Dec. 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe; Our Lady of the Americas

Saturday, December 12, is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our Lady of the Americas. Each time we bring groups to Mexico the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the core of our experience. Each time the Benedictine Sisters of Guadalupana share the story of the Virgin. We also visit the people of Mexico who live her message.

When we visit these people who are very very poor, they don't ask for money, they don't ask for gifts, they ask only that we tell the story of their reality to the people in our part of the Americas.

The English translation of the words around the mandala are: "Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Have I not placed you on my lap? Who else do you need? Do not grieve or worry about anything." These are the words that are printed under the tilma [cloak] of Juan Diego where it is displayed in the basilica.

I call this the "Tu Madre" Mandala. When I first created this mandala, it was made into note cards and sold in the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministry of the Arts catalogue. On the back of the note cards I wrote this explanation of the mandala:

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to the Mestizo peasant, Juan Diego, in 1531 on Mount Tepeyac. She came, not to the center of power, but to the periphery of a society which had been oppressed and stripped of their indigenous culture, religion and dignity.

The "Tu Madre" mandala combines indigenous symbols of hope, resurrection and transformation from both the Aztec, "Piedra del Sol" and the Mayan Pyramids of Xochicalco with the traditional image of the tilma of Juan Diego.

The Virgin wears the blue-green of divinity and her dress is the color of earth. Her head tilts in a listening, contemplative glance that radiates concern and compassion. Her hands are clasped in a gesture of offering. The black band indicates the expectancy of new life for within her dwells hope for salvation.
The Guadalupe event marks the beginning of a new era. Its universal message is not just for Mexicans.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is Mother of the Americas – south, north, central. Our Mexican sisters and brothers ask that we walk with those whose lives are lived on the periphery. They ask that we be open to the struggle of the marginalized even when it's painful.

I would also like to share this brief prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe in case anyone would like to pray with it on the occasion of her feast. It's adapted from a book called: A Retreat with Our Lady of Guadalupe and Juan Diego, by Virgilio Elizondo and Friends – St. Anthony’s Messenger Press, 1998. I highly recommend the book as a resource for prayer and for learning the story of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Lady of Guadalupe, we come before you to ask that you hear our prayer.
Help us to be life-givers by proclaiming your message of salvation to all people.
Fill our hearts with your compassion and your love.
Give hope to those who suffer because of ignorance, poverty and injustice.

Kind and gracious Mother, just as one day in Tepeyac, you recreated an oppressed culture with beauty and with dignity; grant us the grace to engender consolation for your people in these days of alienation and division.

Just as you encouraged Juan Diego to be your collaborator and ambassador in a new creation, a new alternative, grant us the grace to be agents of reconciliation and proclaimers of the Good News of your Son.

Bless us with courage to serve, creativity to open new vistas, and generosity and enthusiasm in contributing to the faith lives of those with whom we live or to whom we are sent. Give us a desire to be transformed followers of your Son and help us give birth to a more just and reconciled family and society.

You are invited to read general information about our pilgrimage to Mexico and how you can be part of this experience at http://www.westonpriory.org/mexico/index.html

You can also watch a video about the experience at http://wprioryvision.wordpress.com/2008/04/25/mexico-experience-part-1/

Happy Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe!