FEAST OF JUAN DIEGO
Isaiah,
Chapter 40, verse 9:
9
Go up
onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of good news! Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem,
herald of good news! Cry out, do not fear!
Say to the cities of Judah: Here is your
God!
Today would be a good day to sing Christmas Carols
and if you can go as a group onto a high mountain and sing your hearts out. It
has been said that singing is praying twice.
The season of advent is all about recognizing that
our God has come as a gentle child on Christmas day and his delight is in us. One
of my favorite representations of the Lords delight with us is a statue of
Joseph and the baby Jesus. Jesus and Joseph are playing. Joseph is slightly
bent with the baby Jesus giggling crawling over the back of Joseph and peeking
over his shoulder looking at his face in peek a boo fashion and delight is all
over both of their faces. How can we fear when we have a God who loves us so! In
times of tribulation when we feel courage being drained from our souls let us
remember the courage of blessed Saint Joseph reflecting on his courage,
strength and of course gentleness with our Lord Jesus. In times of trouble let
us call on the aid of St. Joseph reflecting on this portion of the litany of
Saint Joseph[1].
”St. Joseph, Renowned offspring of David, Light of
Patriarchs, Spouse of the Mother of God, Chaste guardian of the Virgin, Foster
father of the Son of God, Diligent protector of Christ, Head of the Holy
Family, Joseph most just, Joseph most chaste, Joseph most prudent, Joseph most
strong, Joseph most obedient, Joseph most faithful, Mirror of patience, Lover
of poverty, Model of artisans, Glory of home life, Guardian of virgins, Pillar
of families, Solace of the wretched, Hope of the sick, Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons, Protector of Holy Church. Pray for Us!”
Saint Juan Diego[2]
St Juan
Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548). Little is known about the life of
Juan Diego before his conversion, but tradition and archaelogical and
iconographical sources, along with the most important and oldest indigenous
document on the event of Guadalupe, "El Nican Mopohua"
(written in Náhuatl with Latin characters, 1556, by the Indigenous writer
Antonio Valeriano), give some information on the life of the saint and the
apparitions. Juan Diego was born in 1474 with the name
"Cuauhtlatoatzin" ("the talking eagle") in Cuautlitlán, today
part of Mexico City, Mexico. He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people,
one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley. When
he was 50 years old he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr Peter da Gand,
one of the first Franciscan missionaries. On 9 December 1531, when Juan Diego
was on his way to morning Mass, the Blessed Mother appeared to him on Tepeyac
Hill, the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. She asked him to go to the
Bishop and to request in her name that a shrine be built at Tepeyac, where she
promised to pour out her grace upon those who invoked her. The Bishop, who did
not believe Juan Diego, asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true.
On 12 December, Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac. Here, the Blessed Mother told
him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He
obeyed, and although it was winter time, he found roses flowering. He gathered
the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his mantle
and told him to take them to the Bishop as "proof". When he opened
his mantle, the flowers fell on the ground and there remained impressed, in
place of the flowers, an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at
Tepeyac. With the Bishop's permission, Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as
a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed
for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to
pray to the Mother of Jesus. Much deeper than the "exterior grace" of
having been "chosen" as Our Lady's "messenger", Juan Diego
received the grace of interior enlightenment and from that moment, he began a
life dedicated to prayer and the practice of virtue and boundless love of God
and neighbor. He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to
the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on 6 May 1990 by Pope John Paul II in
the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City. The miraculous
image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a
woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings
are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that
area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold
stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus,
the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born"
again among the peoples of the New World, and is a message as relevant to the
"New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.
Things to Do[3]
·
Meditate on Our Lady's beautiful words to St.
Juan Diego: "Hear and let it penetrate into your heart, my dear little
son; let nothing discourage you, nothing depress you. Let nothing alter your
heart or your countenance. Also, do not fear any illness or 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 crossing of my
arms? Is there anything else that you need?"
·
Cook some Mexican dishes for dinner and bake a
Rose Petal Pound Cake or other rose theme for dessert in honor of St. Juan
Diego.
·
From the Catholic Culture Library:
·
Recommended Reading: For children: The
Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie dePaola. For adults: The Wonder of Guadalupe by Francis Johnston.
·
For music for Juan Diego's and Our Lady of
Guadalupe's feast, see www.savae.org. The San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble have two
cds of authentic music by Mexican medieval composers. Very beautiful!
·
Visit Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas for detailed
accounts on the apparition to Juan Diego.
Rediscovering the Faith
Have you been away from the Church? Are you thinking about
coming back? Do you know someone who wants to come home to the Catholic Church,
but is struggling with their faith? Maybe you or someone you know has
experienced one of these thoughts:
·
I grew up Catholic, but for some reason I
just sort of stopped going to Church…
·
I just moved to a new city, I tried going to
a couple different parishes, but I never really felt welcomed...
·
After my marriage ended, I felt uncomfortable
around my family, friends and parish…
·
I just don't understand why the Church
teaches what it does! Some teachings seem so outdated…
·
I tried to contact my parish about getting
married but no one got back to me…
If you have experienced one of these situations or thoughts you
are not alone. The Church wants you to know that you are a child of God, called
by name, precious in his eyes and loved by him (Is. 43:1,4). The Church also
wants you to know that you are missed. When one member of the Body of
Christ suffers, the entire Body of the Church suffers.
This website
contains resources to help you rediscover the faith and answer questions about
the Church and Church teachings. We invite you to explore this site and contact
your local parish.
As we begin the Advent season let us take up the nature of God by
reflecting on these traits that make us a model for our children and our
sisters and brothers in Christ. Today reflect on:
Determination vs. Faintheartedness
Purposing to accomplish God’s goals in God’s time regardless of the opposition (II Timothy 4:7–8)
2577 From this intimacy with the faithful God,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, Moses drew strength and
determination for his intercession. He does not pray for himself but for the
people whom God made his own. Moses already intercedes for them during the
battle with the Amalekites and prays to obtain healing for Miriam. But it is
chiefly after their apostasy that Moses "stands in the breach" before
God in order to save the people. The arguments of his prayer - for intercession
is also a mysterious battle - will inspire the boldness of the great
intercessors among the Jewish people and in the Church: God is love; he is
therefore righteous and faithful; he cannot contradict himself; he must
remember his marvelous deeds, since his glory is at stake, and he cannot
forsake this people that bears his name.
Daily Devotions
·
Please pray for me and this ministry
Comments
Post a Comment