I’ve been really quiet in this space, but there has been a lot of processing outside of it! During November, I participated in my own writing challenge, pushing myself to write a poem (even if it was bad!) every day for a month. I’m finding that so many of my thoughts can’t be verbalized right now, but somehow, in poetry they make sense. Even if it is just for a moment, putting words on a page allows me to clear my head and keep going. At some point, those poems will be shared. At some point (Christmas break maybe?) I will catch y’all up on the mischief and mayhem that has been the latter half of October, November, and early December. But right now, all that is on my mind is Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Sunday was Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day. For those of you unfamiliar with her story, she appeared to Juan Diego, an indigenous person in Mexico, in 1531. She instructed him to build a church where she appeared. Juan Diego went to the Archbishop to tell him, but the Archbishop didn’t believe him. Mary appeared again, encouraging Juan Diego to keep asking, but the Archbishop wanted proof. A few days later, during another apparition, Our Lady instructed Juan Diego to fill his tilma (cloak) with flowers, even though it was the dead of winter. He found the flowers growing, placed them in his cloak, and carried them to the Archbishop. When he dropped the flowers at the Archbishop’s feet, an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was imprinted on his tilma, and the Archbishop finally believed him. The tilma is still held in the shrine in Mexico City. (for more information, see https://www.britannica.com/topic/Our-Lady-of-Guadalupe-patron-saint-of-Mexico)
Our Lady of Guadalupe has always held a special place in my heart, as she is the Patroness of the Americas and it is common to pray for her intercession for people who are migrating. This year, she has continued to touch my heart.
On her feast day, I learned that she spoke to Juan Diego in his native Indigenous language, Nahuatl. Not only did Mary appear in Juan Diego’s image, she made herself easily understood. She did not demand that Juan Diego be anyone other than himself when he saw her. There is something so stunningly beautiful about that. Then I think of the paradox that exists daily in my work life. Our immigration system demands that everything be in English. There is no place for letting people come as their full selves and us being welcoming and ready to understand them. Instead, language is used as yet another weapon, yet another barrier, one that excludes and restricts and tosses people to the side. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady refused to take no for an answer. Even though Juan Diego was seen as “less than” in the eyes of the Archbishop due to his identity as Indigenous, he kept showing up and asking him to build this church. Armed with the courage of Our Lady, he persisted. I think of my clients, the ones that will have to go before an unforgiving court or body and beg for their story to be believed. Our Lady of Guadalupe, be with them and open the hearts of the officers and judges who will hear their pleas.
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe has always held a special place in my heart, but this year more than ever I am struck be her magnificence, her grace, and her strength. That is simply because this year, I’ve seen her in my clients. My clients who are fleeing violence, who are unheard, who are forgotten. My clients who are women, who are Indigenous, who are in the process of begging to be believed. I have come face to face with these women who bear Our Lady of Guadalupe’s likeness, and once again, I am speechless.
One day after her feast day, I met with one of these clients, who brought me fruit. When she left, I was left awestruck, looking at the parallels between her story and that of Our Lady and Juan Diego. Juan Diego received flowers from Our Lady, I received fruit from one that bears Her likeness. I can only hope and pray that Mama Mary wraps this client so tight in her mantel as she continues on in this grueling process. I’d like to ask you to pray for her as well.
Again, there will be plenty of time to tell more stories about life in Houston. Until then, Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
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