By Father Mark McCormick
Director of Vocations

On December 9, we celebrated the Feast Day of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. This year I was struck by how St. Juan Diego’s story teaches us about the struggle and the hesitation we all sometimes feel in responding in faith to an invitation to give witness to not only Jesus and his Church, but our Mother Mary too. If you remember the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Feast Day December 12) and how she appeared to Juan Diego, not once, not twice, not three times but four times on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City in 1531, it’s a powerful story of receiving and responding to an invitation made in faith and in trust.

The Blessed Virgin Mary asked Juan Diego for a special favor, a request, to visit the local bishop and ask him to build a shrine, in her honor, on Tepeyac Hill. On December 9, Juan Diego, desiring to be faithful to Our Lady’s request of him, did as she asked him to do. However, Bishop Juan de Zumarraga was not receptive to Juan’s message. In fact, he dismissed him, asking for proof for his claim.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego and made her request a second time. This time Juan was cautious to respond to the message of Our Lady. He was disheartened because he felt like a failure. Despite his feelings of inadequacy, though, he obeyed the Virgin Mother Mary and went back to the bishop only to be turned down once again. On his way home Juan Diego shared with Our Lady the bishop’s request that he only return if he has a sign to prove his claim. She invited Juan Diego to go back to Bishop de Zumarraga for a third time the next day. Our Lady assured Juan Diego that she indeed would provide a sign for the disbelieving bishop.

On December 11, realizing that his uncle is gravely sick, he decided to avoid Our Lady’s presence altogether and instead took another route around Tepeyac Hill in search of a priest to give his uncle the last rites. On December 12, Our Lady intercepted Juan Diego for a fourth time. She assured him that his uncle would recover and asked him to go back to his original mission once again, to request the building of the shrine. She also provided him the sign he needed — Castilian roses in full bloom on the top of the frozen and barren hillside, which he gathered into his tilma.

Returning a third time to the bishop, Juan Diego opened his tilma to show the flowers to the bishop and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on Juan Diego’s tilma. Bishop de Zumarraga immediately understood the truth of Juan Diego’s message from the Blessed Mother and granted permission to have the shrine built on Tepeyac Hill to honor Mary the Mother of God.

This is an amazing and life-giving story in so many ways, but this year in particular I was struck by the persistence of Our Lady’s invitations and the faithful obedience of Juan Diego despite his discouragement. I know sometimes I just get tired of asking and inviting others into mission or into a deeper faith, but Juan Diego reminds me to keep asking because, in the end, it will bear great fruit in the lives of others and the Church.

I have an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe across from my bed. It is the last thing I see before I retire for the night and the first thing I see when I wake up. As I look upon her I pray these words spoken to Juan Diego by the Virgin Mary: “Hear and let it penetrate into your heart: Let nothing discourage you, nothing depress you. Let nothing alter your heart or countenance. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety, or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else that you need?”

And like St. Juan Diego, I am encouraged to continue to respond generously to her invitations.