Friday, December 12, 2025 - Dec. 12 - Our Lady of Guadalupe
[Zech 2:14-17, or Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab and Luke 1:26-38, or Luke 1:39-47,800]
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior..." Luke
These words begin the "Canticle of Mary," spoken by Mary in response to Elizabeth's greeting in the episode we familiarly call "the Visitation." Although only these two sentences are given in today's alternate gospel scripture, if one reads the entire canticle, the words make clear that God cares for the lowly and the poor, the starving and the persecuted. It is this care that the Virgin of Guadalupe personifies in both her life and her words. The famous cloak (tilma) displays many symbolic elements in Mary's ministry, but one of the most signficant is that she is depicted as a humble mestizo woman, of the same race as St. Juan Diego, the peasant to whom she appeared.
There are many devotions inspired by various apparitions of Mary around the world, and even in the same culture in which she appeared in this feast. In all those that I am familiar with, her maternal care is an extension of God's care for all people, but especially for those who are poor and oppressed. That maternal care is emphasized in this feast by the way she is depicted as pregnant with Jesus, consistent with the promise and anticipation of his birth at Christmas.
My own pastoral experience as pastor of a predominately Hispanic parish included early morning hymns outside the church in very cold weather, processions, food and drink, special dancing groups of children, etc. etc. Yes, there is great cultural significance to the feast, but its theological message should not be lost in all the festivity. God and Mary care for humanity in all its trials and struggles for peace and justice. AMEN
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