Patroness of the Americas

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Thursday, 12 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this day the Church celebrates the great occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary, the Holy Mother of God in her Apparition to St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin about five centuries ago in what is the present day Mexico at the great shrine that now stands at the site of Guadalupe. This great shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is now one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the world and many millions flock to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe every year, particularly during the time of her Feast that we celebrate this day. The Blessed Mother of God has made her appearances during times of strife and hardships for the Church, in various moments throughout history, including the time when she appeared at the site of Guadalupe in Mexico, which happened shortly after the arrival of the Spanish and other European explorers to the New World, the American continent.

At that time, it was at the beginning of the evangelisation of the lands of the New World, with missionaries and priests beginning to proclaim the Good News of God to many of the people of the Americas who have not yet heard and known the Lord. It came after years of devastation and destruction caused by the greed of the early European explorers, also commonly known as ‘Conquistadors’ that had brought about the ruin of the great kingdoms of the Aztecs and the Incas. The greed of those early conquerors had brought about great sufferings for the local natives, as well as plenty of destruction and exploitation of the region. During those turbulent years, even back in Christendom there were also a lot of divisions and conflicts, happening at that time in the midst of the Protestant reformation.

Amidst the backdrop of all these challenges and difficulties, our loving Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe made her appearance to a local native named Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, who would later on be honoured as St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. According to the tradition and hagiographic story, at that moment, St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin was a Christian convert, among the first of the natives to be baptised by the missionaries upon their arrival in those lands. He regularly travelled between his house and the Franciscan mission station where he had his religious instruction, and this travel passed by the Hill of Tepeyac, the site of the Apparition. On the dawn of the ninth day of December, which date is now celebrated as the Feast of St. John Diego, this man of God encountered the Apparition of Mary, who instructed him to tell of her appearance to the local bishop and to build a shrine at that location in order to provide help and comfort for all those who seek God’s mercy through her.

The bishop was initially skeptical and doubtful of the authenticity of the Apparition, and it was only after Our Lady of Guadalupe again repeated her message to St. John Diego that the latter went again to the bishop who then made a request that Our Lady of Guadalupe provide him with evidence of the authenticity of her Apparition with a miraculous sign. At that same time, St. John Diego’s uncle became very sick and he hurried to his uncle’s place through a different route, not passing through the site of Our Lady’s Apparition, as he was embarrassed that he was unable to fulfil the promise he made to her about the request that she has entrusted to him. But on his way, St. John Diego was intercepted by Our Lady who appeared to him and chastising him for not having faith in her intercession and help, and she reassured him that his uncle has recovered fully and was all well.

She told St. John Diego with the words that would become famous today, ‘¿No estoy yo aquí que soy tu madre?’ which means, ‘Am I not here, I who am your mother?’. St. John Diego then followed the instruction of Our Lady to collect some flowers at the nearby hill into his cloak or tilma, and then bringing them immediately to the bishop. Then as St. John Diego presented the flowers to the bishop, what truly amazed the bishop was not the seemingly unseasonal and uncommon Castilian flowers growing on that hill which St. John Diego had collected, but rather the image and likeness of Our Lady of Guadalupe herself being imprinted on the tilma or cloak worn by St. John Diego. The bishop, who was initially skeptical about the Apparition, immediately believed and venerated the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Ever since that moment, the belief and the devotion in the Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe grew rapidly, and a shrine was built in that site of the Apparition, at the Hill of Tepeyac, known as Guadalupe, which led to the naming of the Apparition as Our Lady of Guadalupe, the loving Mother of God herself making her appearance to her beloved children, the people of God, at the time of great strife and challenge faced by them, in the New World due to the destruction wrought by wars and conflicts, and in the Christendom as a whole due to the effects of the Protestant reformation and other strife in the Church of God and among the Christian population of the whole Christendom. Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe made her Apparition so as to strengthen our faith and resolve to follow the Lord faithfully, and not to give in to sin and corruption. Many people came back to the Lord and found their way to Him through His mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

We have heard these through our Scripture readings today, from the account by St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in his Book of Revelations, in which the vision of the great War in Heaven and the end times were told to us. St. John saw in one of those visions a great vision of a Woman bearing a Child, which is in fact a personification of the Church of God, and at the same time is a reminder of Mary as the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church. Through her great obedience and faith in God, Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe had responded positively, with love and commitment to the mission which God has entrusted to her, as we heard in our Gospel passage today from the Gospel of St. Luke. When the Archangel Gabriel revealed the Good News to Mary, while she was hesitant and unsure about what she had heard, but she ultimately trusted in the Lord and believed in Him.

Mary’s great faith in the Lord, her commitment and obedience, and all the virtues and righteousness that she has shown in life, all these are great examples and inspiration for all of us to follow. She is the perfect example and role model, the one who is our beacon to be followed. Her Apparition to St. John Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin and many others who witnessed her appearance served to remind us of God’s great love that has been manifested and made visible, tangible and approachable to us through Mary. And if we follow her examples, inspiration and faith, we will surely find ourselves on the firm path towards God and His salvation. Mary made herself available to us, guiding us patiently towards her Son. Her apparitions in Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima and others were all meant to this purpose.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore remind ourselves especially during this time and season of Advent, to refocus our lives and attention once again towards the Lord, our Master and Creator. Let us all no longer be distracted by all sorts of temptations and pleasures in life, all the attachments we have on worldly glory that can lead us astray in our path. May the Lord be with us always, and may He strengthen our faith and resolve, and through His loving Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, bring us ever closer to His Holy Presence, and help us to turn away from and reject all the sins and wickedness of this world. Amen.

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Thursday, 12 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Matthew 11 : 11-15

At that time, Jesus said to the people, “I tell you this : no one greater than John the Baptist has arisen from among sons of women; and yet, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered; and violent men seize it.”

“Up to the time of John, there was only prophesy : all the prophets and the Law. And if you believe Me, John is indeed that Elijah, whose coming was predicted. Let anyone with ears listen!”

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Thursday, 12 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Psalm 144 : 1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab

I will extol You, my God and King; I will praise Your Name forever. YHVH is good to everyone; His mercy embraces all His creation.

All Your works will give You thanks; all Your saints, o YHVH, will praise You. They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom; and speak of Your power.

That all may know of Your mighty deeds, Your reign, and its glorious splendour. Your reign is from age to age; Your dominion endures, from generation to generation.

Alternative Psalm (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Judith 13 : 18bcde, 19

My daughter, may the Most High God bless you more than all women on earth. And blessed be the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has led you to behead the leader of our enemies.

Never will people forget the confidence you have shown; they will always remember the power of God.

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Thursday, 12 December 2024 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Isaiah 41 : 13-20

For I, YHVH, your God, take hold of your right hand and say to you : “Fear not, I am your assistance.” Fear not, Jacob, poor worm, and you, people of Israel, so frail. I am your Redeemer, says YHVH, the Holy One of Israel, your Helper.

I will make you a thresher, new and with sharp double teeth : you will thresh hills and mountains, crushing them and reducing them to chaff. You will winnow them, the wind will carry them off and the storm will scatter them. But you will rejoice in YHVH and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The poor and the afflicted seek water, and find none. Their tongues are parched with thirst. But I, YHVH, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open up streams over the barren heights and let the rivers flow through all the valleys; I will turn the desert into lakes and brooks and the thirsty earth into a land of springs.

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle and the olive; I will plant in the wasteland fir, cypress and pine – that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of YHVH has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Zechariah 2 : 14-17

Sing and rejoice, o daughter of Zion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you,” says YHVH. “On that day, many nations will join YHVH and be My people, but My dwelling is among you.”

The people of Judah will be for YHVH as His portion in His holy land. He will choose Jerusalem again. Keep still in YHVH’s presence, for He comes, having risen from His holy dwelling.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Revelations 11 : 19a and Revelations 12 : 1-6, 10

Then, the Sanctuary of God, in the heavens, was opened, and the Ark of the Covenant of God could be seen inside the Sanctuary.

A great sign appeared in heaven : a woman, clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and cried out in pain, looking to her time of delivery.

Then, another sign appeared : a huge, red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and wearing seven crowns on its heads. It had just swept along a third of the stars of heaven with its tail, throwing them down to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman, who was about to give birth, so that, it might devour the Child as soon as It was born.

She gave birth to a male Child, the One Who is to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre; then, her Child was seized, and taken up to God, and to His throne, while the woman fled to the desert, where God had prepared a place for her. Then, I heard a loud voice from heaven : Now has salvation come, with the power and the kingdom of our God.

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Wednesday, 12 December 2018 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we celebrate together the feast of the Marian apparition which was one of the first apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be recognised and approved by the Church, that is of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mary appeared to a local Christian, who is also now a saint, St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, showing herself to him in a vision on a hill called the Tepeyac hill, where now a great Basilica stands in her honour, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego a few times over a series of visions, in which she spoke to St. Juan Diego about who she was, and on the ninth of December, the now feast of St. Juan Diego, Mary made her first appearance before him. This happened in the year of Our Lord 1531, just slightly more than a decade after the conversion of Mexico and many parts of the New World to the true faith in God.

Mary identified herself in St. Juan Diego’s own native language, revealing that she is the mother of the One True God, Who is Jesus Christ, Our Lord. She also asked him for a church to be built at the site in her honour. When St. Juan Diego spoke of this to his Archbishop, the latter requested him to ask the Lady for a miraculous sign as a proof of her authentic apparition. Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego again and agreed to provide a sign.

When St. Juan Diego’s uncle was very sick, and St. Juan Diego seeking to find a priest to minister to him on his deathbed, again Our Lady appeared to him and chided him with the now famous words, “Am I not here, I who am your mother?” and promised that St. Juan Diego’s uncle would be healed, and also asked him to gather some flowers from Tepeyac hill to be shown as a sign to the Archbishop.

When St. Juan Diego presented the flowers to the Archbishop, the latter was surprised with what he saw in the tilma or cloak in which St. Juan Diego had carried the flowers. The very image of Our Lady of Guadalupe who appeared to St. Juan Diego was imprinted on the tilma, which is kept until today in the great Basilica, as the proof of Our Lady’s miraculous apparition in Guadalupe.

Ever since then, Guadalupe became a centre of intense devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, through which many of the faithful came seeking for petitions and favours from the Mother of God. And Mary did also appear several more times in various other places, of which those that had been recognised include Fatima, Lourdes, La Sallette, and many others. Through all these apparitions, Mary sought to remind us, as the mother of Our Saviour, that we ought to be faithful to her Son.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Mary is the Mother of Our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, and as we have just celebrated a few days ago, she was special amongst all of us mankind, for she has been conceived without the taints of sin, the Immaculate Conception, as the one whom God had bestowed His fullness of grace and as the one who would bear the Messiah in her, as the New Ark of the New Covenant.

Mary is special to us because she is the role model for all of us mankind, as the perfect disciple and follower of God, having lived her whole life in total devotion and commitment to the Lord, and having dedicated her life to the love and care of her Son, seeing Him taking up the cross and dying for the sake of all of us mankind, fulfilling the role which the Lord had sent Him to do in this world. And at the very end, He entrusted her to us all, through St. John, His disciple, and vice versa, entrusting us all to her in the same way.

Mary is the mother of us all, and as a mother loves her children, thus, that is why Mary is also loving to each and every one of us. She certainly does not want us to fall into damnation, and thus away from her and from her Son for eternity. Mary has appeared many times throughout the years for this purpose, reminding us again and again of the need for genuine repentance and change of hearts and attitude in our minds.

She appeared in Guadalupe to help us, His people to become closer to Him through her. By following her examples in life and by devoting ourselves just as she had devoted her own, we can be closer to God, and be able to reach out to the salvation which He has promised all of us. Now, we are called to reach out also to the blessed Mother of Our Lord and God, Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, asking her to intercede for our sake, that we may received the grace of God in our own lives.

O Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, you who have been conceived without sin, the Mother of God, pray for us all sinners, and bring us ever closer to the saving grace and love of Your Son. May God bless us all, and may He continue to love us, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Wednesday, 12 December 2018 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Matthew 11 : 28-30

At that time, Jesus said to the people, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For My yoke is easy; and My burden is light.”

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Luke 1 : 39-47

Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the Fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!”

And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my Saviour!”

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Wednesday, 12 December 2018 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Psalm 102 : 1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10

Praise YHVH, my soul; all my being, praise His holy Name! Praise YHVH, my soul, and do not forget all His kindness.

He forgives all your sins and heals all your sickness; He redeems your life from destruction and crowns you with love and compassion.

YHVH is gracious and merciful, abounding in love and slow to anger. He does not treat us according to our sins, nor does He punish us as we deserve.

Alternative Psalm (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

1 Samuel 2 : 1, 4-8

My heart exults in YHVH, I feel strong in my God. I rejoice and laugh at my enemies for You came with power to save me.

The bow of the mighty is broken, but the weak are girded with strength. The well-fed must labour for bread, but the hungry need work no more.

The childless wife has borne seven children, but the proud mother is left alone. YHVH is Lord of life and death. He brings down to the grave and raises up.

YHVH makes poor and makes rich, He brings low and He exalts. He lifts up the lowly from the dust, and raises the poor from the ash heap; they will be called to the company of princes, and inherit a seat of honour. The earth to its pillars belongs to YHVH and on them He has set the world.

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Wednesday, 12 December 2018 : 2nd Week of Advent, Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet or White (Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Isaiah 40 : 25-31

To whom, then, will you liken Me or make Me equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and see : who has created all this? He has ordered them as a starry host and called them each by name. So mighty is His power, so great His strength, that not one of them is missing.

How can you say, o Jacob, how can you complain, o Israel, that your destiny is hidden from Me, that your rights are ignored by YHVH? Have you not known, have you not heard that YHVH is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth? He does not grow tired or weary, His knowledge is without limit.

He gives strength to the enfeebled, He gives vigour to the wearied. Youth may grow tired and faint, young men will stumble and fall, but those who hope in YHVH will renew their strength. They will soar as with eagle’s wings; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and never tire.

Alternative reading (Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

Isaiah 7 : 10-14 and Isaiah 8 : 10c

Once again YHVH addressed Ahaz, “Ask for a sign from YHVH your God, let it come either from the deepest depths or from the heights of heaven.” But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask, I will not put YHVH to the test.”

Then Isaiah said, “Now listen, descendants of David. Have you not been satisfied trying the patience of people, that you also try the patience of my God? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign : The Virgin is with Child and bears a Son and calls His Name Immanuel, for God-is-with-us.”