Our Lady Of Guadalupe mosaic at Holy Redeemer Church in Burton, MI
The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a great day to celebrate the Patroness of the Americas!
This is one of the more fun-filled feasts because it is full of mystery, wonder, baffling science, and miracles.!
An everyday kind of saint
When I read about the saints to my granddaughter, they are usually stories of very young maidens, perpetual virgins, or brave young men who travel far and perform great deeds of endurance, strength, and piety.
But the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe places a simple middle-aged man in the center of a big event, proving once more that God uses his faithful regardless of their age or station in life.
Who was Juan Diego?
St. Juan Diego’s feast day was just a few days ago. Here’s a recap.
Juan Diego (b 1474), an Aztec Indian originally named Cuahtlatoatzin. Translated, this means, “The one who speaks like an eagle.” He married a girl named Malintzin. She later became Maria Lucia at her Baptism. The couple was baptized along with Uncle Juan Bernardino, in 1525, near Lake Texoco in 1525, most likely by Father Toribio. Juan Diego was 57 at the time of his conversion to Catholicism.
Juan Diego and Maria Lucia were pious and holy people. Maria Lucia wove the tilma that her husband wore during his visits with the Blessed Mother. So in a way, Maria Lucia was part of the miracle as well, even though she died two years before the apparitions.
Juan Diego attended Mass and catechism class at the Church in Tlatelolco regularly. On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego started for church. He had to pass by a hill named Tepeyac to get there. This was an ancient site for goddess worship and human sacrifice. On this particular day, as he passed by the hill, he heard music, and then suddenly a beautiful young woman appeared and called him by name.
“Dear little son, I love you. I want you to know who I am. I am the Virgin Mary, Mother of the one true God, of Him who gives life. He is Lord and creator of heaven and of Earth. I desire that there be built a temple at this place where I want to manifest Him, make him known, give Him to all people through my love, my compassion, my help, and my protection.
I am truly your merciful Mother, your Mother and the Mother of all who dwell in thisland and of all mankind, of all those who love me, of those who cry to me, and of those who seek and place their trust in me.
Here I shall listen to their weeping and their sorrows. I shall take them all to my heart, and I shall cure their many sufferings, afflictions and sorrows. So run now to Tenochtitlan and tell the Lord Bishop all that you have seen and heard.”
Juan Diego vs. the Bishop!
Juan Diego went to the palace of the Franciscan Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, The Bishop listened to his story, but told Juan Diego that he would need to bring a miraculous sign before he could comply with building a new church!
Juan Diego was to meet Virgin Mary again, but his Uncle was very sick and instead, he set out to fetch a priest to give him last rites.
But Mary did appear to him again and said:
“Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that disturbs you, the thing that afflicts you, is nothing. Do not let your countenance, your heart be disturbed. Do not fear this sickness of your uncle or any other sickness, nor anything that is sharp or hurtful. Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you. Do not let your uncle’s illness worry you, because he will not die now. You may be certain that he is already well.”
Go up, my dearest son, to the top of the hill, to where you saw me and received my directions and you will find different kinds of flowers. Cut them, gather them, put them all together, then come down here and bring them before me.”
“My youngest and dearest son, these different kinds of flowers are the proof, the sign that you will take to the Bishop. You will tell him from me that he is to see in them my desire, and therefore he is to carry out my wish, my will. And you, who are my messenger, in you I place my absolute trust. I strictly order you not to unfold your tilma or reveal its contents until you are in his presence. You will relate to him everything very carefully: how I sent you to the top of the hill to cut and gather flowers, all you saw and marveled at in order to convince the Governing Priest so that he will then do what lies within his responsibility so that my house of God which I requested will be made, will be built.”
Juan Diego gathered the flowers into his cloak and presented himself once more to the bishop. When he opened his tilma, the flowers dropped to the ground and a beautiful image of the Blessed Mother was left on the garment!
The Bishop agreed to build the church and the rest is history.
Ari Helminen via Flickr, licensed cc
Juan Diego’s Tilma today.
Dr. Adolfo Orozco, a researcher and physicist at the National University of Mexico spoke in 2009 about the remarkable preservation of the tilma compared to its numerous copies. One copy created in 1789 was painted on a similar surface with the best techniques available at the time, then encased in glass and stored next to the tilma. It looked beautiful when painted, but not eight years passed before the hot and humid climate of Mexico caused the copy to be discarded due to faded colors and fraying, broken threads.
The indestructible tilma!
Two distinct events happened to the tilma over the centuries. One occurred in 1785 and the other in 1921.
In 1785, a worker accidentally spilled 50 percent nitric acid on a large portion of the actual image. While this portion of the tilma should have been dissolved almost instantly, the tilma repaired itself and today looks almost unscathed. There are a few small stains on the part not bearing the image.
In 1921 an activist hid a bomb in a pot of roses placed before the image in the Basilica at Guadalupe. The bomb caused much damage. The marble altar was destroyed and windows 150 meters away were broken. But the image and the glass surrounding it remained untouched.
Mary’s image.
One of the most interesting modern discoveries about the image of Mary on the tilma is her eyes.
Jose Tonsmann, Ph.D. from Cornelle University, has studied the tilma at great length. He determined that the reflection in Mary’s eyes on the tilma is that of Juan Diego presenting the flowers to Bishop fray Juan de Zumarraga on December 9, 1531.
The starry mantle is mysterious as well. In 1981, Father Mario Rojas and Dr. Juan Hernandez Illescas determined that the position of the stars on the tilma reflects the exact position of the constellations in the sky as they would have appeared in Mexico on that day in 1531.
The right side of Mary’s mantle shows the southern constellations: Ophiuchus, Libra, Scorpio and Hydra. the Southern Cross appears.
The left side reflects the northern constellations. Starting at the shoulder now can see the Herdsman, the Great Bear, Bereniece’s Hair, Hunging Dogs, and Thuban from the Draco constellation.
Altogether 46 brilliant stars visible in Mexico at that time were identified.
-
Excellent retelling of the story with other historical facts, a map and more.
Quilt hanging in St. Sebastian’s Church Akron, OH
Many years ago, my oldest child, Calvin, painted a tilma for us. I think he was around 12 or 13 at the time. It is his own simple design on material I purchased at a fabric store. That tilma served two purposes – we pulled it out to decorate our home on the Feasts of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
and we also used it for all saints day when my youngest boy was Juan Diego for All Saints Day.
More good reading about Juan Diego in Diigo links.
How to celebrate!
Today we will celebrate by having Mexican Taco night for dinner. I have an Our Lady of Guadalupe Candle in the center of our table to day as well as these cute salt and pepper shakers that I found at an antique store. They just reminded me of Juan Diego and Mary!
Those not interested in the usual taco and burritos for dinner might like to try a Mexican Casserole like this one!
A spicy (but not too)Mexican casserole for the feast day:Ingredients
*
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup* 1 1/3 cups water* 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice* 2 cups frozen peas* 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves* 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese* One package of taco seasoning.* Bag of fritos or Doritos- crushed.
Directions
1.1Stir the soup, water, rice, peas and taco seasoning in a 12″ x 8″ shallow baking dish.2.2Top with chicken. Season chicken as desired. Cover.3.3Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minute or until done. Top with cheese and crushed Fritos or Dorritos.
Since I have been grain free now eight years, I think I’ll try this one for myself!
