Our Lady came bearing the message of her Son and a message of life. Mary to Juan Diego said: “My dearest son, I am the eternal Virgin Mary, Mother of the true God, Author of Life, Creator of all and Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth...and it is my desire that a church be built here in this place for me, where, as your most merciful Mother and that of all your people, I may show my loving clemency and the compassion that I bear to the Indians, and to those who love and seek me...”
A Church was built. The Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City is the most popular pilgrimage site in North America built near the site where Our Lady appeared to the poor farmer, Juan. It is second in the world only to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
What was in 1531 an almost entirely pagan culture almost entirely converted to Christ. According to a contemporary chronicler, nine million Aztecs became Catholic in a very short time. It is only in recent decades that Catholicism in Mexico has begun to revert, as the culture of death, which is so prevalent in our culture, attempts to regain its lost territory.
At Tepeyac, Our Lady of Guadalupe showed herself to be a lover of humanity and a lover of life. She is depicted with a ribbon around her waist, indicating that she is with child. She is also depicted standing on a moon, the symbol of paganism. History shows that cultures which worshiped the moon are very depraved. And so Mary, standing on the moon, as if crushing it, points to the victory of Jesus Christ, the God of Life, over the powers the false pagan gods of death.
The Feast of Guadalupe is an important Advent feast, to remind us that we prepare during Advent to celebrate the birth of Christ the Savior, victor over the powers of sins and death.
Saint John Paul II, his great Marian Document, Redemptoris Mater, writes: For Mary, present in the Church as the Mother of the Redeemer, takes part, as a mother, in that monumental struggle; against the powers of darkness" which continues throughout human history.
And so throughout Advent we do well to invoke Our Lady in our prayers for the conversion of our culture, especially for those who, because of their errors and false beliefs spread and participate in evil intentionally or unintentionally.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and the Right to Life Movement, pray for us, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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We bring our prayers to God through Mary.
Please respond to the petitions: “Mother of the Redeemer, intercede for us”
That Our Lady may protect the Church from all evil, and aid us in the mission of the Gospel.
That all government leaders may be awakened to the supreme dignity of each human life, and that all people of our nation may work together for an end to the culture of death.
For all mothers, that they may find in Mary the example and strength to carry out their
vocation.
For all refugees forced to flee from their homes, that God bring peace to them and their country of origin.
That the sick may draw strength, consolation, and healing by turning to Our Lady, who
intercedes for us from her place in heaven.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.
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