OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE IS OUR MOTHER - 12/12/22 (Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Luke 1:30–31

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.”  

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121222.cfm

Blessed Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, appeared to St. Juan Diego so that there would be a Church built in honor of her. Why do we give respect and reverence to her? It's because she has been chosen by our Lord Jesus Christ, from eternity, to be His mother. She is the dwelling place of God, not just spiritually, but by becoming the mother of our Savior. In preparation for this unique mission, our Lord created her without any stains of sins, and she never offended God because she was full of grace. Our Mother Mary rejected the temptations from the devil, and she's our model for prayer. This is also seen in the miraculous tilma or image of Our Lady of Guadalupe where Mary is depicted in a prayerful disposition. What can we learn from this? Though the virginal conception of our Lord in Mary was miraculous, we should remember that we are also the dwelling place of God. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. This is why we should persevere in our prayer, so we can always remain in the presence of God and avoid displeasing Him. When we experience temptations from pride, anger, lust and other sins, let's seek the help and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary who will surely help us because she is our Mother, and she will lead us closer to Jesus Christ. 

Since we are the dwelling place of God, we should also remember the importance of doing God's will. Our purpose in life is not to just do whatever we want. It's to do the will of God which is the means by which we can glorify Him and be more united to Him. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the greatest example of this when we look at the followers of Christ. Without any doubts and without understanding the whole picture of God's plan, she submitted herself to all of God's will, especially the mission of becoming the Mother of God. In the life of St. John Diego, even though it could be embarrassing to go to the Bishop to make a request and even if it seemed impossible that a miracle would take place, he simply obeyed what Mary said. This is a sign of humility. Below this reflection, there is a documentary on Our Lady of Guadalupe which provides the story and the scientific evidence for the miraculous tilma. The Blessed Virgin Mary desires for us to give ourselves totally to God, and we can do this more through the intercession of our Mother. Are we struggling to trust in our Lord due to our sufferings or due to circumstances that we do not expect? Let's keep trusting in Him and begging for help from our Mother Mary, especially through the rosary. She will come to our aid and help us because she is our Mother who loves us the most. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Documentary on Our Lady of Guadalupe:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=KEhjwCsDDsc

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth