Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Immaculate Conception, and the Annunciation, for Advent Season Reflections

Have you noticed that the Gospel reading for Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 8) and the Gospel reading for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12) are the same, both taken from Luke 1:26-38 for the USCCB jurisdiction? Not to mention, this Lucan Gospel narrative is also for the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (March 25). 

What holds both the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the event of the Annunciation of Mary’s pregnancy with the Son of God.

The Annunciation came out of the blue and hit Mary by surprise. She was disturbed by Gabriel announcing that she is full of grace (she is God’s favored one) and wondered what sort of greeting this might be (Luke 1:28-29). Then, sensing Mary’s troubled reaction, Gabriel assured her not to be afraid because God chose her to be in favor with Him to conceive His Son, named Jesus, in her womb (Luke 1:30-31).  Then, Gabriel explained that the Son in her womb would grow to serve as the King of the Kingdom with no end, with the Davidic lineage (Luke 1:32-33). However, Mary seemed clueless about what this messenger of God was speaking about. So, she uttered, in response, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”(Luke 1:34).

Mary was wondering how she can become pregnant as she has not actually had a physical relation with Joseph, the man she was betrothed to. She was puzzled how a virgin could have a child of a man, whom she had has not even seen.

In response to Mary’s bewildering, Gabriel further explained that it is the power of God through the Holy Spirit makes it possible to impregnate her, a virgin, without any physical contact. The messenger of God also told her that the child to be born of her will be called Holy, the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Then, Mary was also informed that her elder cousin, Elizabeth, is now pregnant, though she had passed the childbearing age and had been barren (Luke 1:36).  Gabriel reasoned that all of these surprising phenomenon were made into the reality because nothing is impossible for God when He wills (Luke 1:37). Then, finally, Mary was able to settle the whole matter with these resolving words, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word”(Luke 1:38).

Yes, it is about Mary, who is the Immaculate Conception, serving the will of God, as the handmaid of the Lord, when she appeared to San Juan Diego at the foot of the Tepeyac hill in 1531.  Just as God sent His greeting to Mary by surprise, Juan met her and was greeted by surprise.  She chose this peasant convert to do more for the will of the Lord, the expansion of His Kingdom in the land of paganism.  This was different from what the bishop was doing as his mission was brought by the conquistadors.  Mary, as Our Lady of Gudadalupe, said to Juan in the greeting:

Know for sure, my dearest, littlest, and youngest son, that I am the perfect and ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the God of truth through Whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near us, the Lord of heaven and earth. I want very much to have a little house built here for me, in which I will show Him, I will exalt Him and make Him manifest. I will give Him to the people in all my personal love, in my compassion, in my help, in my protection: because I am truly your merciful Mother, yours and all the people who live united in this land and of all the other people of different ancestries, my lovers, who love me, those who seek me, those who trust in me. Here I will hear their weeping, their complaints and heal all their sorrows, hardships and sufferings. And to bring about what my compassionate and merciful concern is trying to achieve, you must go to the residence of the Bishop of Mexico and tell him that I sent you here to show him how strongly I wish him to build me a temple here on the plain; you will report to him exactly all you have seen, admired and what you have heard. Know for sure I will appreciate it very much, be grateful and will reward you. And you? You will deserve very much the reward I will give you for your fatigue, the work and trouble that my mission will cause you. Now my dearest son, you have heard my breath, my word; go now and put forth your best effort.

With the above words, Mary chose Juan Diego and commissioned him to be sent to his bishop, as her envoy, which means, her Son’s envoy, namely, as an apostle.

Just as Mary was to God and His Son, and her Son, Juan was also obedient to her. However, it was not always easy for him to do as Mary instructed him. Reminding him that she is also his mother, Mary encouraged him to trust in the way a little child trust his or her mother.

What is happening, dearest and youngest of my sons? Where are you going? Where are you headed?

Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that disturbs you, the thing that afflicts you, is nothing. Do not let your countenance, your heart be disturbed. Do not fear this sickness of your uncle or any other sickness, nor anything that is sharp or hurtful. Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you. Do not let your uncle's illness worry you, because he will not die now. You may be certain that he is already well.

Go up, my dearest son, to the top of the hill, to where you saw me and received my directions and you will find different kinds of flowers. Cut them, gather them, put them all together, then come down here and bring them before me.

My youngest and dearest son, these different kinds of flowers are the proof, the sign that you will take to the Bishop. You will tell him from me that he is to see in them my desire, and therefore he is to carry out my wish, my will. And you, who are my messenger, in you I place my absolute trust. I strictly order you not to unfold your tilma or reveal its contents until you are in his presence. You will relate to him everything very carefully: how I sent you to the top of the hill to cut and gather flowers, all you saw and marveled at in order to convince the Governing Priest so that he will then do what lies within his responsibility so that my house of God which I requested will be made, will be built.

When his uncle became gravely ill, Juan chose to visit him to care for, rather than to meet Mary. To this, she called him to give her his complete trust because she is his mother.  

The way San Juan Diego was to Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, in 1531, reflects the way Mary, a young virgin, was to God, as His handmaid. It is about obedience based on complete trust, called faith. Mary makes the perfect example of obedience because she is the Immaculate Conception, meaning that she is the only human being with no trace of the Original Sin, as she was conceived immaculately with God’s favor. This is why Mary is “gratia plena”. 

Though no other human being has been immaculately conceived, Juan Diego was a humble man. So, Mary chose him to serve her, as service to her means to serve the one, whom she serves as His handmaid.  

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in light of the Immaculate Conception and the Annunciation, not only reminds but rather inspires us to respond with obedience, rooted in our faith, when God calls us to a task of His will. And, this call may come through Mary, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.

There is salvific, as well as, apostolic reason for Mary to be the Immaculate Conception, gratia plena. Because of this, she served as the Theotokos, as Gabriel announced her by surprise.  Though it was rather challenging to her and brought her great suffering, Mary nevertheless carried through her mission as the Mother with her obedience. At the foot of the Cross, she was also made as our mother (Nuestra Madre, Nuestra Senora) (John 19:27).  Thus, nuestro hermano y amigo, San Juan Diego, has given us, the rest of Mary’s little children, a good example of serving Nuestra Madre, Nuestra Senora. The story of San Juan Diego and Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe also reminds us of her mercy and encouragement. God continues to let Mary serve Him as the Immaculate vehicle of His will to be done for the Kingdom in His Son’s name, besides in His name and in the name of the Holy Spirit.

Are we always prepared to meet the Lord through Mary to do His will?  Learning from Mary at the Annunciation and San Juan Diego in Tepeyac, our appreciate reading from the Lucan Gospel story of the Annunciation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the la Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe during the Advent Season.