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December

Our Lady of Guadalupe

3rd CL./MEM.
DECEMBER 12
In 1527, Our Lady appeared to the Aztec Indian Cuatitletoatzien, who later became known as St. Juan Diego.

Attend Mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe

Begin the day by attending Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Many parishes hold special celebrations featuring Marian hymns in Spanish, Aztec dances, or the singing of Las Mañanitas, a traditional serenade to the Virgin Mary. Offer prayers of thanksgiving for her intercession and ask for her continued guidance and protection, especially for the Americas.

Write and Send Christmas Cards

Take inspiration from Our Lady’s message of hope and kindness to connect with family and friends.

  • Reflection: Encourage your family to write personal, thoughtful notes in your Christmas cards, sharing blessings from the year and prayers for loved ones.
  • Activity: Gather as a family to write cards while listening to hymns like Ave Maria or La Guadalupana to reflect the festive and Marian theme of the day.

Display an Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Bring the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe into your home as a sign of her maternal care.

  • How to Display: Hang a framed image of the tilma or set up a small shrine with candles, flowers (especially roses), and an image of the Virgin.
  • Prayer Activity: Pray the Hail Mary or the Memorare as a family, asking for her intercession for any specific intentions. You can also read the description of her miraculous image, such as how her stars correspond to the constellations in the night sky of 1531.

Have a Feast of Mexican Food for Dinner

Celebrate the cultural roots of this feast day with a meal inspired by traditional Mexican dishes:

  • Main Dishes: Tamales, enchiladas, or pozole (a flavorful hominy stew).
  • Sides: Rice, refried beans, or fresh guacamole.
  • Dessert: Buñuelos (fried dough with cinnamon sugar) or pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread).
  • Beverages: Hot chocolate or horchata (a rice-based cinnamon drink).

Make this a joyful celebration, and share the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe over dinner to enrich the occasion.

Read the Story of Our Lady’s Apparition to St. Juan Diego

In December 1531, on a chilly morning near Mexico City, a humble indigenous convert named Juan Diego was walking to Mass across Tepeyac Hill. As he passed the hill, he heard the sound of beautiful music, like a heavenly choir, and saw a radiant figure of a woman clothed in light. Speaking to him in his native Nahuatl language, she called him Juanito, Juan Dieguito, and revealed that she was the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. She asked him to deliver a message to the bishop of Mexico, Juan de Zumárraga: a chapel was to be built on the hill in her honor, where she could show her love and compassion to all who sought her.

Juan Diego, though humble and unsure of himself, obeyed her request and went to the bishop. Despite his sincerity, the bishop was skeptical and asked for a sign to prove that the message was truly from Heaven. Disheartened but obedient, Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac Hill and told the Virgin Mary what had happened. She reassured him and promised to provide the sign the bishop needed. She asked him to return the next day, but life intervened.

On December 11, Juan Diego’s uncle, Juan Bernardino, became gravely ill. Instead of meeting Our Lady, Juan Diego stayed to care for him. The next day, desperate to find a priest to give his uncle the last rites, Juan Diego tried to avoid Tepeyac Hill, fearing that stopping would delay his search. But the Virgin appeared to him again, radiant and full of love, asking why he was troubled. Juan Diego explained his uncle’s condition, and she comforted him with words that have since become beloved by her devotees: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection?” She assured him that his uncle would recover and instructed him to climb the hill to gather the sign for the bishop.

When Juan Diego reached the top, he found a miraculous sight: beautiful roses blooming in the frost-covered, barren soil. Roses were not native to the area and certainly not expected in winter. Following her instructions, he gathered them in his tilma, or cloak, and brought them to the bishop.

When Juan Diego unfolded his tilma to present the roses, an even greater miracle occurred. The bishop and his attendants were astonished to see the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary imprinted on the rough fabric of the tilma. She stood clothed in a mantle of stars, her dress decorated with Aztec floral patterns, and the crescent moon beneath her feet. Her image blended both Christian and indigenous symbols, affirming the dignity of the native people and proclaiming her as a mother to all.

The bishop, deeply moved, immediately accepted the message and began construction of the chapel on Tepeyac Hill. Word of the miracle spread rapidly, leading to the conversion of millions of indigenous people to Christianity. Meanwhile, Juan Diego’s uncle, Juan Bernardino, was miraculously healed and also experienced an apparition of Our Lady, who revealed her name as Santa Maria de Guadalupe.

The tilma, with the miraculous image, has been preserved for nearly 500 years and is enshrined in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Scientists have studied the tilma extensively, marveling at its inexplicable preservation and the intricate details of the image, including reflections in Mary’s eyes and the alignment of stars on her mantle corresponding to the constellations in the sky of 1531.

This miraculous event is a powerful testament to Mary’s love for all people, especially the poor and marginalized. It also highlights her role as a bridge between cultures, bringing unity and peace under the Gospel of her Son, Jesus Christ. Today, Our Lady of Guadalupe remains a beloved symbol of hope, compassion, and the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin.

Reflection

After sharing the story, reflect on its deeper meanings with your family:

  • Mary’s Love for the Marginalized: Discuss how Our Lady chose a humble, indigenous man as her messenger and how her apparition emphasized the dignity of the poor and vulnerable.
  • Cultural Unity: Explain how her image, rich in Aztec symbolism, shows Mary as a mother to all, uniting cultures in Christ.
  • Trust in God’s Providence: Reflect on her words to Juan Diego—“Am I not here, I who am your Mother?”—and how they encourage us to entrust our worries to her care.

For younger children, simplify the story and focus on key points, such as Mary’s love, the miracle of the roses, and her comforting words to Juan Diego.

Pray Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Say once a day for nine days, especially beginning on 3 December and ending on 11 December, the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, according to thy message in Mexico I venerate thee as the Virgin Mother of the true God for whom we live, the Creator of all the world, Maker of heaven and earth. In spirit I kneel before thy most holy image which thou didst miraculously imprint upon the cloak of the Indian Juan Diego, and with the faith of the countless numbers of pilgrims who visit thy shrine, I beg thy for this favor:

(Mention your intentions here)

Remember, O Immaculate Virgin, the words thou hast spoken to thy devout client: “I am a merciful mother to thee and to all thy people who love me and trust in me and invoke my help. I listen to their lamentations and solace all their sorrows and sufferings.” I beg thee to be a merciful mother to me, because I sincerely love thee and trust in thee and invoke thy help. I entreat thee, our Lady of Guadalupe, to grant my request, if this should be the will of God, in order that I may bear witness to thy love, thy compassion, thy help and protection. Do not forsake me in my needs.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

Pray three Hail Marys

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