I have a little story for you. I got married in October and spent some time before the wedding talking to one of the bridesmaids and her husband. They are a very devout Christian couple and were married about four years ago.

Before their wedding reception started, some boys thought it would be funny to shake up the champagne and cola bottles. When the reception started, a cork from one of the bottles flew up and hit her in the eye, damaging it badly. They had to leave the reception and go to the hospital.

For their honeymoon they went to a resort in Mexico, but her eye was so swollen and painful that the honeymoon was a disaster and they decided to go home a few days early.

Their flight out of Mexico had a very long layover in Mexico City. Since they had to spend a few hours waiting, they decided to go to see the church that has the tilma.

They went to the church and got on the moving sidewalk that takes you by the image. The instant she passed under the tilma, the pain and swelling were gone. Her eye was healed.

Oh, wow! I have tears of joy in my eys!

Our priest talked about the many miracles of which he was aware that are connected to the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

I just posted them on the Violent World thread. I'll copy them over here to you.

oops

Oh, wow! I have tears of joy in my eyes!

Our priest related several miracles connected with the tilma.
First, the material will disintegrate in a period of years -- don't know the exact reason, but it might be connected with some kind of plant fiber -- I really don't know. It's still there today!

They had lots of candles burning under it for a long time -- Our santuary light is below cloth that covers our speakers and the cloth has to be replaced every so often because of the soot stain. The tilma has not been damaged by soot.

The Communists, in an effort to wipe out the last bastion of Catholicity in Mexico, set off a bomb below the case that holds the tilma. A metal cross was bent backwards over 30 degrees and all the windows on the church were blown out, but the glass protecting the tilma image was not broken.

The building has a huge fire, and everything inside was damaged, but the case with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe survived the fire. Whether that fire is connected with the bombing, I don't know. This last one was one that I had heard about. Our priest mentioned the others today.

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 48 (49)
The uselessness of riches
All peoples, listen – all who live in the world, hear what I have to say: humble and great together, rich and poor alike! My mouth will speak wisdom, my inmost thoughts will bring good counsel. I will turn my ears to a mystery, I will expound a riddle on the lyre. Why should I be fearful in times of trouble, when the crimes of usurpers hem me in? They trust in their own strength and glory in their great riches. But, after all, man cannot redeem himself, he cannot ransom himself before God. The price of his soul’s redemption is too great, he cannot pay it – the price of eternal death avoided. He will see that even the wise die; the foolish and the stupid too will perish, and their riches will pass to others. Their tombs will be homes to them for ever, their dwelling-place for all generations, even if the lands they owned are named after them. Though he be full of honour, man will not endure: he is like the beasts of burden, that die; he is like the beasts that perish. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 48 (49)

The uselessness of riches

All peoples, listen –
all who live in the world, hear what I have to say:
humble and great together,
rich and poor alike!

My mouth will speak wisdom,
my inmost thoughts will bring good counsel.
I will turn my ears to a mystery,
I will expound a riddle on the lyre.

Why should I be fearful in times of trouble,
when the crimes of usurpers hem me in?
They trust in their own strength
and glory in their great riches.

But, after all, man cannot redeem himself,
he cannot ransom himself before God.
The price of his soul’s redemption is too great, he cannot pay it –
the price of eternal death avoided.
He will see that even the wise die;
the foolish and the stupid too will perish,
and their riches will pass to others.

Their tombs will be homes to them for ever,
their dwelling-place for all generations,
even if the lands they owned are named after them.
Though he be full of honour, man will not endure:
he is like the beasts of burden, that die;
he is like the beasts that perish.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 48 (49)
Those who trust in themselves – this is the road they take. This is the end of those who boast. Like sheep they go down into the underworld, and death is their shepherd. They will fall headlong into the grave: their faces will be eaten away, and the underworld will be their dwelling-place. But God will ransom my life; truly he will lift me from the grasp of the underworld. Do not fear, when a man becomes rich and the glory of his house increases. When he dies, he will not take it with him, his glory will not follow him down to the grave. Even if he calls himself blessed, says “see how they praise me for my success”, still he will join his fathers, cut off from light, for ever. Though he be full of honour, yet he does not understand. He is like the beasts of burden, that die; he is like the beasts that perish. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 48 (49)

Those who trust in themselves – this is the road they take.
This is the end of those who boast.
Like sheep they go down into the underworld,
and death is their shepherd.
They will fall headlong into the grave:
their faces will be eaten away,
and the underworld will be their dwelling-place.

But God will ransom my life;
truly he will lift me from the grasp of the underworld.
Do not fear, when a man becomes rich
and the glory of his house increases.
When he dies, he will not take it with him,
his glory will not follow him down to the grave.
Even if he calls himself blessed,
says “see how they praise me for my success”,
still he will join his fathers,
cut off from light, for ever.

Though he be full of honour, yet he does not understand.
He is like the beasts of burden, that die;
he is like the beasts that perish.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Apocalypse 4,5
The song of the redeemed
You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power; for you made all things, and it is by your will that they existed and were created. You are worthy, Lord, to receive the book and open its seals, for you were killed, and with your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe and language and people and nation, and made them rulers and priests for God; and they will rule over the earth. The Lamb is worthy, who was killed, to receive power and riches and wisdom, strength and honour, glory and blessing. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Apocalypse 4,5

The song of the redeemed

You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power;
for you made all things, and it is by your will that they existed and were created.

You are worthy, Lord, to receive the book and open its seals,
for you were killed, and with your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and made them rulers and priests for God; and they will rule over the earth.

The Lamb is worthy, who was killed, to receive power and riches and wisdom, strength and honour, glory and blessing.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Short reading	(1 Corinthians 1:7-9) ©
We are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed; and he will keep you steady and without blame until the last day, the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, because God by calling you has joined you to his Son, Jesus Christ; and God is faithful.

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Magnificat

My soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation.
For he has shown me such favour –
me, his lowly handmaiden.
Now all generations will call me blessed,
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
His name is holy,
his mercy lasts for generation after generation
for those who revere him.

He has put forth his strength:
he has scattered the proud and conceited,
torn princes from their thrones;
but lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Christ, our redeemer and Lord, will come in glory at the end of time. Dear brethren, let us joyfully call on him: - Come, Lord Jesus.
Our redeemer and Lord, you were born in flesh and lifted from us the yoke of the Law:: grant that we may benefit from your righteousness.
In your incarnation, you took on all that was good in human nature:: as much as is possible, share your divine nature with us.
We long to see you: grant our longing,: ignite our hearts with the flame of your love.
We serve you with a pure conscience and in faith:: let us rejoice with you in your glory.
May the spirits of all who have died: be refreshed with the dew of your righteousness.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

God, you proclaimed your salvation to the very ends of the earth.
Grant, we ask you, that we may rejoice as we await his glorious birth.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

The Word Among Us

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Meditation
Zechariah 2:14-17

Our Lady of Guadalupe

One of the most amazing truths that we are celebrating this Advent is the simple statement that God wants to dwell among his people. It’s a desire of his that echoes through the Scriptures and throughout all of salvation history. The prophets and angelic messengers in Scriptures often reminded God’s people of this foundational truth, and every saint who has come after them testifies to it in his or her life. So why is it that we can feel alone at times—and even more so as the holidays approach?

At Guadalupe, Mary asked St. Juan Diego: Am I not with you, I who am your mother? While the words at first seem to be a simple message of comfort and encouragement, Mary was also communicating something far more important for the whole church: Each of us is a part of the people of God! In her special role as mother of the church, Mary is telling us what each and every saint in heaven longs for us to grasp—we are not alone! When God sent Mary tell this to the native Americans in Mexico, his love reached through cultural and historical barriers to speak to his people in a language they could understand.

What about us? No matter where we live, no matter what our family history, we are part of God’s family, with very real connections to heaven. The entire heavenly chorus claims us as their own and rejoices whenever we claim them as our own. We are bound to one another, simply because we are all bound to Christ in baptism. Secure in our heritage, we can walk with our heads held high, knowing that we are children of heaven. We are part of a huge spiritual family!

This feast day is a great opportunity to accept our place in Christ. God loves us and wants to dwell with us! He wants us to know we are his people, baptized into the very life of his Son, united with millions of saints and angels. We are definitely not alone!

Thank you, Father, that you love me and call me your child! Break down any barriers, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, that take my eyes off that truth. Open my eyes to see that you have made me a part of the communion of saints in heaven!

(Psalm) Judith 13:18-19; Luke 1:26-38

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, December 12, 2006 >>

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Zechariah 2:14-17 or
Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10

Judith 13:18-19

Luke 1:39-47

View Readings

SHE REVERSES THE CURSES

"Now have salvation and power come, the reign of our God and the authority of His Anointed One." —Revelation 12:10

When Adam and Eve committed the first sin, the result was three curses. The devil was cursed, and the Lord put enmity between us and him (Gn 3:15). Women were also cursed through the pains of childbearing (Gn 3:16). Men were cursed through manual labor (Gn 3:17).

These three curses have been turned into blessings by Jesus. In Jesus, Mary reverses the curses. At Jesus' Incarnation, the archangel Gabriel announced that Mary was blessed among women. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out: "Blest are you among women and blest is the Fruit of your womb" (Lk 1:42). Mary herself magnified the Lord and said: "All ages to come shall call me blessed" (Lk 1:48). "Blessed" is the opposite of "cursed."

The Lord has empowered Mary to reverse the curses because she and the other disciples of her Son put the devil's enmity to death by quickly crushing him under their feet (Rm 16:20). (Look at Mary's feet in a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe.) Moreover, Mary's childbearing was not a curse, but the birth of the One Who freed us from the curses. (The picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe shows Mary pregnant.) Finally, Mary spent her life doing hard work. In her work, she was blessed, not cursed. (Our Lady of Guadalupe wears the work clothes of a peasant woman.) Love Jesus as Mary does. Reverse the curses.

Prayer: Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us and the Americas.

Promise: "See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the Lord." —Zec 2:14

Praise: Our Lady of Guadalupe left her image on the cloak of a Mexican Indian and it is still miraculously intact today.

Lk 1:26-47
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
26	And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,	in mense autem sexto missus est angelus Gabrihel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae cui nomen Nazareth
27	To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary.	ad virginem desponsatam viro cui nomen erat Ioseph de domo David et nomen virginis Maria
28	And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.	et ingressus angelus ad eam dixit have gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus
29	Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.	quae cum vidisset turbata est in sermone eius et cogitabat qualis esset ista salutatio
30	And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.	et ait angelus ei ne timeas Maria invenisti enim gratiam apud Deum
31	Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus.	ecce concipies in utero et paries filium et vocabis nomen eius Iesum
32	He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.	hic erit magnus et Filius Altissimi vocabitur et dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris eius
33	And of his kingdom there shall be no end.	et regnabit in domo Iacob in aeternum et regni eius non erit finis
34	And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?	dixit autem Maria ad angelum quomodo fiet istud quoniam virum non cognosco
35	And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.	et respondens angelus dixit ei Spiritus Sanctus superveniet in te et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi ideoque et quod nascetur sanctum vocabitur Filius Dei
36	And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren.	et ecce Elisabeth cognata tua et ipsa concepit filium in senecta sua et hic mensis est sextus illi quae vocatur sterilis
37	Because no word shall be impossible with God.	quia non erit inpossibile apud Deum omne verbum
38	And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.	dixit autem Maria ecce ancilla Domini fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum et discessit ab illa angelus
39	And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.	exsurgens autem Maria in diebus illis abiit in montana cum festinatione in civitatem Iuda
40	And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth.	et intravit in domum Zacchariae et salutavit Elisabeth
41	And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.	et factum est ut audivit salutationem Mariae Elisabeth exultavit infans in utero eius et repleta est Spiritu Sancto Elisabeth
42	And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.	et exclamavit voce magna et dixit benedicta tu inter mulieres et benedictus fructus ventris tui
43	And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?	et unde hoc mihi ut veniat mater Domini mei ad me
44	For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.	ecce enim ut facta est vox salutationis tuae in auribus meis exultavit in gaudio infans in utero meo
45	And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.	et beata quae credidit quoniam perficientur ea quae dicta sunt ei a Domino
46	And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.	et ait Maria magnificat anima mea Dominum
47	And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.	et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo

(*) vv 32-33 breakdown differs.

The Ghent Altarpiece: Prophet Micheas; Mary of the Annunciation

Jan van Eyck

1432
Oil on wood, 164,8 x 73 cm
Cathedral of St Bavo, Ghent

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 142 (143)
A prayer in time of trouble
Lord, I trust you: do not hide your face from me.
Lord, listen to my prayer: in your faithfulness turn your ear to my pleading; in your justice, hear me. Do not judge your servant: nothing that lives can justify itself before you. The enemy has hounded my spirit, he has crushed my life to the ground, he has shut me in darkness, like the dead of long ago. So my spirit trembles within me, my heart turns to stone. I remind myself of the days of old, I reflect on all your works, I meditate once more on the work of your hands. I stretch out my arms to you, I stretch out my soul, like a land without water. Come quickly and hear me, O Lord, for my spirit is weakening. Do not hide your face from me, do not let me be like the dead, who go down to the underworld. Show me your mercy at daybreak, because of my trust in you. Tell me the way I should follow, for I lift up my soul towards you. Rescue me from my enemies: Lord, I flee to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your good spirit will lead me to the land of justice; for your name’s sake, Lord, you will give me life. In your righteousness you will lead my soul away from all tribulation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Lord, I trust you: do not hide your face from me.

Reading	1 Peter 5:8-9
Be calm and keep watch. The Devil, your enemy, is circling you like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, strong in faith.

Short Responsory	?
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

Prayer
Let us pray. Of your kindness, Lord, dispel the darkness of this night, so that we your servants may go to sleep in peace and wake to the light of the new day, rejoicing in your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here.

Tuesday, December 12
Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Answer Beginning to Happen

Bishop Zumarraga prayed to Our Lady for help in what was an impossible situation. How could he convert a people who were too terrified of their gods to turn away from them? How could he ever unite under the banner of Christ the Spanish and the Aztecs, when there was so much reason for each to be suspicious of the other? As the Bishop prayed, Our Lady quietly appeared on an unimportant hill to a poor Aztec. At the very moment Zummarraga was longing for help, the answer was already beginning to happen. The Jewish people longed for their kingdom to be restored and to last for ever, as had been promised to the great King David. As the Jewish people prayed for a messiah to deliver them, an angel was appearing to a young girl in the little known northern town of Nazareth. As they prayed for deliverance, the answer was already beginning to happen. As we pray that God’s kingdom come through Jesus Christ, do we pray with faith that the answer to our prayers is already beginning to happen? Do we recognize the seemingly insignificant ways that God is already breaking into our lives? Are we aware that God has chosen us as those seemingly insignificant instruments through which he will manifest the coming of his Kingdom?

Reflection based on Luke 1:26-38
Father Richard Veras

Loving Father, let me be aware of all the ways that you offer yourself to me in even the least significant circumstances of my life.

Bump for faith.