We have a problem this year. The Third Sunday of Advent – Gaudete Sunday – falls on December 12, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Liturgically, the Advent readings and prayers take precedence. However, many people are deeply devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe: to begin with, almost all Mexicans and many Hispanics from other countries – but also many of us gringos have come to deeply love Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The bishops have suggested this compromise: A parish may observe Our Lady of Guadalupe on Saturday or Monday – and today honor the Virgin Mary with a hymn, one or more petitions during the Prayers of the Faithful and in the homily. That I propose to do.

It does not take much ingenuity to connect today’s readings with the appearance of Mary to Juan Diego. The Gospel speaks about a “messenger” sent to prepare the way for Christ, the Messiah or Savior. John fulfilled that role in Palestine, but, as Pope John Paul has pointed out, Mary was Jesus’ messenger to the people of America.

We all know that the Spanish and Portuguese arrived in America at the end of the fifteenth century. They brought with them a deep devotion to Our Lady. She played a remarkable role in the evangelization of the New World. In 1531, she appeared to a man named Juan Diego. I do not want to say too much about him because the documents brought to light in his canonization process present a more developed picture of the man. I had previously understood Juan Diego was poor, childless widower. Although his wife died before the apparitions took place, they may well have had children. Also he was evidently not a “campesino” or peasant, but a member of Aztec nobility.

We will undoubtedly learn more about St. Juan Diego as historians study the early evidence.* The most important evidence about him, of course, is the tilma itself – the woven cloak upon which he received the image of Our Lady. Nearly five hundred years old, it shows the face of a young woman looking downward in a humble and compassionate manner. She has her hands folded in prayer and below them are the black ribbons which represent pregnancy. She is the messenger of Jesus to the peoples of the New World. But she is much more than a messenger like John the Baptist. In some ways, she herself is the message. She carries within her womb the Savior.

This Sunday we light the third candle of our Advent Wreath. Its color contrasts with the three purple candles. The light red or pink color signifies rejoicing. Our Christian ancestors called today “Gaudete Sunday,” that is, Rejoice! With the imminent birth of our Savior – and the image of his beautiful mother – we have much reason to do so.

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