Our Lady of Guadalupe's Significance for Today

For historical account of the apparition, please go here. 

In the history of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church, out of all her apparitions (e.g., at Lourdes or at Fatima), there has been only one apparition in which our Lady left us a miraculous image of herself — and that is at Tepeyac in 1531, which later would be called Guadalupe.  Tepeyac is not a place in France (where there has always been deep devotion to Our Lady), nor a city in Italy, nor even in Catholic Spain — but a place in the New World that would eventually be known as Mexico.  You may know that December 12th is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and that she is the patroness of Mexico, but you may not know that she is also patroness of all the Americas and even of the Philippines.  So, a few questions may arise:  Why did the Blessed Virgin appear to the Aztec peoples and not to the Indian tribes in Virginia?  What was the reason for her visit to Mexico?  And why did she choose this occasion to leave us a miraculous image of herself?  It was certainly not for us to worship her (Our Lady always directs us to adore God alone) and it was not just to have a day each year to eat, drink and dance in her honor (although these festivities are good).  There is an ardent purpose for our Lady’s apparition and for leaving us this holy image.

Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego and left a miraculous image of herself – not to bring glory to herself – but to lead the indigenous peoples of that time (and peoples centuries later) to her divine Son, Jesus Christ, the Lord of the universe, the Savior of the world.  She wanted them to abandon paganism and superstition, and to accept the true religion by embracing Jesus Christ and entering His holy Church through baptism.  In the last few decades, scientists have looked at the holy image  imprinted on the tilma under the microscope to examine it.  The most interesting findings are those objects they have found in her eyes.  When examined using digital imaging, there are several figures that can be seen in the cornea of the Blessed Virgin’s eyes.  You can see the Bishop and his interpreter, a black slave woman, St. Juan Diego, and two other witnesses of the unveiling of the miracle.  However, the scientists found an interesting image in the pupil of the eyes of the Blessed Virgin.  In the center of her eyes is a family: a husband, a wife, and children.  Many believe that, since these images were not visible until modern technology could discover them, our Lady intended us to see them in modern times.  Today, the family is under attack because of the wide acceptance of extra-marital sex, cohabitation, adultery, divorce, and the homosexual lifestyle.  The eyes of the Blessed Virgin show her intention of bringing not just individuals into Jesus Christ, but whole families into the Lord — especially amidst current challenges.

In 1999, Pope [St.] John Paul II named Our Lady of Guadalupe “Protectress of Unborn Children” to combat the the attacks on life.  How fitting that we as Catholics – North Americans and Mexicans – are able to celebrate this feast during Advent as we make room for Christ in our hearts.  Jesus is the “reason for the season,” the end of the miracle at Tepeyac, the One who gives life to roses in winter, the One whom St. Juan Diego loved with all his heart, mind, and soul.  With Our Lady of Guadalupe, we celebrate Jesus Christ who comes to be the center of our lives and to be the center of our families.