It’s beautiful how he put it.
St. Pope Paul VI, talking about Marian devotion, he said once: “Devotion to Mary…draws her close to those who ask her help, including those who do not realize that they are her children.”[1] Beautiful as I said; it speaks to me because it speaks of me—or at least how I used to be before I found her, the Blessed Mother; before I discovered her divine Son anew in her arms, arms mysteriously still open enough for me.
What I’m trying to say very briefly, but with no less depth, is that Mary is our Mother too—my Mother, your Mother too. Given to John on Good Friday, she remains Mother; this queen clothed with the sun and enthroned on the moon and crowned with the stars of heaven: she is our Mother, Mother of the faithful (the Catholic faith is clear here), but she’s Mother of the unfaithful too—people like me as I used to be, people who don’t realize they are her children, people like those you may love, those you pray for, worry about and wish were here.[2] Mary is their Mother too, and she prays and worries too just like you. And so, stay close to her, continue to beg her prayers and never lose hope. For the prayers of a Mother do much to win the Master’s favor.
The Blessed Mother’s love is large enough to include me, big enough to include you and those you love, large enough even to include us. This is the other point I want briefly to make, simply but no less deep. Sometimes we may not realize we are Mary’s children; sometimes we may not realize we are siblings. This is one of the lessons of La Morenita; this is what she teaches us. This queen of heaven, the Blessed Mother—our Mother—she appeared to Juan Diego (the lesson is so simple and beautiful); she appeared to this simple man, powerless and different. And she told him, “Do not be afraid.” And from that vision, and from an unlikely saint’s courage, issued a holy Church, a beautiful and beautifully diverse people of God, a single Church, one Church—catholic and apostolic. Because Juan Diego saw her, listened to her, and then crossed boundaries and spoke in truth and love.
Which is why what I said last year I want to say again. And that is, the mystery, the truth of Our Lady of Guadalupe remains. Our Lady whispers to you too. Because she wants you to speak; because she wants you still to speak to the future of the Church. May you be Juan Diego. Maybe that’s what we need today, a new Juan Diego—someone who hears the music, who looks to her, who smells the flowers, who speaks up.
What Our Lady of Guadalupe has done in this world, in these Americas, is tremendous. But the mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe is not over; Juan Diego’s sons and daughters still have work to do. Our Church, our parish, is still being built. And so, we need you, those willing to be like that talking eagle of a saint, new Juan Diegos, new children of Mary, to speak about that beauty, those flowers, those eyes, those stars. For the sake of the beauty of the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of all of us—all of us—dancing together to the rhythms of heaven. Dancing we’ve begun here tonight; may we always dance, world without end. Amen.
[1] Paul VI, Marialis Cultus 56
[2] John 19:26-27; Revelation 12:1
© 2023 Rev. Joshua J. Whitfield
