her Son.