What a Mother We Have! ~reflex on Luke 1:26-38

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a familiar one: on the rough tilma of a peasant is an image mixed-race woman (a mestiza) who is pregnant, standing on the moon (the Aztec symbol for Mexico). But the depth and beauty of this apparition is sometimes lost behind the colorful (and miraculous) image. (And if you have not seen the recent scientific research on the Tilma, please do an online search and learn how incredible it is!)

When the Aztecs founded what is now Mexico City, they were able to achieve much, with their knowledge of math and science and philosophy and art. But their belief in many gods required human sacrifice, and the Aztec priests kept the people in a fearful submission; tens of thousands of human victims were offered to their god. The Conquistadors and the Franciscan missionaries (who had cultural and language barriers) had tried to convert them from this kind of terror, but made only little progress. The bishop there at the time said that if God did not intervene, the land would be lost to Christ forever.

Then came Mary, as Mother and comforter, promising to St. Juan Diego that she would show her love, compassion, and protection to the people. “I will hear their complaints and I will comfort their affliction and their sufferings.” To prove to the bishop that the command to build a church was really from Heaven, the Virgin imprinted an image of herself on the garment of the poor Juan Diego.

Soon, conversions began to happen at an astounding rate, with Indians coming from “far away lands asking for sacraments”! Just eight years after this apparition, 9 million people in Mexico had converted to Catholicism.

As we look at this image, let us each receive Our Lady’s words, as our Mother’s words to us:

“Listen and let it penetrate your heart…do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain.  Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?” (translation of Our Lady’s words to her servant Juan Diego.)