December 9 2022 - St. Juan Diego - God chooses the meek

 The story of St. Juan Diego is one of the well-known stories of the saints. The simple peasant Juan Diego was on his way to Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception when he began to hear beautiful strains of music on the hill of Tepeyac in now Mexico City, and Our Lady herself appeared to him.

Our Lady told Juan Diego go to the Bishop and relate her message for a church to be built at the site where they were now standing. At first, Juan Diego insisted that he couldn’t do it: he was not one of the great or important persons, he was too insignificant to take such a message from the Mother of God to the bishop. 

The Virgin answered Juan Diego’s protests of unworthiness, saying, “Yes, you are the least of my children”, and that is precisely why you are being chosen. 

In choosing the lowly Juan Diego, Our Lady followed the heavenly tradition: numerous times in scripture God chooses the lowly, the barren, the tongue-tied, and the meek, to do his work. God sends the powerless to confront the powerful. As St. Paul wrote, “God uses the meek to confound the proud.”

In the work of God to which all of us are called, we are often tempted to put ourselves down; to think we are not good enough or holy enough to take up a particular way of service. “I’m too poor, too busy,  too uneducated, too old”. But in choosing Juan Diego, the least of her children, Mary shows that it is our excuses that are not good enough; if the poor uneducated Juan Diego can bear a message for God, so can we. 

At the time of Juan Diego, the Aztec culture was in full swing; 10s of thousands of human sacrifices were offered on the steps of the Aztec pyramids in honor of their pagan gods. Juan Diego, “the least” of Our Lady’s children, became an instrument of life, when he trusted her. 

An important Advent Lesson: to prepare our souls for the coming of Christ, we must never allow fear or excuses to keep us from the charity to which we are called. Rather, may we learn to trust God, that when we discern God’s Will, the inspiration of the holy spirit, or the gentle or not-so-gentle nudges from heaven, we follow them. And that will make a lot of difference to a lot of people, including ourselves…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As we await with longing the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, we raise up our prayers of petitions.

That Our Lady with her saints may protect the Church from all evil and bring about our conversion from sin.

For the grace to recognize the many ways God calls us to charitable service and the spread of the Gospel, and for the grace to accept God’s call.

That the Word of God may guide the minds of those who govern us to promote the common good according to His Holy Will.

That from the moment of conception all children will be preserved from bodily harm; for the overturning of unjust laws that permit the destruction of innocent life; and that the minds of all may be enlightened to know the dignity of every human life.  

For the sick, the suffering, the addicted, the imprisoned, the grieving and the dying. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Almighty ever-living God, who bring salvation to all and desire that no one should perish, hear the prayers of your people and grant that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and your Church rejoice in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

December 12 2018 - Our Lady of Guadalupe - Mother of the Author of Life

When Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531, Mexico was one of the most depraved cultures in human history.  The number of human sacrifices by the Aztec culture is virtually incalculable.

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.

Homily: Dec 12 2016 - Our Lady of Guadalupe - "Mother of the author of Life"

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the Americas and of the Right to Life Movement.  When Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego, Mexico was one of the most depraved cultures in human history.  The number of human sacrifices by the Aztec culture is virtually incalculable. 

Yet, Mary 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, and second in the world only to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. 

What was then 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 the faith in Mexico has begun to revert, as the culture of death, which is so prevalent in our culture, attempts to regain its lost territory. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe shows 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 Aztecs, along with worshiping the sun, worshiped the moon.  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 over the powers of death. 

This 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 which is well on its way to a total collapse into sin and depravity.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Additionally, the Bishops have asked that today we offer special prayers for migrants and refugees, and so the we will remember this intention in our petitions this morning.

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That the Church, like the Virgin Mary, may bring Christ into the world with joy, and be

joined with him in endless life

Through the Intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we pray 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 and 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 migrant workers, that they may labor in safe and just conditions, we pray to the Lord.

 

For all refugees who are 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.