12 December 2010: Feast -- Our Lady of Guadalupe

On this day in 1531, Juan Diego brought to his Bishop some roses (Castillian and not in season) that Our Lady gave as a sign of her request for construction of a church. As the roses from his ‘tilma’ (cloak of maguey fiber) fell to the ground before the Prelate, the image of the Blessed Virgin miraculously appeared, before their eyes, on the garment .

That cloak should have deteriorated -- rags in 40 years; dust in 100. The image should have faded; but has not. No one knows how that image was created. It is not paint nor dye. There are no brush marks ... It is the only supernatural image of the Virgin Mary that has come to us. And she is a brown Lady ... like the Aztecs, the Mexicans, the Filipino.

She came to Guadalupe to stop human sacrifice. The Aztecs were killing 20,000 human beings for their gods yearly. Population control people once proudly announced the more than 60 million abortions in 1995. In all the wars put together, with machine guns, missiles, and [atomic] bombs, we did not kill 60 million. In 1995, 60 million mothers killed their babies.

When the Virgin appeared to that poor peasant, the Philippines belonged to the Diocese of Mexico.

Ref: James B Reuter, SJ, “At 3:00 A.M.”, 1996, pp188-90

The apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe

On December 9 and 12, 1531, Our Lady said to Juan Diego: “Know for certain I am the perfect and perpetual Virgin Mary, Mother of the True God. I will show and offer all my love, my compassion, my help and protection. I am your merciful Mother, of all who love me, of those who cry to me, of those who have confidence in me. I will hear their weeping, their sorrows, their necessities and misfortunes.

“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.” (W H Carroll, “Our Lady of Guadalupe”, 99)

“Am I not 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?” (Francis Anson, “Guadalupe: What her eyes say”, 1994, p72)

The Bishop had asked for a sign as proof of Mary’s petition. Our Lady appeared again later and directed the amazed peasant to cut long-stemmed roses growing nearby on the arid hillside to be presented to the Bishop. This miraculous event took place on this day, in the dead of winter, 2,000 feet above sea level.

When Juan Diego spread out his white cloak to deliver the roses, “the beloved image of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared, impressed upon it, as is plain for any observer to see today.” (“Nican Mopohua”, Mexico 1981, pp181-3) This image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, surrounded by a radiant light, gradually appeared in full colour on his simple garment.

NASA scientists who thoroughly analyzed the image under infrared light conclude that “The whole face is formed by unknown pigments that cannot be explained by the present state of science.” (Francis Anson, op cit, p94) Furthermore, image digitalization of the eyes of the image reveals different human figures that “have been there for 450 years.” (Ibid, pp115-6)

A wave of conversions in the entire Aztec territory, extending from Central America to the Philippines, took place following Our Lady’s apparition on Tepeyac hill.

“Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to be a great sign of Christ’s nearness to us ... She extends an invitation to all men and women to enter into communion with the Father. At the same time, Mary encourages all of us to enter into greater communion with one another ...” (John Paul II, “Address”, 13 December 1987)

On a pilgrimage to Guadalupe, Pope John Paul II prayed: “Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas ... behold how great is the harvest. Intercede before the Lord for us so our hunger for sanctity in the world may increase ... May all the faithful strive to follow Christ closely. May the life of each one be filled with loving and humble service, carried out for the glory of God and the good of all souls.” (Ibid, “Prayer of Petition”, 27 January 1979)

Our Lady’s efficacious intercession has always prepared the way for the work of evangelization of nations. We cannot even imagine carrying out the apostolate of friendship and confidence without the help of Our Lady.

We ask Our Lady of Guadalupe: “Queen of Apostles, accept our complete readiness to work for the restoration and fulfilment of your Son’s kingdom. May we not withhold anything at all in helping to bring his salvific Will to fruition. May we be completely dedicated to the cause of the Gospel and of ultimate peace ... May our struggle be firmly grounded on justice, and be a stimulus for reciprocal charity ...” (Ibid)

Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:351-8

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, Mexico (1531). (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm).
‘Virgin most merciful. Pray for us.’

On the Divine Attributes -- Omnipotence, sanctity, and happiness of God

Whenever we call to mind the creation of the world, we are at once struck with the omnipotence of God. To create, ie, to make anything out of nothing, presupposes infinite power. God is, therefore, omnipotent.

“By His word the heavens were established, and all the power of them by the spirit of His mouth.” A single act of His will could as instantly recall the whole into nothing, or as instantly create millions of new worlds.

The sanctity of God, being inherent to His infinite essence, is likewise necessarily infinite. Thus God loves above all things the good that we do, while He hates the evil in like proportion.

God, being infinitely holy, powerful, wise, and just, is necessarily infinitely happy. He is to Himself and in Himself supreme and infinite bliss, from which angels draw for all eternity ever new and endless joys.

Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp785-7

Dazzled -- “Christ ascended the Cross with his arms wide open, with the all-embracing gesture of the Eternal Priest. Now he counts on us -- who are nothing! -- to bring the fruits of his Redemption to ‘all’ men.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge”, 4)

Our Lady of Good Tidings, at Abbeville. This little chapel, which is in St Peter’s priory, has always been much frequented. — Antiquites d’Abbeville. liv. i. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm).

‘Notre Dame de Bonne-Nouvelle’ (Our Lady of Good News / Good Tidings). Abbeville, France. Cathedral in Nancy, France. Church in Paris, and name of a region of Paris. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html).