Our Saint of the Day was also called Cuauhtlatohuac (“The eagle who speaks”). ✝️
December 9, 2024
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Today’s Saint of the Day, Juan Diego, reminds us of two things: (1) That our personal faith journeys can help to transform the world (2) The pivotal role Mary (Our Lady of Guadalupe) and Marian devotion have played in the life of the Church in Mexico and, later, the Americas. Juan Diego experienced Mary’s powerful intercession in a miraculous way. This event would later become a catalyst for the evangelization of many indigenous peoples. In 1999, Saint Pope John Paul II named Our Lady of Guadalupe the Patroness of the Americas and Star of the New Evangelization. Through Juan Diego’s personal faith journey, the Catholic faith and, in a particular way, the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe has spread throughout the Americas and the whole world. Just as a reminder: While December 8th is the official Feast of the Immaculate Conception, because the feast fell on a Sunday, it is celebrated today, December 9th, as a Holy Day of Obligation.
With profound gratitude,
Deacon Matthew Halbach, PhD President & Publisher,
Thousands of people gathered in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe July 31, 2002, for the canonization of Juan Diego, to whom the Blessed Mother appeared in the 16th century. Pope John Paul II celebrated the ceremony at which the poor Indian peasant became the Church’s first saint indigenous to the Americas. The Holy Father called the new saint “a simple, humble Indian” who accepted Christianity without giving up his identity as an Indian. “In praising the Indian Juan Diego, I want to express to all of you the closeness of the Church and the pope, embracing you with love and encouraging you to overcome with hope the difficult times you are going through,” John Paul said. Among the thousands present for the event were members of Mexico’s 64 indigenous groups.
First called Cuauhtlatohuac (“The eagle who speaks”), Juan Diego’s name is forever linked with Our Lady of Guadalupe because it was to him that she first appeared at Tepeyac hill on December 9, 1531. The most famous part of his story is told in connection with the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. After the roses gathered in his tilma were transformed into the miraculous image of Our Lady, however, little more is said about Juan Diego.
In time he lived near the shrine constructed at Tepeyac, revered as a holy, unselfish, and compassionate catechist, who taught by word and especially by example.
During his 1990 pastoral visit to Mexico, Pope John Paul II confirmed the long-standing liturgical cult in honor of Juan Diego, beatifying him. Twelve years later the same pope proclaimed him a saint.
Reflection
God counted on Juan Diego to play a humble, yet huge role in bringing the Good News to the peoples of Mexico. Overcoming his own fear and the doubts of Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, Juan Diego cooperated with God’s grace in showing his people that the Good News of Jesus is for everyone. Pope John Paul II used the occasion of Juan Diego’s beatification to urge Mexican lay people to assume their responsibilities for passing on the Good News and witnessing to it.
Restoration of sight is an important biblical metaphor. Isaiah uses it as a sign of God’s transformation of the world. In Matthew’s Gospel it is a sign of the reign of God. We must be careful in our use of this metaphor. Those sightless from birth or through illness or injury are nevertheless full persons. But both Scripture and tradition use sight as a metaphor, as we do in common speech, when we say, “I see,” to indicate our understanding.
Fourth-century martyr St. Lucy is honored by a feast in the midst of the Advent season. Little is known about her life, except that she died a martyr’s death after a would-be suitor denounced her as a Christian. She is depicted in art holding her eyes on a plate, and so legends developed that her eyes were gouged out by her torturers. Perhaps her name, which means “light,” helped those stories to grow, until Lucy became, in the tradition of the church, the patron of those who are blind.
Catherine of Siena liked construction metaphors, and saw Christ bridging humanity and divinity. Her participation with him and conviction of his hunger for people enabled her to walk fearlessly into the hostile places of her world.
Pray
Dearest God, St. Catherine imagined you telling her, “You are never alone. You have me.” Remind me of your presence when I feel alone or lost.
Act
Today instead of rushing into an argument, pause first to consider God as “unutterable mercy” and “beauty beyond beauty, endless sea.”
Today’s Pause+Pray was written by Kathy Coffey. Learn more here!
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