Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Luke 1:39-47
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
Opening Prayer: Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose mission was to make the Gospels known to the Americas, intercede for me. Pray that I bring your Son into all of my encounters with others and that I may have eyes to see how, when I receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, he turns the ordinary events in my life into the extraordinary. May I never underestimate the potential of the soul in front of me and the integral role he or she has in Our Lord’s plan of salvation. Pray that, in imitation of you, my soul may proclaim the greatness of the Lord.
Encountering Christ:
1. Mary Set Out: Mary “set out with haste” to help Elizabeth once she learned that she was carrying Our Lord within her womb. When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we too become “Christ bearers.” Let’s ask for Mary’s zeal so that we can set out with haste to carry Jesus to everyone we meet today.
2. The Mother of My Lord Comes to Me? Elizabeth wonders how it is that the mother of her Lord should come to her. It seems that Elizabeth found herself unworthy of such a visit. We too can feel unworthy–but take heart in the Blessed Mother’s desire to be with us and comfort us in our time of need. She makes haste to be with us just as she did with Elizabeth.
3. My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord: Mary sets a powerful example for us when she proclaims the greatness of the Lord. We also proclaim the Lord’s greatness when we marvel at creation; when we reach out to comfort a troubled soul; when we entrust all of our worries, fears, and doubts to the Lord; when we see the Lord at work in the very souls of those we love and shepherd. It’s not our thoughts or words that draw others to the Lord but the very essence of our souls that proclaim Jesus is the Lord of our lives.
Conversing with Christ: Christ Jesus, Mary did not waste a minute reaching out to her loved one in need. She went with haste to her cousin Elizabeth to be of service and support. With you, her humble effort became extraordinary. Help me to trust that you will also transform the mundane and the ordinary aspects of my life into the extraordinary.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will seek the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe during one seemingly ordinary encounter with another person.
For Further Reflection: A Woman Clothed with the Sun: An Advent Retreat Guide on Our Lady of Guadalupe
Marjorie Davin is a lay member of Regnum Christi of over 20 years who has served as director of the Women’s Section in the Washington, DC area. She and her husband are the parents of four adult children.
