Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Guide to the Son

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a name given to Mary, the Mother of God, as she appeared to Juan Diego in 1531 in the hills of Mexico.  Juan was a simple man, not particularly religious or notable, and yet Mary came to him with a message and a mission.  As can be attested throughout salvation history, God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.  And this is what Mary does with Juan Diego.

Mary comforts Juan in his doubts, strengthens him in his weakness and assures him that she is with him and that all she is asking him to do will be done under her protection.  She assures him with the image of being enfolded in her mantle of love and protection and that he is to put his hope in her Son, who will bring about the conversion and salvation of many.  Of course, we can only imagine what little Juan Diego was thinking… “Who me?  I am not capable of this job; I cannot handle this assignment that I am being given.” 

Do we not also say these same words in our own mind and heart?  We, such little men and women of this world, who are being called to do big things… things like being obedient to God’s commandments, submissive to His will in all things, loving others well, stepping outside of ourselves in trust that the Lord will provide.  The list goes on and on.  How are we to do these great and seemingly impossible things to which God is calling us?

We go to Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

By entrusting our hearts to Mary, she will teach us how to be strong and at the same time, tender.  Mary shows us how to trust in God even as we are fearful, uncertain and question what God is calling us to do.  Mary is the one who will always lead us to her Son and along the way, she will teach us what it means to be a child of God and a brother or sister of Christ.  She will teach us how to be still and quiet so as to hear her gentle voice leading us to Christ.  She teaches us how to truly ponder His Word, His Heart and His very Presence in our lives.

Mary urges us to seek quiet contemplation not in what can be seen with our physical senses, but to look for, listen and experience the supernatural graces which flow through her and allow us to become so overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, that we radiate the joy, goodness and love which is Christ.  We thirst for Christ but do not know it.  We yearn for His Presence in our hearts but do not feel it.  We desire to live in His Sacred Heart of love but we do not know how to get there.

We go to Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

She speaks to my heart, saying, 

I, Maria de Guadalupe, will come into their thirsting hearts carrying the fountain of living, flowing water in my womb; my Son is the only One who can quench their thirst; who can turn their desert hearts into garden hearts.  Invite us in.

In Hope’s Garden as well as in our men’s community, Men of Hope, we have a place – a garden – in which to plant our seeds of desire for Christ.  In this garden, the foundation is made of all our misery, sins, suffering and broken dreams.  The beams are His Cross.  The walls are made from the prayers, sacrifices and love of all the members and these walls are continually expanding.  The roof is the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the stars on her mantle will be the light we need.  As the darkness gets deeper, this light cannot and will not be overcome.  Under her mantle, we will always walk in the Light.  Mary reminds us not to be discouraged or afraid and to never give up hope because our hope is in God alone and we must cling to her mantle and to Jesus.

In St. Juan Diego, we see a witness of obedience and humility; a witness to what trust and love can do for a little soul.  Our Lady desires that Juan Diego be a witness to men of what it means to tend to His Roses.  Through Mary, these men brought to her through Juan Diego, will be tenderly taught how to be submissive to the will of God so that they can lead their families to Heaven.  

For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the Church… As the Church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the Church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.  So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.   Ephesians 5:21-30

Our Men of Hope community draws all men to learn from St. Juan Diego and to allow their hearts to be drawn to Mary, who will always lead them to Christ.  The blooming of the Rose can only happen through a strong, healthy and tended stem whose thorns are meant to protect the Rose and not to harm.  

It is the duty of men to uphold the dignity of women; it is the duty of women to uphold the integrity of men.  St. John Paul II

Just as Our Lady asked Juan Diego to tenderly hold her roses as he took them to the bishop in his tilma, so men and women are called to tenderly bring one another into the fullness of Christ’s love in complementarity with one another.  Merciful love is transformational in bringing strength from our weakness.  Our “yes” is what is needed to begin the journey to healing love.  Come, as a spiritual infant, and allow Our Lady of Guadalupe to feed you with the spiritual milk of her love and she will help you to grow until you are ready for solid food.  She will meet you and love you exactly where you are and lead you into the Garden of His Love where you can bloom into the man or woman who God has called you to be.

Are you ready for this beautiful journey?  Our Lady of Guadalupe awaits your arrival.

Join the Knights of Columbus as they launch their “Sons in the Son” preparation for a consecration to Jesus through Our Lady of Guadalupe.  To join other men who are participating in this transformational journey, see the Knights of Columbus website.  

Laura Ercolino and Nicky Verna, copyright 2024