Luke 1:29-30
But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
Today’s world can feel intimidating–full of responsibilities to be upheld and difficult choices to be made. These worries may even be exacerbated in the present by the busy nature of reading period and finals, hectic travel schedules, or the perception of solitude amidst some upcoming challenge. When one is exhausted from the day-to-day frenzy, it can be difficult to be present and discern the will of God in our lives. Even when we do know what God wants for us, making those decisions may seem daunting or contrary to our expectations and cause us to doubt. Before the Virgin Mary and St. Juan Diego did incredible holy acts that led many people to salvation through Jesus, they also experienced some hesitation and fear.
In today’s Gospel, the Virgin Mary is initially uncertain about what God asks of her. She asks the Angel Gabriel how this will come to pass, not understanding how it is possible for her to become the mother of the Son of God. Her concern is vulnerable and human. Once reassured, she opens her heart to His plan. In doing so, she helped open the door for us to everlasting life in Jesus Christ.
In 1531, Mary herself appeared to a poor Mexican man named Juan Diego, who was initially unsure if he was capable of carrying out her wishes. He was among the early converts to Catholicism in the country, at a time when few indigenous people had accepted Christ. While he was walking by the village of Tepeyac, Mary appeared to him as an indigenous woman, reflecting her respect for Juan Diego’s ancestry and her desire to welcome more people into the Church. This apparition of Mary would come to be known as Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose feast day we celebrate today. She asked Juan Diego to go to the Bishop, inform him that she had appeared there, and tell him to build a chapel there in her honor. Even after multiple attempts, the Bishop did not believe what he said. Juan Diego asked Our Lady of Guadalupe to send someone more respected than him, but she explained that he was the right person, instructing him to go one more time with roses in his tilma (a type of cloak from the time period). Given that it was wintertime, roses were not in season, but he found them just where she described. He went to the Bishop to show him the roses, but when he opened his tilma they instead saw an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which remains intact to this day. Because of this miracle, around nine million indigenous people converted to Catholicism, and the church was built. Approximately twenty million people visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe annually, and around eleven million of these pilgrims go around this time of year to celebrate.
Our lives may be filled with moments in which we know the path God wants us to take but feel too nervous about the outcomes that will occur. These may even take the form of small decisions where the right choice is different from the easy choice. We can turn to scripture and the stories of our saints to see that great things can happen when we are brave enough to just trust in God. May we be emboldened by the examples of the Virgin Mary and St. Juan Diego, finding the courage to act in spite of fear and uncertainty.
