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.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Matthew 18: 12-14)
One man describes his encounter with Jesus in this way. He and his wife had just received the diagnosis of her having cancer. The man felt overburdened with distress as if he would not be able to help his wife through the prescribed treatments. In his small parish he had the task of locking the church door at the end of the day. That night as he was discharging his duty, he felt the Lord embrace him and heard him say, “Don’t worry. Everything will turn out all right.” Both readings today portray God acting in a similar way.
The first reading is taken from the opening of the second part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. God is speaking to the divine assembly. He asks that His people, whom have suffered exile for three generations, be consoled. Then He is pictured as carrying the weakest home. The gospel is just as descriptive. Jesus portrays the Father as risking the loss of his flock to search for one lost lamb.
We need not fear that we are ever completely lost in life. God, who cares about us more than our own parents, will come to our rescue when the storm clouds mount. We can trust in Him.
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Matthew 18: 12-14)
One man describes his encounter with Jesus in this way. He and his wife had just received the diagnosis of her having cancer. The man felt overburdened with distress as if he would not be able to help his wife through the prescribed treatments. In his small parish he had the task of locking the church door at the end of the day. That night as he was discharging his duty, he felt the Lord embrace him and heard him say, “Don’t worry. Everything will turn out all right.” Both readings today portray God acting in a similar way.
The first reading is taken from the opening of the second part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. God is speaking to the divine assembly. He asks that His people, whom have suffered exile for three generations, be consoled. Then He is pictured as carrying the weakest home. The gospel is just as descriptive. Jesus portrays the Father as risking the loss of his flock to search for one lost lamb.
We need not fear that we are ever completely lost in life. God, who cares about us more than our own parents, will come to our rescue when the storm clouds mount. We can trust in Him.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Monday of the Second Week in Advent
(Isaiah 35:1-10; Luke 5:17-26)
Not too many years ago Lake Erie was declared “dead.” It was not that there was no life within it but that its living specimens had become odious and toxic to the people on its shores. Human-produced contaminants caused the dismal condition. It turned into a national emergency when the pollutants carried by the Cuyahoga River emptying into Lake Erie broke into flames. Since that time with cooperation from Canada the pollutants have been reduced, and Lake Erie has recovered some of its vitality. The reading from Isaiah today describes a similar regeneration taking place in nature.
Isaiah imagines the Messianic age with streams bursting through the desert sands and wastelands becoming veritable recreation parks. His vision makes a fitting metaphor for Jesus whom the gospel shows healing a man both spiritually and physically. It may seem peculiar to compare Jesus with an eco-system, but such an image conveys the life-giving relationships that his presence engenders.
Jesus bestows such relationships on us in the sacraments. In Baptism we become members of his Church which instructs us in his ways. In the Eucharist we are joined even closer to one another and to the Lord himself. Reinforced in these ways, we can turn and assist others in their need for fullness of life.
(Isaiah 35:1-10; Luke 5:17-26)
Not too many years ago Lake Erie was declared “dead.” It was not that there was no life within it but that its living specimens had become odious and toxic to the people on its shores. Human-produced contaminants caused the dismal condition. It turned into a national emergency when the pollutants carried by the Cuyahoga River emptying into Lake Erie broke into flames. Since that time with cooperation from Canada the pollutants have been reduced, and Lake Erie has recovered some of its vitality. The reading from Isaiah today describes a similar regeneration taking place in nature.
Isaiah imagines the Messianic age with streams bursting through the desert sands and wastelands becoming veritable recreation parks. His vision makes a fitting metaphor for Jesus whom the gospel shows healing a man both spiritually and physically. It may seem peculiar to compare Jesus with an eco-system, but such an image conveys the life-giving relationships that his presence engenders.
Jesus bestows such relationships on us in the sacraments. In Baptism we become members of his Church which instructs us in his ways. In the Eucharist we are joined even closer to one another and to the Lord himself. Reinforced in these ways, we can turn and assist others in their need for fullness of life.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Memorial of Saint Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the Church
(Isaiah 29:17-24; Matthew 9:27-31)
Saint Ambrose was not raised a Catholic. Rather his father belonged to the governing class of Roman citizenry which afforded Ambrose a classical education. Ambrose joined the catechumenate in Milan where he was provincial governor. He chose to look from the perspective of faith which brought his intellectual formation to completion. The gospel today portrays Jesus as fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of enabling sight in the root sense of the word.
Isaiah prophesizes that in the fullness of time blind persons like Helen Keller would be able to see flowers and butterflies. Jesus is able to provide that kind of blessing. But his cure does not stop there as if seeing beautiful things were all that humans desire. More importantly, Jesus confirms the faith of the blind men in him as Lord. This gift sees them past all the challenges on life on the road to salvation.
We believe in order to see. That is, we accept the truths of faith so that we can have a rightful understanding of the world. We need not fear that faith conflicts with science. They cover different realms and are compatible. Belief even aids research as it insures that investigation will serve humanity.
(Isaiah 29:17-24; Matthew 9:27-31)
Saint Ambrose was not raised a Catholic. Rather his father belonged to the governing class of Roman citizenry which afforded Ambrose a classical education. Ambrose joined the catechumenate in Milan where he was provincial governor. He chose to look from the perspective of faith which brought his intellectual formation to completion. The gospel today portrays Jesus as fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of enabling sight in the root sense of the word.
Isaiah prophesizes that in the fullness of time blind persons like Helen Keller would be able to see flowers and butterflies. Jesus is able to provide that kind of blessing. But his cure does not stop there as if seeing beautiful things were all that humans desire. More importantly, Jesus confirms the faith of the blind men in him as Lord. This gift sees them past all the challenges on life on the road to salvation.
We believe in order to see. That is, we accept the truths of faith so that we can have a rightful understanding of the world. We need not fear that faith conflicts with science. They cover different realms and are compatible. Belief even aids research as it insures that investigation will serve humanity.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Thursday of the First Week of Advent
(Isaiah 26:1-6; Matthew 7:21.24-27)
Bicyclists are wary of sand. If they a patch of some on the road ahead they are likely to point at it with a warning to their companions. They know that sand can cause tires to slip and riders to fall. They need the bare, rock-hard road for a peaceful ride. In both readings today we see references to rock and in the gospel a lesson about sand.
Isaiah writes, “…the Lord is an eternal rock.” He means that one can trust him like a cyclist a rock hard road. Jesus calls acting on the word of God like building a house on rock. The person who does so will never slide into the pitfalls of guilt. On the other hand, the person who always does what is easy, like a builder who lays a foundation on sand, will soon be in trouble.
During Advent we are to prepare for judgment. If we find ourselves firmly established on the word of God, we can rejoice. If, on the other hand, we see our foundation crumbling because we always did what came easy, we better start building quickly on firmer ground.
(Isaiah 26:1-6; Matthew 7:21.24-27)
Bicyclists are wary of sand. If they a patch of some on the road ahead they are likely to point at it with a warning to their companions. They know that sand can cause tires to slip and riders to fall. They need the bare, rock-hard road for a peaceful ride. In both readings today we see references to rock and in the gospel a lesson about sand.
Isaiah writes, “…the Lord is an eternal rock.” He means that one can trust him like a cyclist a rock hard road. Jesus calls acting on the word of God like building a house on rock. The person who does so will never slide into the pitfalls of guilt. On the other hand, the person who always does what is easy, like a builder who lays a foundation on sand, will soon be in trouble.
During Advent we are to prepare for judgment. If we find ourselves firmly established on the word of God, we can rejoice. If, on the other hand, we see our foundation crumbling because we always did what came easy, we better start building quickly on firmer ground.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)