December 12

 

Today, we celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, honoring the Virgin Mary’s apparition to Juan Diego in 1531. She transformed barren Tepeyac Hill with blooming Castilian roses and left her image on Juan Diego’s cloak. Reflect on this miracle with Nayeli Carmona Perez ’21 of Santa Clara University’s Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education.

 

The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe

"The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebration commemorating the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego, a young indigenous man, on the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 1531.

Juan Diego, a humble man from Cuautitlán, witnessed four apparitions of the Virgin Mary. He was chosen to deliver her message to the bishop that a church be built on Tepeyac Hill in her honor. Juan Diego delivered the message but the bishop was skeptical and asked for proof. At the Virgin’s request, Juan Diego gathered red roses from the hillside, an impossible task given the cold, barren landscape. Yet, miraculously, the roses appeared in full bloom. The most extraordinary miracle, however, is the image of the Virgin Mary that appeared on Juan Diego's tilma (cloak). When he presented the roses to the bishop as proof of the Virgin’s request, the roses spilled out, and her image was imprinted on the tilma. This convinced the bishop, who ordered the construction of the church known today as the Basilica of Guadalupe. The tilma is found in the Basilica and continues to draw millions of pilgrims from around the world."

 

What does it mean to me?

"To me, the Virgin Mary is the most celestial and divine woman, full of love. She is the mother of our God—the Creator of all that exists—and a mother to all. She welcomes you and waits for you with tenderness, seeing you as her most beloved child. Those who turn to Mary know they will find the open arms and warmth of the purest and kindest mother, who nurtures your spirit with her love, peace, and compassion. The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is, for me, a day to remember that she is with us as a mother, guiding our paths closer to God. It is a day to celebrate in community, with profound gratitude for the deep peace, love, and joy she brings into our lives, reminding us of the power of faith, devotion, and her unwavering care for all of us."

Advent Reflection: Where in life do you find love, peace, and compassion? Where can you share that same love, peace, and compassion with others today?