I was thinking about the saints whom we celebrate during this 2nd week of Advent. We have St Ambrose, a great theologian and Doctor of the Church who was a teacher and mentor to St Augustine, another one of our Church’s great theologians. We have St Nicholas, a Bishop from Myra in Turkey, who had a great love for the poor and who is the model for Santa Claus in our world today. We have two celebrations centered upon Mary in these days, with the Immaculate Conception on December 8 and Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. The psalmist declares today: “Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.” The saints we celebrate this week certainly have brought the light of Christ to so many of us throughout the world.
Juan Diego, who lived in Mexico way back in the 19th century, was canonized by Pope Juan II in 2002, becoming the first saint in the Catholic Church who was indigenous to the Americas. Pope Juan Paul II called Juan Diego “a simple, humble Indian” who accepted Christianity without giving up his identity and culture as an indigenous person of the Americas. It was to Juan Diego that Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to on Tepeyac Hill outside of Mexico City on December 9, 1531. Juan lived near Tepeyac Hill when the Blessed Mother appeared to him. He was known as a devout catechist who taught by both word and example. His life and witness of faith are revered by the many of the faithful in the modern world, especially by the people of Mexico.
Many saints and prophets speak out to us on our Advent journey. We give thanks today for St Juan Diego, for his faith and his receptiveness to be a message for our Blessed Mother.
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