Luke 1:26-38
If Mary was perplexed by the greeting
of the Angel Gabriel, I wonder how she might have felt knowing many people
throughout the centuries would call her “mother.” Today we celebrate the Feast
of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Reflecting on the simplicity of the Virgin of
Nazareth, and her fiat, it is no wonder she chooses to reveal herself to
the poor in spirit— in this case, a poor mestizo named Juan Diego. In
the ordinary circumstances of her life she was able to show that the One who
accomplished the work in her was the Lord. We do not have to seek Mary in the
greatness of signs and wonders, because she walked our ordinary path. Therefore,
we can trust that her experience of life’s joys and sorrows makes her heart
more compassionate towards us. Our Lady’s words to Juan Diego demonstrate this:
“Here I will give all my love, my
compassion, my help and my protection to the people. I am your merciful mother,
the merciful mother of … all mankind, of all those who love me, of those who
cry to me, of those who seek me, of those who have confidence in me. Here I
will hear their weeping, their sorrow, and will remedy and alleviate all their
multiple sufferings, necessities and misfortunes.”
“Am I not here, your mother? Are you not under my protection? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.”
“Am I not here, your mother? Are you not under my protection? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.”
Today let us try to find Our Lady in the ordinary circumstances of our day, and pray with Mother Pauline: “Blessed Virgin Mary, I run to take refuge beneath your protection. Help me in life and in death.”
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