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Pope Francis’ homily for feast of Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe
St. Peter’s Basilica Thursday, 12 December 2024
“Looking at the image of Mary, Mary of Guadalupe pregnant,
announcing the birth of the Savior, as a mother“
‘Do not be afraid! am I not here? I am your Mother’
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With what tenderness she says to the Indian: ‘Do not be afraid! am I not here? I am your Mother’ (Nican Mopohua, 118-119 – see footnote below). Here Mary’s motherhood is revealed. And in this mystery of Guadalupe, from which unfortunately so many ideologies have tried to take ideological advantage, there are three simple things that come to mind, but which make up the message: the tilma, the mother and the rose.
Very simple things.
Mary’s motherhood is inscribed on this simple tilma. Mary’s motherhood is shown in the beauty of the roses that the Indian finds and carries; and Mary’s motherhood works the miracle of bringing faith into the somewhat disbelieving hearts of the prelates.
The tilma, the rose, the Indian. Everything else that is said about the mystery of Guadalupe is a lie.
It is an attempt to use it for ideologies. The mystery of Guadalupe is to venerate her, and to hear in our ears: ‘Am I not here, I am your Mother? We must listen to this in all the moments of life: the different difficult moments of life, the happy moments of life, the everyday moments of life .
‘Do not be afraid! am I not here? I am your Mother?
And this is the Guadalupan message. The rest is ideology.
We leave with the image of the Lady in the tilma of the Indian; and listening, as in a chant, to her repetitive voice telling us: ‘Do not be afraid! am I not here? I am your Mother! May it be so.
Footnote:
Nican Mopohua, 118-119
118: “Listen. put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that frightened you,
the thing that afflicted you is nothing. Do not let it disturb you: do not fear this sickness nor any other sickness, nor any sharp and hurtful thing.
119: Am I not here? I, who am your mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection?
Am i not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms?
Do you need something more?
