Wednesday, 12 December was the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (apparitions 9-12 December 1531): Madonna-link ūna, Madonna-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
According to tradition, Mary appeared to [St.] Juan Diego [9 December], who was an Aztec convert to Christianity, on 9 December & again on 12 December 1531. She requested that a shrine to her be built on the spot where she appeared, Tepayac Hill (now in a suburb of Mexico City). The bishop demanded a sign before he would approve construction of a church, however. Mary appeared a second time to Juan Diego & ordered him to collect roses. In a second audience with the bishop, Juan Diego opened his cloak, letting dozens of roses fall to the floor & revealing the image of Mary imprinted on the inside of the cloak—the image that is now venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe.Scripture of That Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Book of Zechariah, chapter two, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
or, the Book of Revelation, chapter eleven, verse nineteen(a) & chapter twelve, verses one thru six(a) & ten(a/b);
The Book of Judith, chapter thirteen, verses eighteen(b/c/d/e/) & nineteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thirty-eight;
or, the Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses thirty-nine thru forty-seven.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today we celebrate the great feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. What followed the apparition of Mary at Tepeyac is one of the most astounding chapters in the history of Christian evangelism.La Morena had proved a more effective evangelist than Peter, Paul, St. Patrick, and St. Francis Xavier combined! And with that great national conversion, the Aztec practice of human sacrifice came to an end. She had done battle with fallen spirits and had won a culture-changing victory for the God of love.
Though Franciscan missionaries had been laboring in Mexico for twenty years, they had made little progress. But within ten years of the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe practically the entire Mexican people, nine million strong, had converted to Christianity.
The challenge for us who honor her today is to join the same fight. We must announce to our culture today the truth of the God of Israel, the God of Jesus Christ, the God of nonviolence and forgiving love. And we ought, like La Morena, to be bearers of Jesus to a world that needs him more than ever.
Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
'Twas also the festival of Saint Finnian of Clonard, Abbot (circa 470-552; also spelt Fionnán, etc.; Latinized as Vennianus, etc.), founder of Clonard Abbey, teacher of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbey & Wikipedia-link XII.
'Twas also the festival of Saint Vicelin of Oldenburg, Bishop (circa 1086-1154, the "Apostle of Holstein"): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twas also the festival of Blessed Pius Bartosik, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. Conv. (1901-1941, A.K.A. Ludwik Bartosik), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 50); Martyrs-link CVIII & Wikipedia-link CVIII.
Papal Quote o' That Day
"Our Lady of Guadalupe is sill the great sign of the nearness of Christ with Whom she invites every human being to enter into communion. She also invites all people into communion with one another in respect for each one's rights & in a just common sharing of the goods of this earth."Little Flower Quote o' That Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
"I take refuge, then, in prayer, & turn to Mary, & our Lord always triumphs."Saint Quote o' That Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"For with this Church [the Christian community in Rome], by reason of its preeminence, the whole Church, that is the faithful everywhere, must necessarily be in accord, because in it the tradition of the apostles has always been preserved."
—St. Irenaeus of Lyons (135-202, feast day: 28 June)
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