Our Lady of Guadalupe

478 years ago, around this days Juan Diego encountered a beautiful lady on his path. It was our blessed mother, Mary. Dressed in beautiful colors and surrounded by the light of the sun. After a series of aparitions to Juan Diego our blessed mother gave Juan Diego a sign to take to the priest. He told him to pick roses from the mountain. Juan Diego did as our Lady told him. He picked the roses from the mountain and placed them in his tilma(throw or cape). Juan Diego took the flowers back to Our Lady and she touched them. Our Lady told him to take the roses back to the bishop and priests and to tell them she wished to have a church built in her honor at the same place where she appeared to Juan Diego.

When Juan Diego took the roses to the bishop, he open up his tilma and the roses fell to the ground. At that moment the image our Lady was seen reflected on the tilma. The bishops called her Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The image of our Lady of Guadalupe has become a popular icon in Latin America. She is declared the Patron Saint of America.

In my home, I have an image of our Lady in every bedroom and in our Living room we have a the image carved into stone. In my kitchen the image is on a mirror. Every year in Mexico people start arriving to the sanctuary of our Lady of Guadalupe days before the 12 of December. We celebrate her day on the 12 of December.

If you notice the colors of the angels wings, those are the colors of the Mexican flag. It is interesting how many aspects of her image signify something ocurring at the time of her appearance. She is holding her hands in prayer. One hand is lighter then the other, she came to unite two races that where at war, the Aztecs and the Spaniards. The flowers on her dress resemble a unique flower, that is only found on the hills of Tepeyac.

To our family, our Lady of Guadalupe is very special. She is our Mother. She cares for us in many ways. Intercedes for us in many ways. She is Mary. If you do not believe me read Revelations 12:1-2. "...a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet an a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant..."