Monday, December 05, 2005

Bl. Sebastian Montanol-Our Lady of Guadalupe

Bl. Sebastian Montanol
Feastday: December 10
1616
Spanish Dominican missionary and possibly a martyr. He was sent to

Mexico from Spain and there worked among the Indians in Zacateca until

his murder. He was apparently killed by local Indians for castigating

some natives for treating the Eucharist with disrespect, although he

has never been officially declared a martyr.


Our Lady of Guadalupe
Feastday: December 12Patron of the Americas
Our Lady of Guadalupe December 12 (USA) When we reflect on the feast of

Our Lady of Guadalupe we learn two important lessons, one of faith and

one of understanding.

Missionaries who first came to Mexico with the conquistadors had little

success in the beginning. After nearly a generation, only a few hundred

Native Mexicans had converted to the Christian faith. Whether they

simply did not understand what the missionaries had to offer or whether

they resented these people who made them slaves, Christianity was not

popular among the native people.

Then in 1531 miracles began to happen. Jesus' own mother appeared to

humble Juan Diego. The signs -- of the roses, of the uncle miraculously

cured of a deadly illness, and especially of her beautiful image on

Juan's mantle -- convinced the people there was something to be

considered in Christianity. Within a short time, six million Native

Mexicans had themselves baptized as Christians.

The first lesson is that God has chosen Mary to lead us to Jesus. No

matter what critics may say of the devotion of Mexicans (and Mexican

descendants) to Our Lady of Guadalupe, they owe their Christianity to

her influence. If it were not for her, they would not know her son, and

so they are eternally grateful. The second lesson we take from Mary

herself. Mary appeared to Juan Diego not as a European madonna but as a

beautiful Aztec princess speaking to him in his own Aztec language. If

we want to help someone appreciate the gospel we bring, we must

appreciate the culture and the mentality in which they live their

lives. By understanding them, we can help them to understand and know

Christ. Our Lady of Guadalupe is patron of the Americas.

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