Friday, December 12, 2014

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

(Zechariah 1:14-17; Luke 1:39-47)

When someone compliments us, it is only polite to say something gracious in return.  But surprisingly this is not what happens in the gospel today.  When Elizabeth greets Mary, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb…,” Mary turns to God and says, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…”  Mary first thinks of God, not herself and not of other people as manners dictate.

Something similar takes place in the account of the appearance of the Virgin Mother to Juan Diego on Mount Tepeyac.  When the woman whose clothing shined like the sun introduces herself, she says, “I am truly the ever perfect Holy Virgin Mary.”  Then her words shift to God almost entirely, “…who has the honor to be the Mother of the one true God for whom we all live, the Creator of people, the Lord of all around us and of what is close to us…”  And when she explains the purpose of the shrine which she is requesting, it is solely to give glory to God.  She says, “In (my sacred little house) I will show Him, I will exalt Him upon making Him manifest, I will give Him to all people in all my personal love.”

We venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe today because she has given us Jesus Christ, the God-man who has saved us from our sins.  She brought him into the world for us, of course.  But even more than that, she has given him to us by exemplifying how we are to live with him as the center of our life.  She followed his law; she deferred to him when in need; and she imitated his love for all.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

(Revelation 11:19a.12:1-6a.10ab; Luke 1:26-38)

In his apostolic exhortation, entitled The Church in the America, Blessed John Paul II declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Evangelizer of the Americas.” The story of her apparitions to the native Juan Diego bears witness to the title.

In 1531, seven years after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, the missionaries were unable to make significant inroads among the people. There were a few converts like Juan Diego but nothing like the mass numbers that came into the Church after the apparitions. Perhaps it was the intransigence of the missionaries to go to the centers of prior indigenous worship that restricted evangelization. The account of the apparitions is well known. The Virgin of Guadalupe first appeared to Juan Diego on the morning of December 9 on Tepeyac hill outside Mexico City, the site of a previous temple to a pagan goddess. Speaking in the indigenous language, she introduced herself to him as “the ever Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God by whom one lives, creator of heaven and earth.” Then she dispatched Juan Diego to Bishop Zumárraga in Mexico City with a request that a church be built on the spot of the apparition so that she might aid the indigenous people. The bishop met with Juan Diego but demanded a sign before he would believe his story. The sign came three days later when, at the mandate of the Virgin, Juan Diego brought to the bishop flowers which he found growing quite out of season at the summit of Tepeyac. When Juan Diego let the flowers fall from his tilma (outer garment) the image of the pregnant Virgin dressed as a native princess was emblazoned on it. From the retelling of the story by the natives themselves within six years nine million indigenous Mexicans became Catholic Christians.

This account underscores for us several principles of the New Evangelization. First, the New Evangelization begins with our relationship with Jesus being renewed. Both Juan Diego and Bishop Zumárraga experience a deepening of their faith through the encounter with the Virgin of Guadalupe representing her son. Second, along with spiritual renewal, we need to increase our knowledge of the faith. The Virgin gives Juan Diego a short doctrinal lesson with her introduction as “the ever Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God by whom one lives.” The facts that she appears on the site of a former pagan temple and speaking the native tongue also indicate cultural aspects of evangelization. Finally, once evangelized, we have to give witness to the good news be retelling the story and, although not apparent here, by living it.

In this “Year of Faith” Pope Benedict has challenged all serious Catholics to take up the work of the New Evangelization. The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Evangelizer of the Americas, indicates the contours of this task.

Homilette for December 12, 2007

Wednesday, The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

(Luke 1:39-48) – an alternate reading

It is no secret that most women want to have children. Although it is a small embarrassment, it is also true that women prefer to have male children. So Elizabeth’s greeting Mary with the words, “Most blessed are you,” should not be unexpected. Of course, only an inspired woman could have interpreted the jumping of the baby in her womb as the recognition of the presence of the Messiah in the womb of another. God has indeed blessed Mary enormously, but this fact alone does not make her what we believe her to be.

Later on in the gospel a woman calls out to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” Jesus’ replies significantly, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:27-28). Jesus is not slighting his mother here. He knows better than anyone how Mary has always acted graciously on God’s word. For this reason she hurries to visit her kinswoman Elizabeth when the angel informs her that the latter is with child. The inspired Elizabeth recognizes this truth as well when she tells Mary, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

We find Mary acting on the word of God when she meets the Indian Juan Diego hurrying to mass in Mexico City. The Virgin orders Juan Diego to tell the bishop that a church must be built on the site outside the city. Mary is displaying God’s love for the poor, defeated Indians by conveying the mandate that their conquerors assist the native people where they live. In the gospel reading, Mary praises God for this same compassion when she responds to Elizabeth, “...He has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness.”

Poverty, experts say, is relative. Today’s poor, usually with food sufficiency, are better off and fewer in proportion than the poor of a century ago. Also, even the wealthy sometimes are worrisome and miserable – qualities that we associate with destitution. Having desires that leap past our means, we are all poor in a way. It is precisely here that God shows His compassion. He sends His son Jesus Christ not just to share our human nature but to lift us up to His divine one. Guadalupe’s message to Juan is meant for all of us. God loves us and acts to meet our needs.

Homily (in Spanish) for the Feast of O.L. of Guadalupe -- December 12, 2006

(Lucas 1)
Un autor mexicano-americano ha propuesto una idea chocante. Escribe Richard Rodrigúez de la “reconquista” de California. Dice que dentro de una o dos generaciones California estará en manos de descendientes mexicanos. Se logrará la “reconquesta” no por medio de una revolución. Mucho menos habrá una invasión por el ejército mexicano. No, la transformación tendrá lugar por medios democráticos con el crecimiento de familias de inmigrantes. Para algunas la idea del Señor Rodríguez tiene que perturbar como la propuesta del ángel a María en el evangelio. Ella concebirá a un hijo a pesar del hecho que quedará virgen.

Hablamos de “manos de descendientes mexicanos” en control de California. Por ests frase no queremos decir que los directores van a estar hablando castellano. No, il idoma principal del estado quedará el inglés. Si estarán hablando español, estará con un acento como yo. Ni tendrán apellidos exclusivamente mexicanos como Martínez, García, y Chávez. Más bien, muchos llevarán apellidos “anglos” – pues serán productos de “matrimonios mixtos.” Por lo tanto, sus facciones también tendrán rasgos de diferentes razas – blanca, amarilla, y negra. En el evangelio Gabriel cuenta a María que su hijo será muy diferente. Así los hijos y nietos mexicanos del año 2050 serán distintos de sus abuelos y padres hoy.

Posiblemente no me crean ustedes. Sus propias manos están tan llenas de responsabilidades – trabajar, cuidar a los niños, enviar dinero a la familia en México – que no piensen en el futuro alejado. Además, tal vez no les convenga la idea de tomar control porque no quieren amenazar a los patronos acá. Pero lo que se propone aquí no es improbable, sino el contrario. Otra vez, no pasará por la espada sino por las demográficas – eso es, el crecimiento de la población. De todos modos como María cuando responde a Gabriel, “¿Cómo puede ser eso...?” algunos acá se sienten incómdos con el concepto.

Una mejor pregunta para nosotros ahora es: ¿Estará guiada “la reconquista” por la Virgen de Guadalupe? Eso es, ¿encarnarán nuestros descendientes los valores de la fe – la justicia, la paz, la humildad, y la piedad? Pues, éstos son las marcas de la Virgen dejadas en la imagen. El color azul-verde de su manto representa la cruz entre fuerzas opuestas – la paz entre los pueblos. El cinturón que lleva es la señal de su preñez –dará luz a Jesucristo, el sol de la justicia. La tez morena de su cara indica que ella quiere identificarse con los más humildes. Y los ojos bajados muestra la piedad de una persona que reconoce a Dios como el fin de todo esfuerzo humano no sí misma.

Cuando hablamos de “los valores de la fe,” no tenemos en cuenta que los sacerdotes rijan el gobierno. Aunque el Padre John y el Diácono Roberto sean entre los mejores de seres humanos, sabemos que los gobernantes tienen que ser capaces en la política y la socioeconómica. Sin embargo, los valores de la fe incluyen un respeto profundo para la vida. Este respeto no tiene lugar para el aborto y el concepto erróneo del “matrimoniomo entre los gay.” No somos contra ni las mujeres ni los homosexuales cuando hablamos así. Más bien, aceptamos a todas personas como dignas de nuestro amor. Sin embargo, algunos actos tenemos que rechazar como no naturales.

Para que nuestros descendientes mantengan los valores guadalupanos, no debemos fallar en nuestras responsabilidades. Tenemos que asistir en la misa -- no sólo en la fiesta de la Virgen sino todos los domingos. Pues, aquí escuchamos la Palabra de Dios y recibimos la gracias para cumplirla. También, tenemos que cuidar a nuestros niños con la cuerda de amor. Hoy en el día del Ínternet los muchachos pueden enredarse en la maldad aún en sus propias recamaras. Tenemos que estar siempre presentes en sus vidas para protegerlos, apoyarlos y enseñarlos cómo andar en el camino recto.

En este país recordamos al Señor César Chávez encabezando la marcha de los trabajadores agrícolas. Siempre tenían al frente la imagen de la Virgen deGuadalupe. Para ellos la Virgen representaban todos los valores verdadramente humanos. Esperamos que nuestros descendientes mantengan los mismos valores. Esperamos que practiquen la fe por la asistencia en la misa. Esperamos que encarnen la justicia por la atención al trabajo y a la familia. Esperamos que siempre, siempre miren a la Virgen de Guadalupe como guía por este mundo de bastante maldad. Que la Virgen de Guadalupe sea siempre su guía por este mundo.