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Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have
found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” Luke 1:30–31
Of all the saints throughout the ages, none has proved to be as
powerful an evangelist as the Mother of God. While on Earth, she
lived a mostly hidden life, demonstrating the perfection of virtue
to those closest to her. As a young mother, she cared daily for the
needs of her divine Son, constantly pondering the mystery of His
Incarnation as it unfolded before her eyes. Her love for her Son,
lived out during Jesus’ earthly life, overflowed from her
Immaculate Heart and continues to do so today.
After being assumed body and soul into Heaven, her work did not
cease. As Queen of Heaven and Earth, she continues to intercede for
her spiritual children, mediating the grace we need to grow in
holiness. Throughout history, many Marian apparitions have been
reported. While numerous reports have not been formally approved,
some have, including the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in
1531 to Saint Juan Diego.
Following the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521 by
Hernán Cortés, the capital was rebuilt into what became Mexico
City. Despite the cruelty some Spanish settlers inflicted on the
Indigenous people, the Catholic Church, through missionaries and
leaders, including Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, sought to protect
their rights and dignity while evangelizing them. Many of the
Indigenous were understandably suspicious of the missionaries, yet
some converted, including a man named Cuauhtlatoatzin, who took the
Christian name Juan Diego after his baptism, and his wife, who took
the name María Lucía.
On December 9, 1531, while walking to Mass and catechism class,
Juan Diego passed Tepeyac Hill, where the Blessed Virgin Mary
appeared to him. She spoke to him in his native language, revealed
herself as the Mother of God, and asked for a chapel to be built in
her honor on that very spot. When Juan took the message to Bishop
Zumárraga, the bishop asked for a sign.
On December 12, Juan’s uncle fell seriously ill. While hurrying to
find a priest for the Last Rites, Juan took a different route to
avoid delaying his journey, but the Mother of God appeared again.
She assured him that his uncle was already healed and provided the
promised sign for the bishop. She instructed Juan to pick roses
blooming unseasonably on the hill; when he brought them to the
bishop in his tilma, an image of the Virgin, just as Juan had seen
her, appeared on his cloak. Juan Diego’s tilma now hangs in the
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, fulfilling the
Blessed Mother’s request.
While the miraculous image was awe-inspiring, what followed was
even more astounding. Over the next decade, millions of Indigenous
people embraced the Christian faith, marking one of the most
remarkable mass conversions in Church history—all due to the
Blessed Mother’s evangelization and intervention. Her love for the
Indigenous people and her desire for their salvation brought her to
them personally, confirming the truth of the Gospel preached by the
Church.
As we honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, reflect today on the tender love
of the Mother of God. She deeply desired the salvation of the
Indigenous people, just as she desires the salvation of all. Pray
for her intercession so that millions more around the world may
hear and accept God’s saving message.
Most loving Virgin of Guadalupe, as you looked down from Heaven
upon the struggles and suffering of the conquered people of the
Aztec Empire, your Immaculate Heart overflowed with compassion for
them. As a result, you went to them personally to share the saving
message of Your Son. Please pray for me, for the Americas, and for
all your children, that we all will be guided to Your Son and come
to know His gift of salvation. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Main Image- Image via Wikimedia
Featured Image - First Miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe by
Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
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