Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
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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.
Today as I listened to Christmas music on my Amazon Cloud player, an interesting old song played. I'm not very familiar with Rosemary Clooney and her hits from the 50's, but these words caused me to pause from my work. I felt drawn to include the words in today's meditation:
"If you are worried and cannot sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep."
How many times do we allow anxiety to keep us awake at night? How many times do we count 1,2,3 until infinity while we toss and turn, so upset by our troubles that we forget the good things in life? The idea of counting our blessings as a way of calming our minds to rest is an excellent idea. Thanks to Rosemary Clooney we now have a relaxation technique in our sleep routines.
Certainly, Elizabeth recognized a blessing in her presence when the the Virgin Mary visited her in Judah. Maybe Elizabeth worried about her own pregnancy, wondering if she'd give birth to a healthy son at her old age. However, Mary's greeting eased her anxiety. In fact, with John the Baptist leaping in the womb and the Holy Spirit's influence, Elizabeth recognized something special happening; a special new life intricately forming inside Mary's womb. This new life would later bring joy, promise, and fulfillment to all of humanity.
Today on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe we celebrate the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Juan Diego. We know from tradition that roses sprang forth from Juan's cloak along with an image of Mary.....
I imagine the smell of the roses took the breath away of everybody who observed the apparition: so sweet and aromatic like freshly picked flowers out of a garden. With red blossoms attached to green stems, thorns didn't exist. Mary carefully removed the thorns of disbelief, worry, and anxiety and replaced them with a beautiful floral fragrance of love and hope. Juan Diego and the Mexican people no longer had to worry about their life circumstances.
Mary as our Holy Mother, patroness of the Americas, and protector of the unborn will always be there for us in time of need. As "blessed among all women" she is willing to share those blessings with us as her sons and daughters.
Today pick a rose from a garden or buy one at a local grocery store. Smell the beautiful aroma and say a prayer to the Blessed Virgin thanking her for her unlimited love and for assisting us on our spiritual journeys.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray for Us!
-J.
Today on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe we celebrate the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Juan Diego. We know from tradition that roses sprang forth from Juan's cloak along with an image of Mary.....
I imagine the smell of the roses took the breath away of everybody who observed the apparition: so sweet and aromatic like freshly picked flowers out of a garden. With red blossoms attached to green stems, thorns didn't exist. Mary carefully removed the thorns of disbelief, worry, and anxiety and replaced them with a beautiful floral fragrance of love and hope. Juan Diego and the Mexican people no longer had to worry about their life circumstances.
Mary as our Holy Mother, patroness of the Americas, and protector of the unborn will always be there for us in time of need. As "blessed among all women" she is willing to share those blessings with us as her sons and daughters.
Today pick a rose from a garden or buy one at a local grocery store. Smell the beautiful aroma and say a prayer to the Blessed Virgin thanking her for her unlimited love and for assisting us on our spiritual journeys.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pray for Us!
-J.
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