Today the church
celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This important feast celebrates
Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Mystical Rose, as well as marks the turning
point in the history of the Church’s evangelization in the Americas.
The famous
image and story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is an important part of the
history of the evangelization of the Americas – a continent evangelized more
quickly than any other in all of Church history. Mary appeared to a poor
Indian [St. Juan Diego] with a message for the local bishop – that a church
should be built. As a sign, he collected beautiful rare roses, which she
pointed out to him. When he brought these gifts to the bishop, a miraculous
image of Our Lady appeared on his tilma
(a kind of poncho) in which the roses were carried. She became a sign of
hope for a demoralized people in the midst of the trials and tribulations of
being colonized by Europe. Interestingly enough, her image is honored in many
Churches around the world today, even throughout Europe, during a time when
many believers feel demoralized and under attack.
Guadalupe
may be the transliteration of a Nahuatl word, which means “who crushes the
serpent.” This makes a wonderful connection with Genesis 3:15.
Ancient liturgical texts have celebrated the Mother of the Lord with the
one who crushes the serpent’s head. Along these same lines, asking Mary
to pray for us during times of spiritual battle, especially at the hour of
death, may have always been part of the Christian tradition of prayer – just as
the Scriptures say that all generations will call her blessed. Whatever
the meaning of the name Guadalupe, it would be difficult to dispute that under
this title, Mary has helped many come to believe in her Son, giving hope in
sometimes the most hopeless situations.
Our Lady
of Guadalupe has also been associated with the title Mystical Rose – a title associated with the
words of the beloved in Canticle of Canticles 2:1, “I am the Rose of Sharon.
I am the Lily of the valleys.” Tradition has understood the Beloved of
this biblical love poem to be not only an image of Israel, but also of the
Church, the new Israel. Mary, because she signifies the Church by her
very person, has also been associated with these words as has every soul that
is generous in responding to the love of God. For Saint Bernard, the
delicate beauty of a rose is in contrast to its thorns and signifies the
spiritual passion and purity of charity friendship love of God. He
teaches that, in contrast with Eve’s disobedience by which we lost access to
God, Mary’s obedience gave us Christ Jesus – the image of the invisible God,
the One who is our total access to all true worship of the Lord.
The
mystical life – beautiful, passionate and pure – is a participation in the life
of Christ by faith. This life progresses by way of the Cross – by
following our crucified God. The inexhaustible mystery of his risen life
not only purifies us of sin, but fills us with certain truth, deep holy desires
and great confidence. Mary is part of this mystical life, the rose of
this mystical life, because the Virgin Mother Mary is an inseparable part of
the life of her Son.
“Let it
be done to me according to your word.” These words of Mary to Gabriel
betray a holy audacity, which informs the Christian faith. The mission of the
Mystical Rose - to be part of our life of faith in Christ Jesus, and the
mission of Guadalupe – to crush the head of the serpent, coincide in the
life of prayer. Mary not only exemplifies the kind of faith we must have in the
Lord, she also prays for our life of faith – and through her mysterious
maternity, helps us realize the victory of good over evil so that we might not
lose hope in the face of trials and tribulation.
Source:
Spiritual Direction
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