When Jesus saw His Mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her,“Woman,[a] here is your son,” 2 and to the disciple, “Here is your Mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:26-27)
Worshipped in so many different representations, always showing herself akin to the culture She is coming to visit, She’s offering you this kind of proximity which binds together closest members of a family. And if you have never known the loving presence of a mother, she heals you to be able to experience it. Her Son wanted you so much to be part of His Family.
Our Lady of the Snow, Illionois
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Our Lady of Częstochowa, Queen of Poland
And here someone took a picture of Her in the company of St Elizabeth:
M
was the first Person I hurried to meet. What other place can compete with Her shrine?
Beatriz Gonzales, “our inside (wo)man in Mexico”, together with her husband Pepe have taken care of all the details to make our Program possible in Mexico. Since Pepe is at work, Beatriz picks me up from the airport and we go the Church on the top of the hill, built in the place where St Juan Diego met Our Lady.
The Mass that I celebrate on that day is in English and Spanish. I’m surprised to hear that people in the church give their answers in English. They turn out to be Mexicans, but living in Atlanta, USA. They wouldn’t have thought they’d have the opportunity to participate in the Mass celebrated in English.
I visit all the places on the hill, taking time to pray. I spend the longest while in the Basilica in front of the icon of Our Lady. It is my dream to be able to celebrate the Mass here one day. I remember that when I was here for the first time, celebrating the Mass even at the side altar was not possible without difficulty. My hosts of that time somehow made it possible for me.
We finish our meeting with Our Lady after 6 p.m. and go over to the parish house where I’ll stay and where the couple retreat will be held. Then we have supper at the hospitable house of Beatriz and Pepe (two minutes’s walk from the parish house) – and we’re joined by our friends – Pilar with her husband and daughter; we parted only two weeks ago in Omaha. Then it’s time for sleep.
From Mexico
Padre Jota
The former carer of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
