Juanito

"No estoy yo aqui que soy tu madre?" (Am I not here, I who am your mother?)

Our Lady of Guadalupe asked St. Juan Diego.

St. Juan Diego was just a poor man who had lost his father at a young age and was raised by his uncle. He was married but had no children. He lived in the midst of the Aztec culture which was accustomed to human sacrifice, even child sacrifice. However, he chose to convert to Catholicism upon arrival of the missionaries in Mexico. He now was tending to his sick and dying uncle and was attending his daily duties when he was stopped by a beautiful woman, Our Lady of Guadalupe. She asked of him a request but Juan brought before her his concerns. Juan submitted though and did her will which brought about the beautiful image we know as Juan Diego unfurled his tilma for the bishop there appeared Mary herself.

In the image of Mary there are many significances such as how she appears pregnant (on her early December appearances which is just weeks prior to Christmas). The color and design represent her as a goddess yet she is greater than the sun and moon gods which are behind and beneath her in the picture. In her eye can even be seen the images of Juan Diego, the bishop, and others.

Mary asks us to trust her just like she did to Juan Diego. She comes though as a loving mother. She addressed Juan as “Juanito” her little Juan when she appeared and she cared for him as her child. Juan Diego provides us with an example of how to love Mary. He did so in the midst of hesitations and concerns. After the miracle of his tilma, Juan lived the rest of his life right next to the church built where she appeared to Juan.

In the midst of our busy and stressful lives we must remember and listen to the ways Jesus is speaking to us. He often, and naturally, comes through His mother as He did at Christmas. She is given to us as our own Mother. Not to be like a mother to us but to be our Mother. She whom Jesus spent 30 years with (while only 3 with the rest of humanity) is reaching out to us as her little children because her mother’s heart aches for our very good. Let us entrust ourselves to her as we prepare to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, St. Juan Diego’s feast day, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day, and then Christmas day where Mary plays a key role in bringing about our salvation. She is the brightest light in the haze.