Our Lady of Guadalupe captivates my imagination. She is a symbol of a culture that surrounds, but does not identify me. She spoke a language that I do not understand, and her most faithful followers speak a language that I still can only grasp generally. She appeared thousands of miles away, hundreds of years ago into a world as foreign to me as the far east... and maybe more so. Why then is it that on December 12th I wake up at 5am to sing to her in a language that is not my own? Why is it that I stop by her chapel nearly every day and ask her intercession? What significance does Our Lady of Guadalupe have in our lives... Catholic, MI, Missionary?
She is Empress of the Americas, and she can be -must be- the Mother who unites the children of the Americas. It is under her patronage that Northern, Central, and Southern America is placed. It is to her that Pope John Paul II turned as Star of Evangelization... not to turn our heads and hearts to distant borders, but to evangelize here, now, and across our shared borders.
The first border that must be crossed is that of our own hearts. It is to the Immaculata that United States turns as our own special patron. Yet, Our Lady of Guadalupe IS the Immaculata, remember that Immaculata is a person, and not merely a title. Our Lady of Guadalupe crushed the head of the Aztec god (a serpent god no less) and replaced in the hearts of the people the mother godess. She came clothed in the sun, and a mantle of stars adorning her head. She came bearing the Savior of the world in order to bring relief and consolation. She is the Immaculata - radiant, pure, simple, and sublime in order to reach the hearts of her children and bring them to Her Son.
She came to remind us that we are loved, protected, and have nothing to fear. WE MUST ASK HER for the grace to not be afraid of being merciful. We are often afraid to do right to good people, because the less noble will take unjust advantage. We must let her conquer our fears, as we turn to the beautiful Woman, the Lady of Tepeyac, and beg her intercession to heal the fears and divisions. WE MUST ASK HER INTERCESSION for ourselves and our country to completely demolish any remnants of prejudice, egoism, confusion, fear, and misunderstanding that lurk in our hearts.
We are brothers and sisters, and Our Lady of Guadalupe is a powerful reminder of the gift that comes when we unite ourselves in her maternal heart. Millions of Americans. Millions of Conversions. One family. One mission. One Mother.
All for Her, for the Greatest Glory of God.
Viva Nuestra Madre de Guadalupe... VIVA!
ReplyDeleteViva la Empresa de las Americas... VIVA!
I went to the Mananitas and Mass that followed and it was quite an experience seeing the faithful gather before their Mother and sing her praises. It wasn't the first time I've gone but it was the first time that it meant something to me.