Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe: it celebrates the 16th century apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary on a hill outside Mexico City to Juan Diego. A painted, life-size figure of the Virgin as a young, dark-skinned American Indian woman with the face of a mestizo (one of culturally mixed ancestry) was imprinted on Juan Diego's cloak. The image gave Indians the assurance that Christianity was not only the faith of their European conquerors, but a faith for them also; indeed, that Mary, the Mother of God, was loving and compassionate toward them.
It is true the long await Messiah – born of the woman with clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet – the one who was destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod – was indeed the King and Lord of all lands and nations – including Mexico!
And just as Mary and Elizabeth experienced a moment of great joy when they embraced in the friendship of kinship, and the Christ who was in Mary was recognized by his cousin and Precursor, John the Baptist who was in the womb of Elizabeth) so all can experience the same joy welling up from the depths of souls who recognize the presence of the same Jesus in one another – for he is really there!
Then with Mary we can say: Our souls proclaim the greatness of the Lord; our spirits rejoice in God our Savior!
Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our Lord.
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