In 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared at Guadalupe, near Mexico City. Juan Diego was an Indian who first encountered our Blessed Mother as he traveled from his village to take part in divine worship and listen to God’s commandments.
As he approached a hill named Tepeyac, with the dawn breaking, he heard someone calling his name. As he traveled up the hill, he caught sight of a woman, the likes of whom he had never seen, whose clothing was radiant as the sun. She said in the most kind and gentle way, “Juanito, the humblest of my children, know and understand that I am the ever-virgin Mary.”
She continued, “It is my ardent desire that a church be erected here so that in it I can show and bestow my love, compassion, help, and protection to all who inhabit this land and to those others who love me that they may call upon and confide in me.” (The Liturgy of the Hours Supplement, p. 37)
The Blessed Mother then instructed Juan Diego to share this message with the local bishop with the final instruction: “Go and put all your efforts into this.” (The Liturgy of the Hours Supplement, p. 37)
Imagine you are Juan Diego, a humble man known only to his family and a small number of friends. A man whose country has just been conquered by the Europeans; and, suddenly, the Blessed Mother appears to you out of nowhere and gives you this mission.
Twice, Juan Diego made the trip to try to convince the local bishop of the Blessed Mother’s message and each time he was rejected. Understandably, Juan Diego felt discouragement. So, while going to get a priest to hear his ill uncle’s confession, he tried to avoid seeing the Blessed Mother.
But she met him on this alternate route and reassured him that his uncle had already been cured and to continue up the hill to the peak. Miraculously, he encountered an abundance of Castilian roses that had bloomed in the frost-covered land on a day like today here in Easton, Massachusetts.
Our Lady's Ambassador
Our Blessed Mother had him carry the roses in his outer garment to the bishop with the encouragement, “My son, this is the proof … that you will bring to the Bishop … you are my ambassador, very worthy of trust.” (The Liturgy of the Hours Supplement, p. 39)
This time, when Juan Diego presented himself to the Bishop for a third time, he opened his outer garment, and the roses scattered to the ground, forming the image of the virgin Mary.
The message of our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego was that she trusted this great mission to a man that the world could easily overlook, someone of humble means and demeanor. When he failed to convince the bishop of her message, he doubted himself, just as we can at times when we initially meet rejection or failure.
Under Mary's Protection
However, it is from the Blessed Mother’s reassurance to Juan Diego that we can each draw strength: “Do not let your heart be troubled … are you not under my protection … are you not fortunately under my care?” (The Liturgy of the Hours Supplement, p. 38)
That is the message that our Blessed Mother wishes to convey to each of us who seek her assistance and protection, just as our founder, Venerable Patrick Peyton, did: that we can find peace in her maternal care, no matter our circumstance or station in life, and that she loves each one of us and our families and only wants us to turn to her.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!
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