Video Meliora, proboque; Deteriora sequor

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Meditation from The Word Among Us:

One of the most amazing truths that we are celebrating this Advent is the simple statement that God wants to dwell among his people. It’s a desire of his that echoes through the Scriptures and throughout all of salvation history. The prophets and angelic messengers in Scriptures often reminded God’s people of this foundational truth, and every saint who has come after them testifies to it in his or her life. So why is it that we can feel alone at times—and even more so as the holidays approach?

At Guadalupe, Mary asked St. Juan Diego: Am I not with you, I who am your mother? While the words at first seem to be a simple message of comfort and encouragement, Mary was also communicating something far more important for the whole church: Each of us is a part of the people of God! In her special role as mother of the church, Mary is telling us what each and every saint in heaven longs for us to grasp—we are not alone! When God sent Mary tell this to the native Americans in Mexico, his love reached through cultural and historical barriers to speak to his people in a language they could understand.

What about us? No matter where we live, no matter what our family history, we are part of God’s family, with very real connections to heaven. The entire heavenly chorus claims us as their own and rejoices whenever we claim them as our own. We are bound to one another, simply because we are all bound to Christ in baptism. Secure in our heritage, we can walk with our heads held high, knowing that we are children of heaven. We are part of a huge spiritual family!