The Queen of Advent, Our Lady of Guadalupe

What does Holy Mother Church give us halfway through Advent? The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of America. What a gift! 

Do you know the story? 

On December 9, 1531 which was then the feast day of the Immaculate Conception, Mary appeared to Juan Diego in Mexico City and asked him to take a message to the bishop to build her a shrine there. The bishop asked for sign. In response, Mary gathered roses and arranged them in Juan Diego's tilma and told him to take them to the bishop.

When Juan Diego opened it before the bishops, the roses fell to the floor revealing the miraculous image imprinted there by heaven's power. 

What a gift and reminder Mary's feast is in the middle of Advent. She calls us in this holy season to prayer and penance. "Am I not here?" Mary asks us and "Am I not your mother?" 

Mary speaks little in the gospels and, when she does speak, she points to the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and puts her whole being at their disposal. 

"Let it be done to me according to your word," she told the angel at the Annunciation responding to God's request. And later she makes clear that her mission is not to glorify herself, but God when she proclaims to Elizabeth. "My soul magnifies the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." What does Mary always tell her children to do? The same thing she said to the stewards at the wedding feast at Cana. Again she defers to Jesus. "Do whatever He tells you!" It is never about Mary's will, but God's. She leads us straight to God as the perfect guide. 

Are we listening?

Every day I try to remember that I have totally consecrated myself to Mary and given her everything I have: my husband, my family, all I own, all the merits of my prayers and works. "All for you, Mary." All -- nothing held back.

Mary certainly knows better than I do how to dispense whatever meager graces I merit to contribute to the spiritual treasury of the Church. And Advent is the perfect time to add to the "bank" by offering all of our works and sacrifices for whatever intentions Mary chooses to use them. In this case, Mother knows best and always does what the Father desires.

For a beautiful reflection on the power of Mary under her title Our Lady of Guadalupe, read Fr. Gordon MacRae's post:

How Our Lady of Guadalupe Came to Us in Prison

She came through the total consecration! 

Mary is our mother and mistress. She will always engage in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy for her children. She feeds the hungry, visits the sick and imprisoned, prays for the living and the dead. Whatever your needs, turn to Mary. She will never disappoint you. If what you ask is for the good of your soul, you can be sure she will take your need to her Son like she did the need of the bridal couple at Cana. If what you request would harm you, she will help you to embrace God's will in the matter to realize that your sickness or material setback or other suffering is for the good of your soul. In either case, you can't go wrong when you trust Mary. She will give you roses in winter and teach you to be thankful for the prick of the thorns. And she will do everything in her power to unite us to Jesus so that we too can be a fitting tabernacle for the Almighty.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.