Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us

12/12/24

Patroness of the Unborn and of the Americas 

And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Luke 1:46-47

Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A poor Indian Juan Diego was a 57 year old widower who lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning December 9, 1531, he was on his way to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady. He was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music that sounded like the warbling of birds. A bright cloud appeared and a young Native American maiden dressed like an Aztec princess was within it. She spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. She told him that the bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared.

Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego:

"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 the fountain of your joy?"

“My dearest son, I am the eternal Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God, Author of Life, Creator of all and Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth...and it is my desire that a church be built here in this place for me, where, as your most merciful Mother and that of all your people, I may show my loving clemency and the compassion that I bear to the Indians, and to those who love and seek me.”

Juan Diego went to the bishop who told him to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan Diego’s uncle became seriously ill. Poor Diego tried to avoid the lady but she appeared to him and assured him that his uncle would recover and she provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma. Juan Diego told his story to the bishop, who instructed him to return and ask the Lady for a miraculous sign to prove her claim.

The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather some flowers from the top of Tepeyac Hill. It was winter and no flowers bloomed, but on the hilltop Diego found flowers of every sort, and the Virgin herself arranged them in his tilma, or peasant cloak. When Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground and the bishop sank to his knees. On Juan Diego’s tilma appeared an image of Mary miraculously imprinted exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac. It was December 12, 1531.

Our Lady's apparition was an event of great significance for Native Americans: 

Nine million Indians became Catholic in a very short time. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe shows us God's love for the poor and for the unborn. Our Lady said to Juan Diego, "I will give all my protection to the people. I am the merciful Mother of all mankind. Am I not your fountain of life."  Our Lady of Guadalupe protects all her children, born and unborn.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, we entrust all the names we receive through this prayer ministry to you, our most loving and merciful Mother.