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Monday, December 12, 2005 Meditation Zechariah 2:14-17 I am the ever-virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the true God, from whom one lives. With these words spoken in the language of the Aztecs, a lady surrounded by brilliant light addressed an Aztec peasant named Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill, Mexico. It was December 1531, and Tepeyac was the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the “mother goddess” of the Aztecs. Mary told Juan Diego, a recent convert to Catholicism, that she wanted him to tell the local bishop to build a chapel to her there, where she would hear the cries of the people and “help their many sorrows, necessities, and misfortunes.” At first skeptical, Bishop Juan de Zumárraga sent Juan Diego to get proof of the lady’s identity. He was convinced of the authenticity of Mary’s appearance when Juan returned with two signs: Castilian roses, which normally don’t grow in December in Mexico, and a beautiful image of Mary miraculously imprinted on his cloak. This extraordinary event was indeed a divine visitation for the people of Latin America. As word of it spread, thousands of Indians came to believe in Jesus and accepted baptism. There was also a profound renewal of faith among the Catholic Spaniards in Mexico. Through Mary’s appearance and her image on Juan Diego’s cloak, God made himself known to a pagan people and touched off a great revival in a nation that had been steeped in idolatry and darkness. In every age, God’s heart has yearned for men and women to come to know him. His desire to bring people to his Son, Jesus, and the light of his truth is just as strong today as it was when Mary spoke to Juan Diego five centuries ago. And today God is still using wondrous means. He is still working through the Holy Spirit, Mary, the saints, and the most ordinary members of the church to reveal himself to us. In this present age when nations, even those of longstanding Christian traditions, are threatened by new forms of idolatry, let us ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to pray for us. And may we too proclaim the gospel through our own lives and actions! “Lord Jesus, use me as a vessel of your love. Help me to be open to the inspirations of your Spirit so that I can lead others to know you.” (Psalm) Judith 13:18-19; Luke 1:26-38 |
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