Today, the Church celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and one of the most tender expressions of God’s closeness to all people. Throughout all times and places, our God is always seeking to convey love and care for us. On December 9, 1531, on the hill of Tepeyac, God chose Mary under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe to communicate this love in a powerful way. She appeared to Juan Diego, an Indigenous man of mixed ancestry—Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, whose name means “the talking eagle.” God’s choice was no accident. In the eyes of the world, then and now, who is more easily dismissed or overlooked than the poor, the Indigenous, the marginalized? Yet God entrusted this man with a message meant for the whole world: a message of hope, unity, and compassion.
Imagine Juan Diego’s astonishment when Mary’s image appeared on his tilma (cactus fiber cloak). And imagine the bishop—unable to deny the miracle literally placed before him. God overturned expectations then, and God continues to do so today.
The readings chosen by the Church for this feast help us understand who Mary is for us.
In the Book of Revelation, we see “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars.” For centuries, Christians have recognized in this woman an image of Mary—radiant with God’s glory, standing against the forces that threaten God’s people. Remarkably, the miraculous image on the tilma displays Mary in just this way: wrapped in light, standing on the moon, surrounded by stars. She is a sign of God’s presence and His victory, especially when His people suffer.
However, the Gospel from Luke reveals another side of Mary: the young woman who rushes to help her cousin Elizabeth. She comes not with grandeur but with simplicity, humility, and service. She brings Christ with her, and her very presence fills Elizabeth’s home with joy. This is the same Mary who appeared at Guadalupe—gentle, compassionate, eager to bring her Son to those most in need.
Together, these readings reveal both Mary’s glory and her humility. At Guadalupe, she is the majestic woman of Revelation, and in Luke's Gospel, the loving visitor. To a wounded and divided people, she brought unity, healing, and the assurance of God’s enduring love. And her message still speaks to us today.
What do all the stories of Mary have in common? Whether she is bearing Christ in her womb, visiting her cousin, or appearing to Juan Diego, Mary is a woman of decisive action. She carries hope. She carries salvation. She moves quickly toward those in need. God needed such a woman then—and God needs such witnesses now.
The “birth pangs” described in Revelation are a vivid image of our own struggles as believers who long for the fulfillment of God’s promises. They are not signs of defeat. They are signs that something new is coming to birth—the in-breaking of God’s kingdom, a world where everyone matters and no one is forgotten.
Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to call us to unity, compassion, protection, and hospitality for all people. To Juan Diego, she said, “Listen and understand, my littlest son. Let nothing frighten or trouble your heart.” She didn’t speak these words to the king or the bishop, but to a humble, overlooked man—reminding us that God often speaks His clearest words to the lowly.
As we honor her today, let us heed her call to action. Let us build a world where all God’s children are cared for, protected, and uplifted. If ever there were a moment when we needed hope and unity, it is now.
And so we pray:
Our Lady of Guadalupe, walk with us. Strengthen us. Make us instruments of peace and compassion.
For her message still echoes today:
“Do not be afraid. Am I not here, I who am your mother?”
~Sister Jeanne Shary, OP
Sr. Jeanne currently serves as the Communicaitons Coordinator for the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill.