Tag: Our Lady of Guadalupe

Posted on

Third Sunday of Advent

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Podcast

Mass Readings

Thanks for listening! For questions or feedback, please email deaconrudyv@gmail.com.

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Responsorial: Isaiah 12:2-6
Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Gospel: Luke 3:10-18

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121221.cfm

Happy Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice,” and we hear that a lot in today’s readings! Our rose-colored candle today because the Church invites us to celebrate! We celebrate and we rejoice because we are halfway to Christmas! Can you believe it? Rejoice because the Lord is near!

Today also happens to be the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We don’t celebrate it this year because it falls on a Sunday and the Sunday liturgies take priority. But there is something important about that story that is relevant for us today.

Five hundred years ago, the Church had been struggling in its missionary efforts throughout central and south America. So, our Lady appeared in Mexico to encourage in the faith. But she didn’t appear to the bishop. No! She appeared to a poor indigenous laborer. The bishop wanted proof.

Oh, how our Lady provided proof!

Mary presented St Juan Diego with roses to take to the bishop. Why was this a sign? First of all, it was December and there was frost on the ground. Second, the roses weren’t native plants. These roses came from the same part of Spain where the bishop was from. What an extraordinary sign!

Now, in today’s Gospel, John the Baptist who had been preaching in the region of the Jordan (Luke 3:3) didn’t ask the people around him – the people he had just called a brood of vipers – to produce an extraordinary sign. But he told them they needed to repent and to prove their conversion. Or to put it another way, their repentance needed to produce fruit. You see, repentance is not about saying, “I’m sorry.” Repentance is about radical change – a turning from our old way of life. When we repent, we turn away from the lifestyle that caused us to sin. And the fruits of that change are corporal works of mercy – sharing our blessings with others.

The people ask him, “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10)

John the Baptist tells the people that if they have two cloaks, they should give one away. Or whoever has food should give some of it away. (Luke 3:11) Tax collectors shouldn’t collect more than they should. (Luke 3:13) And soldiers shouldn’t extort people. (Luke 3:14)

Notice that it isn’t the occupation of the tax collector or soldier. John the Baptist doesn’t care what the job is, but how we conduct ourselves on the job. We can’t just say, “it’s business” to justify taking advantage of people.

Why these particular fruits?

Well, if I’m holding on to stuff I don’t use; if I’m hoarding more food or supplies than I could use in a year; if I’m taking advantage of people through my job, who’s the focus. The focus is on me. How often sin revolves around me. But repentance – changing my life means I’m willing to see someone else to offer them help.

Alright, let’s look at this from another angle. Isn’t mercy the other side of repentance? We repent and place ourselves at the mercy of God. But when we look out and forgive others or help others, we show them mercy. What is mercy?

Just this week my spiritual director reminded me about the definition of mercy. The Jesuit moral theologian Jim Keenan defines mercy as the willingness to enter into the chaos of another.

Doesn’t that sound like what’s happening in the Incarnation? God willingly enters into the chaos of our world – of our lives. Maybe you’re experiencing a little chaos because someone you loved just passed away. Maybe you’re experiencing a little chaos because you or someone you love received a bad diagnosis and they’re facing a difficult road ahead. Maybe you’re experiencing a little chaos because you’re a single parent or your parents of young children and it’s a struggle – balancing work, schoolwork, the shopping, and the cooking and the cleaning. And let’s face it, the kids have more energy than we do so we feel like we’re racing just to keep up. And by the way, how is it December? It was just September, wasn’t it?

Despite the chaos of our lives, Jesus willingly steps into our lives, not like some phantom. But to walk with us as a human – to be just like you and just like me in every way except sin. Jesus says to you and to me I’m willing to step into your chaos.

John the Baptist tells us we can’t just reach into our pockets and toss a little change into the Salvation Army bucket, you know with the people ringing their bells. Do they still do that? No, John the Baptist tells us we need to look the other person in the eyes – to see them as a human being and to say to them “I am willing to bring the chaos of my life and get involved in the chaos of your life.” Like those roses that Our Lady gave to St. Juan Diego 500 years ago, I need to break through the frost of this post-Christian world and to share the joyful hope of Jesus Christ with everyone I encounter because we’re all in this together.

That’s another beautiful lesson learned from Our Lady. I’m sorry if you missed the talk by Christy Wilkens about Lourdes this past Thursday. She’s the daughter of parishioners. The family donated a copy of her book Awakening at Lourdes. Just as soon as our library volunteers can get that into the card catalog, it will be available in our library to be checked out. But one of the lessons she learned is that it’s not that God won’t give you more than you can handle. But rather, it’s God will not give you and your community of friends and family more than you can handle.

What a beautiful lesson.

We’re not alone on this journey. We’re part of a community. So, my repentance means that God is willing to show me mercy – to get involved in my chaos. So too must I be willing to get involved in the chaos of the community by sharing what I have – by sharing my particular gifts of time, talent and treasure. I think that’s one of the lessons from today’s Gospel.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following question.

John the Baptist tells us we need to share what we have with others and to not use our jobs to take advantage of other people. Ask yourself, “how do I joyfully put my time, my talents, and my money and possessions at the service of others?”

I think doing our homework will help us prepare to celebrate Christmas as intentional disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Then go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPEG file.

References:

1. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
2. Hamm, Dennis SJ. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.

Catechism References:
1. Joy: 30, 163, 301, 736, 1829, 1832, 2015, 2362
2. Jesus the Savior, 430-5
3. John prepares the way for the Messiah: 523-4, 535
4. John the Baptist: 535, 696
5. Fruits of repentance: 1460
6. Works of mercy: 2447

Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 92

Reading 1
Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.

Responsorial
Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.
R. (6) Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Reading 2
Philippians 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Alleluia
Isaiah 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 3:10-18
The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.

Posted on

Our Lady of Guadalupe

picture of our lady of guadalupe

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Zechariah 2:14-17 or Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Responsorial: Judith 13:18bcde, 19
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121220.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

On Saturday we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Back in 2018, I created a 3-part series called “Our Lady of Guadalupe.” In episode 1, I reflect on the religious dimension of this feast. In episode 2, I recounted the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In episode 3, I explored some of the cultural and political dimensions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. If you’d like to learn more about this great feast, go to the website https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/, and in the search bar on the right, type in “Our Lady of Guadalupe,” and the episodes will pop right up. I will include links to each episode in today’s notes: 06 Our Lady of Guadalupe Episode 1, 07 Our Lady of Guadalupe Episode 2, and 08 Our Lady of Guadalupe Episode 3.

One of the optional readings for today is from Revelation. And if you read this passage and compare it to the miraculous image of Our Lady that appeared inside of St. Juan Diego’s cloak, the similarities are remarkable. The reading says that “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head, a crown of twelve stars. She was with child…” (Revelation 12:1-2).

Compare the miraculous image of Our Lady to the description in Revelation. By the way, I have an excellent rendering on the website for today’s episode that with some callouts that explain some of the elements we find. The image is of a woman clothed with the sun. She wears a mantel of stars. She stands on the moon. And the ribbon she wears is above her belly, which we believe means she’s pregnant. Our Lady chose to reveal herself to St. Juan Diego as the pregnant woman we find in Revelation. Amazing!

Her request of St. Juan Diego mimics God’s request of her. She said yes to God and followed God’s plan. Now, in so many of her apparitions like today’s feast, or at Fatima or Lourdes, she asks Jesus’ disciples to do something. Will they surrender to God’s will and do like Mary? She asked St. Juan Diego to tell the bishop to build a church right where the apparition occurred. What happens in church? We praise and worship God and celebrate the Eucharist! Mary always points to her son.

But today’s readings challenge all of us!

In today’s reading from Revelation, the dragon wanted to devour the child (Revelation 12:4). The child is Jesus, and the dragon is like Herod, who tried to kill Jesus while acting under Satan’s influence. And that dragon swept a third of the stars out of the sky (Revelation 12:4). What the heck does that mean?

Theologians tell us that one way to interpret this passage is that in the end, Satan will claim a third of all humans that have ever existed. A third!

My brothers and sisters, God wants all of us to be with him! As missionary disciples, we share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone we encounter! God pursues all of us, but he will not force himself on anyone. We try to bring as many as possible to salvation through Christ Jesus.

Why?

Well, frankly, because there is an end. We don’t know when it will happen, but all good things must come to an end. And on that day, God judges everyone. That’s the truth it. The birth of Jesus marks the beginning of a timer. Things have been set in motion. Now, I don’t say this to scare anyone, but to remind us that we have a purpose. We have no time to waste. Will we like St. Juan Diego say yes to Mary’s request? Will we bring people to Jesus Christ?

Homework! Showered in God’s grace, I ask you to reflect on the following questions.

What things or doubts get in the way of you saying yes to God?

I think reflecting on this question will help us be better disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Artist unknown. JPG file.

Bibliography:
1. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
2. Williamson, Peter S. Revelation. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Mary and Old Testament women: 64, 489
2. Mary’s faith and fiat: 148, 494, 973, 2617, 2622, 2674
3. Nothing impossible with God: 269, 273
4. Ecumenical councils on the incarnation: 456, 464-67
5. Virginal conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit: 484-88, 496-97, 505, 510, 695, 697, 723
6. Mary, Daughter of Zion: 489
7. Immaculate Conception: 490-91, 722
8. Mary, Mother of the Church: 501, 963-75
9. Church as mother: 757
10. The kingdom in its fullness: 1042
11. Hail Mary: 2676-77

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121220.cfm
Lectionary: 690A

Reading 1
Zechariah 2:14-17
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people,
and he will dwell among you,
and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land,
and he will again choose Jerusalem.
Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD!
For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

or

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
God’s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed.”

Responsorial
Judith 13:18BCDE, 19
R. (15:9d) You are the highest honor of our race.
Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,
above all the women on earth;
and blessed be the LORD God,
the creator of heaven and earth.
R. You are the highest honor of our race.
Your deed of hope will never be forgotten
by those who tell of the might of God.
R. You are the highest honor of our race.

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;
from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
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.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

or

Luke 1:39-47
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

Posted on

08 Our Lady of Guadalupe Episode 3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Hello and welcome back to this series on Our Lady of Guadalupe. In episode 1, we reflected on the religious dimension of this feast. In episode 2, we recounted the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In this third and final episode in this series, we’ll look at some of the cultural and political dimensions of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Now, in Episode 2 we reviewed the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her political and cultural significance begins with that story. This is an important story about the apparition of Mary because this time there’s proof: Juan Diego’s tilma upon which is the miraculous image of Our Lady.

The image of Our Lady on Juan Diego’s tilma is brown-skinned. Why is this important? Well, it had only been around 10 years since Spain had conquered central Mexico. The Aztec people were devastated. But the image of a brown-skinned Mary reached out to the indigenous people in way that nothing else could. Also the image of Our Lady is standing in front of the sun and on the moon. These were symbols the Aztecs worshipped, but Mary’s image sends a message they can move beyond these symbols of their ancient faith and embrace the one true God. So Mary is the penultimate disciple.

But Mary didn’t just appear to Juan Diego. She asked him to tell the bishop – to work with the bishop to build a church. Of course God would come to a poor indigenous person. Throughout the Bible, God chose the unlikeliest of people for missions, like Moses who spoke with a stutter. Mary then is a symbol of unity trying to bring together the Spanish conquerors and the indigenous people to build a church where all people could come together as a community and worship God. So Mary inspires unity.

Mary is also seen wearing a sash high above her belly. This is an indication of pregnancy. So this is one of the only images depicting Mary pregnant with Jesus. All of these symbols: the sun, the stars, the moon, the southern cross, the placement of her hands indicating a gesture of offering, all reached out to the indigenous people in a way nothing else could. Millions were convinced by the apparition and joined the church.
Now this is important because what’s going on in Europe at this time? The Protestant Reformation is spreading and many are leaving the church. This was a period of great upheaval in the Christian world, but here in the West, Mary is reaching out to include non-Europeans into the church.

Over time her image became a great source of nationalism for the Mexican people. When the Mexican war of independence from Spain began in 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo rallying cry was “Long live the Virgen of Guadalupe!” One hundred years later during the Mexican revolution, Emiliano Zapata and other fighters carried her image into battle, despite the fact that the revolution was anti-clerical and anti-Church. Her image was used in the United States by Cesar Chavez during the Mexican-American civil rights movement in the 1960s and more recently by immigrants’ rights advocates.
But now the image of Our Lady has been so widely commercialized that she transcends religion. Her image has appeared on all sorts of things from tattoos to candles, calendars, and even TV in a soap opera and a cartoon! But her image is being adopted by people who are specifically anti-church and call themselves Guadalupanos. The term expresses anti-establishment sentiment. Even the former president of Mexico Felipe Calderon said, “We’re all Guadalupanos!”

Some of these more commercialized representations may have strayed far from the faith and perhaps are even more secular than religious. But they have a way of uniting people during a time when that seems completely impossible. Perhaps this is an expression of discipleship too – reaching out to disparate people who can’t seem to agree on anything and uniting them around one symbol might be away of sparking curiosity. Who is she and why is she important? These sorts of questions might lead people into an encounter with the true purpose of the symbol of Our Lady of Guadalupe: it’s not about Mary, but her son, Jesus Christ. So don’t get your feathers too ruffled by commercialism. It might be part of a great plan.

Well, that’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed this brief description of some of the non-religious dimensions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. You can find a copy of today’s podcast and other helpful information on the website, www.deaconrudysnotes.org. The link will appear in the notes on your podcast player, but here’s the link just in case, here it is again: www.deaconrudysnotes.org.

Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, may we all come to know and to love Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. +Amen!