I've been twice to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City; once in 1994 on the third day of our semester and the day we departed to Puebla, where we would be living for the next few months. So it was that, although I was really not practicing our faith, I prayed to Our Lady and know without a doubt that she kept her mantle over me throughout that semester and beyond.
Two years later I returned to Mexico to visit friends who had attended my college, and we made it a point to, once again, visit the Basilica.
It's an amazing place, always filled with crowds or even just individuals making a pilgrimage. There were people who could not walk who were crawling in any way they could in order to enter the Basilica. There were people who COULD walk, but chose to enter the Basilica on their knees.
For myself, when I first entered, I immediately sensed that I was in a holy place, and felt that Our Lady's eyes were on me. She knew I was there, and that sense has never left me. Even as I went through my years of rebellion, she did not take her eyes off of me, desiring that I come back to her Son.
And indeed, she brought me home and continues to remind me that she is, indeed, my Mother, too.
Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe....ruega por nosotros!
* The above drawing is one I felt compelled to draw, in pencil and ink, a day or so after I arrived in Puebla. I felt so close to Our Lady that I needed to create my own image of her. A few days later I found a protestant who, ironically, tried to teach me the Hail Mary in Spanish. Some of it is wrong, although if prayed, it would be easily understood to be the Hail Mary. (Differences in sentence structure, not meaning).
Um....I still can't pray the Hail Mary correctly in Spanish. * blush *
10 comments:
I think Our Lady is multi-lingual, and will understand your love and reverence for her when you say the Hail Mary. Understanding and empathy are "Mom things", and since she's our Mom, she definitely gets the message. Like you, I've felt her mantle over me many times, especially during two pregnancies which produced two healthy (now grown) sons. May Our Blessed Mother continue to watch over us all. God bless.
Dear Anon ~ Of COURSE she understands...however, I really need to learn the real Hail Mary in proper Spanish so that I can properly teach it to others who ask...and expect me to know it. And, of course pray it with others who actually know it correctly. Whether Our Mother understands or not isn't really an issue...my laziness is! lol!
Your little drawing is a precious relic - it is a lovely retablo.
Terry ~ I thought a retablo was somthing carved into wood?
Dios te Salve Maria, llena eres de gracia el Señor es contigo. Bendita tu entre eres todas las mujeres y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre Jesus. Santa Maria Madre de Dios ruega por nosotros los peccadores ahora y in la hora de nuestra muerte Amen ;)
When I visited my daughter in New York this Summer, she had a wall filled with chalk drawings she had drawn. One day when I was at her house alone--and she was out with friends, I used her pastels and drew a picture of Our Lady and added it to her wall. She noticed it immediately when she came home--said she loved it and would keep it on the wall (she's not Catholic--yet).
Oh, I love your drawing of Our Lady of Guadalupe!! It is very darling.
Happy Feast Day...
Bendita tu eres entre...
Ahora y en la hora...
Gracias Anon.
Yo ne he busco' las palabras de Joe.
Es es lo que aprendi' de una protestanta: (es un palabra? Como se dice?)
OK:
"Salve Maria, llena de gracia, el Senor esta contingo. Bendita esta entre todas las mujeres y bendito sea tu veientre, Jesus.
Santa Maria, Madre de Dios, ruega por todos nosotros pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestro muerte, Amen."
The difference is not great, and the meaning is the same, essentially, but if trying to pray it with others...well...it wouldn't work.
Gotta say, though, God Bless the Protestant Mexican woman who TRIED to teach me the Hail Mary!
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