As we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we have an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Our Lady's apparition and her message for the world and our lives today.
A Testament to God's Boundless Love
The apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531 radiates divine love, marked by her comforting words to St. Juan Diego: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection?” These words call for trust, surrender, and embrace of her maternal care.
A Universal Message of Love
Our Lady’s message transcends borders, inviting everyone—regardless of background or circumstances—into her maternal love, uniting all in a universal spiritual family of grace and care.
A Call to Conversion and Hope
Her appearance was a divine invitation to repentance, hope, and trust, with her presence embodying God's mercy, healing, and peace for all, especially the suffering and marginalized.
Compassion for the Vulnerable
Our Lady of Guadalupe offered a message of hope to the poor and forgotten, reminding them of God’s unwavering love and inviting all to trust in her maternal protection.
Model of Faith and Discipleship
As a guide during Advent, she inspires us to encounter Christ deeply, be vessels of His love, and share His light with others, following her example of faith and obedience.
God's Personal Love
Her appearance affirms God’s intimate love, reaching us in our struggles, prayers, and daily lives, inviting us into a relationship of trust and closeness with Him.
A Call to Embody Christ's Love
Inspired by her example, we are called to embody Christ’s love through acts of kindness, hope, and encouragement, becoming signs of His grace to those in need.
2 Replies to “Our Lady of Guadalupe”
During choir rehearsal last night, we watched as our Spanish community came together to adorn our altar with the statue of our Lady of Guadalupe and numerous vases of beautiful flowers – preparing for today’s feast.
Upon leaving, we noticed the parking lot filled with men, women and children, in the cold, erecting tents and tables and chairs, all to be ready for the start of the festivities at 5 a.m. this morning! This is a BIG day! This is a HOLY day!
Having watched the majesty and elaborateness of the dedication and opening Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral last weekend, I was struck by the contrast:!!! Majestic artistry-humble simplicity!!
The humble maiden, Mary, has long been identified as one of the “Anawim”, the faithful remnant that continued to hope in the promise of a Savior amid years of oppression. Never losing faith, they quietly kept the promise deeply and quietly burning in their hearts
I look now to our borders and the families who come seeking a new way of life for their children. I recognize also the closed hearts and doors so many of them encounter.
Perhaps we might recall the words Mary spoke to Juan Diego: “Are you not under my shadow of protection…am I not here…am I not your mother?” Perhaps thru the days ahead, we might consciously commend these little ones, to the mothering heart Mary Immaculate, patroness of our Americas. Through our prayerful solicitude, may peace come to our changed hearts and peace come to our borders.
Pat: I appreciate and share many of those same thoughts. As Deacon Frank noted, Our Lady brings a universal message of love. It strikes me how much we are enriched by our universal church especially when we are open to the gifts of our brothers and sisters in Christ. I overheard Fr. Zack in the narthex telling someone how Our Lady of Guadalupe is the only Marian apparition where Mary appears pregnant. Perhaps we should be more expectant of something good coming from all of our current challenges – Christ in our midst. Thanks for your post.