The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, December 12, 2011

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Scripture:

Zechariah 2:14-17
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

Appearances by the Virgin Mary have been regularly reported throughout the centuries. Some enthusiastic believers go into great detail describing the experience. Yet the church has always been highly selective in affirming that an apparition is "worthy of pious belief." Ecclesial endorsements are rare. Vatican scrutiny is severe. In modern times, only ten apparitions have been officially deemed to exhibit characteristics "worthy of pious belief," and the earliest of these is the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Tepeyac (Jaroslav Pelikan in Mary Through the Centuries).

The significance of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego in 1531 does not hinge on the historicity of the apparition. The miracle is manifested in the remarkable transformation which it evoked within the people of Mexico and the Chicano culture. Guadalupe has become a powerful cultural energizer. Her appearance was crucial in restoring dignity, humanity and hope to a conquered people. Truly, it lifted up the lowly.

An interpretation of the Gospel text (Luke 1:26-38) for this feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe can be understood in the same way. The miracle of the annunciation is not merely an historical event. It is a message addressed to every woman who searches for her own dignity and to every man on a quest for the meaning of his humanity. Our completeness comes in discovering the birth of the inner Christ in the womb of our hearts.

At various times, whispering angels suggest that we are blessed beyond anticipation. They encourage us to look within to discover in our hearts a seed, an embryo, a fetus, or maybe even a small baby – but, to recognize God within. As did Mary, the task of our spiritual life is to feed, cloth and nurture the child so that we may mature into the fullness of Christ. That is the miracle of transformation.

 

Fr. Joe Mitchell, CP is the director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center in Louisville, Kentucky. See his website: http://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/

Ash Wednesday

On March 2, the Church celebrates Ash Wednesday. 

Most of us learned early in our Catholic lives that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and that is a time of special sacrifice in preparation for the Easter celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Dear brothers and sisters, every moment of our lives is a time for believing, hoping and loving…. These words of Pope Francis, taken from his Lenten Message of last year, 2021, and echoing the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, can still inspire our answer to the question: “What am I giving up for Lent?” 

We can draw our Lenten sacrifices out of our daily life: 

Share our faith in God’s presence by sharing in prayer with our family or with those in our parish community.
Share our hope in God’s promises by encouraging positive and respectful dialogue in our family circle and among our friends. 
Share the charity God has bestowed on us in the Passion of Jesus, with those whose sufferings are ignored or aggravated.

Let us pray for one another as we enter the season of Lent. Our Passionist “motto” can be our daily prayer during Lent, “May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts.”