Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Today's Mass Readings

I was a priest of the Archdiocese of Kingston in Jamaica for nearly eight years of my 10 years in Jamaica. Every year during the week after Pentecost, all of us who were serving as diocesan clergy in the archdiocese would go on our annual retreat at a retreat house in Mandeville, Jamaica. On the wall of the chapel was a beautiful painting of the Blessed Mother holding her little baby Jesus. What was particularly striking about this painting was that both mother and child were portrayed as clearly African, with very African features. In Jamaica, the vast majority of the people are of African origin, so seeing our Blessed Mother and her child portrayed in this way was very meaningful.

I am sure that some of the inspiration for this painting came from Heaven itself. When Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego at Tepeyac, she spoke to him in his own native language, Nahuatl. And her features were those of the indigenous people of the area. Appearing in this way to the peoples of Mexico showed her compassion and solidarity with the people and helped move them to conversion and acceptance of the Gospel. I am sure her portrait in that little chapel in Jamaica had a similar effect on all who saw it. So today, on this feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, let us thank Mary for being so close to all of us.

Reflection by Fr. Aquinas Keusenkothen, OSB