“REJOICE! I am coming to dwell among you!" Do we hear those words? God wants to be with us, to live with us, to walk the journey of faith with us. Is this not what this season of Advent is all about? It is about the coming of the Messiah, the Word made flesh who comes to the world thanks to the “yes” of God’s Servant. Today we see Mary of Nazareth through the icon of María de Guadalupe, the woman wrapped in the Light of the Sun, the bearer of the Good News of the coming of her Child – the Beloved One of God.
With Mary, we too wait for the coming of the Word-made-flesh, God’s Beloved Son, the Light of the World. We are, after all, friends of Jesus, the Anointed One – the one who walks with us on this path of faith. Whether it be the path that takes us to the Hill of Tepeyac on the outskirts of Mexico City, or the dusty road that leads to fragile, war-torn Bethlehem or maybe just the sidewalk that leads to our bed-ridden neighbor’s home, we are all on a journey of faith, guided by the Light of Christ.
As we make this Advent journey, we are accompanied by Our Lady of Guadalupe, her face mirroring the faces of all of God’s People, especially the poor. Wrapped in Light, she reminds us of the Light of Christ that we were given on the day of our baptism. Advent calls us back to that Light and to the Living Waters that we were plunged into on the day of our baptism. That day we were commissioned as disciples, filled with Hope, running through the world to announce that the Light of God’s Word is coming to dwell with us.
Today we celebrate Mary, the Mother of Jesus: Our Lady of Guadalupe, madre nuestra, María de Guadalupe, Mother of the Poor, Bearer of Peace and Fountain of Grace, pray for us as we continue our journey. Wrap us in your multi-colored mantle and pray for us as we set off as disciples to announce the Gospel of Peace, Mercy & Justice in our world today.