Luke 1:39-47 Our Lady of Guadalupe

Luke 1:39-47  Our Lady of Guadalupe

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Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

God chose Our Lady to be the mother of our Lord.  He chose a humble woman.  In return, Our Lady chose a humble man to be an agent for her son.  She chose him from an occupied land and among a defeated tribe that were highly resentful of their conquerors. 

Like our Lady, Juan Diego was a very humble man.  And like our Lady, he was a “nobody”.  But honest-to-God humility radiates honest-to-God beauty.  And we know that everyone loves to be around beautiful people.  Everyone!  No one enjoys the company of the arrogant, the obnoxious, the complicated and the confusing.  Everyone loves a humble person.   Everyone!  Humility remains the greatest visible sign of our Lord’s divinity.  It is also the greatest sign of a faithful follower of the Lord. 

And where pride shocks the “life” out of us; humility shocks the “hell” out of this world.  Humility makes room for much fruit, fruit that lasts forever. 

Seven years after Our Lady’s appearance to Juan Diego, over eight million Aztecs converted to Christianity.

Now that is humbling and shocking!

A young lady, who recently underwent major surgery, called me today in tears.  She has been having some complications after her surgery and these complications have filled her with great fear, anxiety, sadness and loneliness.  She called today.  Out of all the days, she called today, the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  I asked her if she knew today was our Lady’s day?  She said no.  I then read to her Our Lady’s message to Juan Diego.  It was no coincidence.  It is providence.  It is all providence. 

Let nothing discourage you, nothing depress you.  Let nothing alter your heart or countenance.  Also do not fear any illness and vexation, anxiety or pain.  Am I not here who am your mother?  Are you not under my shadow and protection?  Am I not your fountain of life?  Are you not in the folds of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms?  Is there anything else that you need? (Dec. 12, 1531)

She couldn’t believe it!  She had forgotten.  For twenty-four hours her fears had held her captive;  her body had been thrown into a corner.  She had found no comfort in prayer.  No hope in God. 

When we are overwhelmed by our worst nightmares; when our worst nightmares become our daily thoughts; when our imagination grows more and more opaque; when imagined difficulties become physically insurmountably, we must let ourselves go to the One and only One who can take it all away from us.     

These are the moments the Lord gives us to force us to rely on those things we never wanted to rely on before:  faith in Him, hope in Him, love for Him. 

These moments are God’s way of reminding us of one simple yet very important fact:  we are not the masters of our lives.  We owe our lives to Him.

Our Lady of Guadalupe!  Pray for us!