Parish Blog: a vIEW fROM tHE pEW

Early in December I participated in the Advent morning of reflection that was provided by the Institute for Priestly Formation.  The theme of the day was “Come, Let Us Adore”.  The reflections centered on the need for adoration time in our own lives and also on the adoration of the Wise Men before the infant Jesus.  Part of the format of the morning is 30 minutes of quiet, individual reflection time.  As I made my way to the church for this special time of prayer, I happened to encounter a friend I hadn’t seen for a while.  During our hug she said to me, “Stay in the stable; stay in the stable.  Let Mary wrap her mantle around you, and stay in the stable.”  Well, that wasn’t exactly the theme of the day, but I decided to reflect on that.

​When I arrived in the church, I thought, “Well, in order to stay in the stable, I need to go to the stable.  Please, Lord, help me.”  In my imagination I was immediately at the entrance of the stable.  Mary looks up and sees me, and I know she is very glad I am here.  Mary’s eyes are filled with welcome and an “I’ve been waiting for you to come; I needed you to come.”  Chills ran through my body, and tears came to my eyes.  Mary had been waiting and watching for ME?  Needing ME?  More than incredible!

Our eyes meet again, and I sense her invitation to come sit by her and so I do.  Mary’s eyes sparkle and shine with a sense of “See what I have?”  She wants me to hold the baby and hands him to me.  I am holding the infant Jesus!  I am snuggling the baby close to me, sensing His newborn softness and smell!  

​Stay in the stable ….. 

Mary knows that I am shivering – with excitement rather than cold - and, with the softest of gestures, she places her mantle around me.  We look at the baby together and absorb his little yet mighty presence.  Then Mary lies down and closes her eyes to rest.  I sense that she deeply trusts me with her child and is now able to rest.  Next the quiet and awe of the stable comes into my awareness.  Joseph is nearby; animals are throughout the stable, but all is very quiet.  No animal sounds at all; it is like all of us are in silent awe at the newborn’s presence with us.

​Mary waits for us, invites us in and welcomes us.  She always directs our attention to Jesus and draws us nearer to her Son.

​The invitation to all of us during this season of Christmas is to return to the stable again and again, to spend some time and stay in the stable. 

A Message from Fr. Carlos Gómez

Recently I did a visit to Mexico City to do a Retreat and to my surprise from the airport I was taken to the Basilica of Guadalupe. My first time there, and I was impressed how great and deep is the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. People from different places of the World coming together to venerate our Blessed Virgin Mother. They come as pilgrimages. Suddenly I saw a Bishop, and a whole group of seminarians, coming together to meet with our Blessed Virgin Mother in one of the Chapels of the Basilica, and to celebrate Mass there. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe appearance is a huge event, and it is celebrated greatly each 12 of December, especially in Mexico and throughout Latin America. She is the patroness of America, including the United States. Thousands of people have converted to Catholicism due to the impact of this apparition.
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My experience in Mexico, at the Basilica, strengthened my devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the one who said yes to God, the full of grace. She humbly accepted to be the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God, to introduce Him to the world, as the Savior and redeemer. She becomes evangelizer, example of humility and service to God, and obedience to his call and mission.
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Mary’s appearance is full of meaning, and knowing the story of it, deciphering every detail, helps us to know the deep significance of this marvelous event. It is full of surprises and miracles that leaves no choice but to believe, and become followers of Jesus, the fruit of her womb, and to venerate her, as the mother of the Savior of the World. 

After my visit to Mexico and to the Basilica of Guadalupe, I decided to write a little glimpse of the significance of the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the Hills of Tepeyac, in Mexico City. It meant a lot to me to be in the place where things happened.
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“It was in December, 1531, that the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego at the Tepeyac Hill, in Mexico. She spoke the local Aztec language: Náhuatl (naːwatɬ) naming herself “Coatlaxopeuh” (Guadalupe in Spanish) which means the one “who crushes the serpent,” that is to say, the devil, which is a clear reference to Genesis 3:15, denoting that Jesus subdues the forces of evil liberating humanity from the slavery of sin.

​The symbolism of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, just as her name, is not accidental; it reveals a prominent message, not only for the Aztecs, but also for the people of the Americas and the whole world. The sunshine that surrounds her, the moon on which she stands, the stars on her mantel and the colors of it, is a message to the Aztecs to stop worshiping God’s creation as gods. The girdle or bow around her waist, which was typical of the Aztec tradition, is the most significant symbol to tell them that she is pregnant and that she will give birth to Jesus Christ, the only God to whom they must worship. Perhaps that is why Mary appeared with joined hands, looking down, to symbolize humility, because the main purpose of her apparition was to announce and introduced to everyone the fruit of her womb, Jesus, the Savior of the World. 

The celebration of the feast of our Lady of Guadalupe each December, right before Christmas, continues to be a message of love for us of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, as our real God and redeemer. It is an invitation for us from our Loving Mother, Blessed Virgin Mary, in this advent time, to genuinely receive Her Son in our hearts and lives, and, so, to focus, predominantly, on the celebration of his nativity in a devout Christian way, rather than on the ordinary distractions typical of this season.” 
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God Bless you all.

Mensaje del Padre Carlos Gómez

Hace poco hice una visita a la Ciudad de México para hacer un Retiro Espiritual y para mi sorpresa desde el aeropuerto me llevaron a la Basílica de Guadalupe. La primera vez que estuve allí y me impresionó cuán grande y profunda es la devoción a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Personas de diferentes lugares del mundo se reúnen para venerar a nuestra Santísima Virgen Madre. Ellos vienen como peregrinaciones. De repente, vi a un Obispo y a todo un grupo de seminaristas que se reunían para encontrarse con nuestra Santísima Virgen en una de las capillas de la Basílica y celebrar la misa allí.

La aparición de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es un gran evento, y se celebra grandemente cada 12 de diciembre, especialmente en México y en toda América Latina. Ella es la patrona de América, incluido los Estados Unidos de América. Miles de personas se han convertido al catolicismo debido al impacto de esta aparición.

Mi experiencia en México, en la Basílica, fortaleció mi devoción a la Santísima Virgen María, la que dijo sí a Dios, la que es llena de gracia. Ella, humilde, aceptó ser la Madre de Jesús, el Hijo de Dios, para presentarlo al mundo, como Salvador y Redentor. Ella se convierte en evangelizadora, ejemplo de humildad y servicio a Dios, y obediencia a su llamado y misión.

La aparicion de María está llena de significado, y conocer su historia, descifrar cada detalle, nos ayuda a conocer el profundo significado de este maravilloso evento. Está lleno de sorpresas y milagros que no dejan otra opción que creer, convertirse en seguidores de Jesús, el fruto de su vientre y venerarla como la madre del Salvador del Mundo.

Después de mi visita a México y a la Basílica de Guadalupe, decidí escribir un pequeño vistazo del significado de la aparición de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, en las Colinas del Tepeyac, en la Ciudad de México. Significó mucho para mí estar en el lugar donde sucedieron las cosas.


​“Fue en Diciembre de 1531 que La Virgen María se apareció a Juan Diego en el cerro Tepeyac, en México. Ella habló el leguaje local de los Aztecas: Náhuatl (naːwatɬ) llamándose así misma “Coatlaxopeuh” (Guadalupe en Español) que significa “La que aplasta la serpiente,” es decir, al demonio, haciendo así clara referencia al libro de Génesis 3: 15, para significar que Jesús doblega a las fuerzas del mal liberando a la humanidad de la esclavitud del pecado.

El simbolismo de la imagen de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, al igual que su nombre, no es casual, pues revela un mensaje prominente, no solo para el pueblo Azteca, sino también para toda América y el mundo. Los rayos de sol que la rodean, la luna bajo sus pies, las estrellas y los colores de su manto, son un mensaje a los aztecas de no adorar como dioses las cosas creadas por el auténtico Dios. 

El cinturón alrededor de su cintura, que era típico de la tradición azteca, es el más importante símbolo para indicar que ella estaba embarazada y que pronto nacería su hijo Jesús, el único Dios a quien se debe adorar. Es esta la razón por la cual María aparece con la manos juntas y mirando hacia abajo, para mostrar humildad, ya que el propósito principal de su aparición era anunciar y presentar al mundo el fruto de su vientre, Jesús, El Salvador del Mundo.

La celebración de la festividad de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe cada Diciembre, justo antes de Navidad, continúa siendo para nosotros un mensaje de amor de la venida de nuestro señor Jesucristo, como nuestro verdadero Dios y Redentor. Es una invitación de nuestra amorosa madre, la Santísima Virgen María, en este tiempo de adviento, para recibir a su hijo en nuestros corazones y nuestras vidas, y, por tanto, para vivir la celebración de su natalicio con verdadera devoción cristiana, y no dejarnos atraer por las distracciones del mundo propias de esta época.