GOD’S WORD

December 12, 2016 (Monday) 3rd WEEK OF ADVENT Psalter: Week 3 / (White) Our Lady of Guadalupe Jdt 13:18bcde, 19

You are the highest honor of our race.

1st Reading: Zec 2:14-17 (or Rev 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab)

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you,” says Yahweh.

“On that day, many nations will join Yahweh and be my people, but my dwelling is among you.” The people of Judah will be for Yahweh as his portion in his holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again.

Keep still in Yahweh’s presence, for he comes, having risen from his holy dwelling.” Gospel: Lk 1:39-47 (or Lk 1:26-38)

Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Eli zabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!”

And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my savior!”

Reflection:

Three days ago, we remembered St. Juan Diego, the Mexican Indian to whom Our Lady appeared in 1531 on four separate occasions. Eventually a church was built on the site of the apparitions at the request of Mary, who specified why she wanted a church there: “So that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defense… and remedy all your miseries, pains and sufferings.”

These apparitions and the various miracles accompanying them are the basis of the cult of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is found everywhere in Mexico, and is very widespread throughout the Spanish-speaking Americas, and increasingly worldwide.

As a result of this, the Basilica of Guadalupe is now the world’s major center of pilgrimage for Catholics, receiving 20 million visitors in 2010, the greater number of them being pilgrims.

The Virgin of Guadalupe is considered the Patroness of Mexico and of the Continental Americas.

Mary’s apparition to an Indian of very humble origin reminds us that racism and social discrimination in any shape or form are absolutely alien to God’s and Mary’s mentality. We are all their children, all equally cherished.