Feast of Our Lady
of Guadalupe
(Zechariah 1:14-17; Luke 1:39-47)
What were Juan Diego’s hopes as he set out the morning of
December 9, 1531, for the Franciscan mission?
Perhaps he only hoped to learn more about Christ. But probably deep down he harbored other,
greater hopes. He might have hoped for
the Europeans to leave his land. They were
foreigners telling the native people where they could go and what they could do. It may be that Juan Diego harbored another hope
that morning. He was a devout man and
already a Christian. Perhaps he hoped to
see all the native peoples embrace Jesus.
As the Spaniards occupied more of the land, fewer natives were accepting
the faith. Juan Diego may have regretted
that his people were missing the one who could have improved their lives immeasurably.
Hope is more than wishful thinking. It pervades one’s consciousness causing the
person to search for opportunities to realize what is hoped for. Hope overcomes
the fear of taking risks. People today cross
seas in small boats and deserts at night in hope of a better future. Juan Diego’s hope moved him to enter the city
as the lovely lady, the Virgin of Guadalupe, told him. It made him insist that the bishop there hear
what the lady wanted. Hope finally
caused Juan Diego to work for the conversion of his people to Christianity.
During Advent Christians become aware of a great hope in
our hearts. We long to see the good prosper
and the evil reform. We try to reform
ourselves and pray for others to do so. Because
we know that the mother of God is an especially powerful advocate, we ask her
to pray for us. Today we especially pray
to the Virgin of Guadalupe. We ask her to
intercede for us that our hope that our children keep the faith, our elders
receive all deserved gratitude, and we may become more just people.
