Our Lady of Guadalupe
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Second Week of Advent
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (USA)
Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab/Lk 1:26-38 or Lk 1:39-47 (Lectionary 690A),
or any readings from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lectionary #707-712)
Zechariah 2:14-17 ends on a note of adoration: “Silence, all humanity, in the presence of the Lord!” Why? Because “he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.” What is so awesome about that?
God, by nature, is so far beyond anything we can imagine, that we think of him as “separate.” He dwells in “heaven,” transcendently above us. It is awesome that he should “draw near.”
But God is also immanent. He is within everything that exists, continually creating it, willing it into existence, making everything be and act according to its nature. Coffee is not God, but it is God present and acting in the coffee that gives it its taste, color and warmth. Everything we see, hear, taste, smell or feel in any being is a partial “translation” into created reality of the uncreated goodness of God who is “in” that being by his power, presence and essence. In the “Contemplation for Love,” the climactic end of St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, seeing God’s ongoing gift of Self present in everything around us inspires our total gift to him: “Take, Lord, and receive… all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. To you I return it” (tr. G. Ganss, Loyola University Press, 1992).
But by the Incarnation, God has chosen to be with us, not just as Creator giving existence, but as a Person with a human nature like our own: “Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the LORD.” This came about in Luke 1:26-38: “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son…. the Son of God.” Jesus is “Emmanuel,” “God-with-us.” In Jesus God has our face.
As Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary (image of the Church) has the face of an Aztec woman. This showed the Aztecs that the Church, which to them had the face of invading Spaniards, is not identified with any one race or nation, but with all (Galatians 2:28). God, not Spain, sent the Church, as body of Christ, to America. “You shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.” Within seven years eight million Aztecs were converted to Christianity: “Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD and be my people; and I will dwell in your midst.”
God’s acceptance of us wins our acceptance of him. Christians’ acceptance of others will win their acceptance of Christ.
This is the lesson of Guadalupe. We say to all we meet, “The LORD of hosts has sent me to you.” And vice versa. We know no strangers, foreigners or immigrants, just family. To us, all have the face of Christ. All have the face of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patron of all the Americas.
Initiative: See the face of Christ in everyone you deal with. See your own.
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