PART II

 

 

 

21. THE CROSS AND OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

 

"By voice and example, promote in others devotion towards this great Lady.”

 

                                                                                                              (from the Rule of St. Paul of the Cross, CP)

 

 

At the half way point in the Americas, considered as one continent in Latin America, is found the shrine dedicated to a very inculturated icon of Mary: Our Lady of Guadalupe.[1]

This is the Woman emanating the light rays of the sun, symbol of her Son announced in the book of Revelation.

 

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Rev.12:1) .

 

This is an image that was not created by an artist as are other images of Mary. This was an image that appeared on the 'tilma' (outer garment) of St. Juan Diego in 1531 when he opened it before the bishop Sumarraga, to show him the roses that he had collected in the middle of winter, as proof of Our Lady's request to build a temple in her name. (Nican Mopohua 8, 27-28)

 

There are those who may have reservations about believing that Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego, or about the origin of the painting, and are not obliged to believe, but the message we can pick up from the image and story expressed in the 'Nican Mopohua' whether we believe or not, is the same and helpful. Let us bear in mind, that the analysis of the pigmentation on the image has no natural origin, neither mineral, vegetative nor animal. Furthermore, the cactus fabric of which the 'tilma' is made should have had a life span of only 30 years.  It's OK if one still doesn't believe, but I thought I would mention a few of the unexplainable phenomena in regard to this image.

 

The image is much more than simply that. It is a synthesis of the Gospel message in a pictorial form, to a people that were illiterate, but who could read the meaning of symbols, be it in the colors, position of symbols, or the meaning of each of the symbols, etc., that portray important messages. After all, millions of people around the world don't read or write, and therefore can't read the Bible as previously observed, but God has other ways of talking to His people. This is an example of that. Actually this is a language in itself. The image, though, is accompanied by a story written down, known as the 'Nican Mopohua', which, like Church documents, are the first words of the document in Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs. It was an Aztec theologian, Valeriano Lasso de la Vega, who wrote down the story in Mexico, in 1649. Looking at another situation to understand this point, I remember traveling on the underground in Mexico city, and noticed that each station had a specific color and symbol on the walls, so that everyone, whether they could read or not, could understand where they were. So let us look at a few of those messages in relation to our theme of the Cross of Jesus.

 

In this image, Mary is expecting a child. This is indicated by the black stash which the Spaniards would understand, and a four petal 'naviogli' flower (click link to see) in the very center of the image on the dress, which the Aztecs would understand. (Rodriguez-1994:29 cfr. Parent Martinez: 1986). Furthermore, that symbol in itself for the Aztecs would be understood to represent Quetzalcoatl, their incarnated god, also symbolized by the plumed (i.e. representing heaven) serpent (i.e. representing the earth). The Aztecs would understand that Quetzalcoatl would be replaced by the Son of the true God through the message in the Nican Mopohua. Mary would make this clear to Juan Diego when she appeared to him, saying that she is the mother of the true God (Nican Mopohua). She herself should not be confused with Tonantzin, the virgin mother of the Quetzalcoatl. We see a parallelism here, but, this is a new age for the Aztecs: the old destroyed temple of Tonanzin would be replaced by a new shrine on the same hill of Tepeyac, which in itself was a sign to the Aztecs.  The destruction of the old temple was interpreted by the Aztecs as the end of a period anticipating a new one. 

 

Notice that we are back to the image of the rock/mountain… Something important is happening here, as mentioned in the Scriptures. Mary herself appears with incarnational elements: her dress is earthly with drawings of plants on it, while the mantel has stars on it. The angel messenger representing Juan Diego for the Aztecs, holds the tip of the mantel in one hand and dress in the other, once again highlighting the incarnation of God uniting 'heaven' and 'earth'. Connected to the idea of Mary, Mother, with the elements on her dress, we can see her related to Mother Earth ('Pachamama', in the language of the Incas who are related to the Aztecs); and Mother Nation: the colors of the angel’s wings are that of the Mexican flag…colors of three sacred birds for the Aztecs…white (egret), green (quetzal) and orange (guacamayo). (cfr. El Heraldo-1994:1). If we were to look at our planet from space, we would see the same colors of Mary's clothing.

 

Notice, that not only were the Aztecs able to read the symbols from an Aztec perspective, but the Spaniards were able to read the symbols from their cultural perspective. For the Spaniards, the angel, for instance, is just that, while for the Aztecs, it represented the messenger Juan Diego. Aztec messengers would run with important sacred news, decorated with the sacred feathers of the egret, quetzal and guacamayo attached to them. Even the name 'Guadalupe' is a Spanish mispronunciation of the Aztec name 'Coatlaxopeuch'. When they heard the Aztec name, it sounded to them like 'Our Lady of 'Guadalupe', which is a name of an image of Mary found in southern Spain.[2]

Let's move on to see how this speaks to all of us in a Christian sense:

 

Jesus is the incarnation of God, who was formed in the womb of the Virgin Mary. St Paul tells us that the whole of creation is awaiting for its liberation, groaning like a woman in travail, as it awaits the arrival of her child, (Rm 8:18-23). Or as Jesus himself says at the last supper:

 

When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. (John 16: 21-22)

 

Jesus has come once before, but will come again to crown his work throughout history. It's a painful struggle, a collective crucifixion, a purification, that prepares us for the plenitude of life in the Reign of Christ at the end of time. As a visible reminder, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has a cross on her dress (click link to see) just below her neck. She is the image of the plenitude of the Reign of God, the Woman clothed in the Sun (Revelation 12:1). Behind these pangs of birth, is the struggle of human beings, to learn how to live together individually and as groups in the Americas, and all around the world as well. We also must learn to live in the 'common home' that surrounds us.  Even our very body is composed of what surrounds us, be it our mineral composition, vegetative, or mammalian animal. The color of the mantel, apart from indicating royalty for the Aztecs, indicates also the one who is capable of bringing together the opposing forces, and as a mother, she is the best indicated to do this as she understands all of her children with their strengths and weaknesses. (cfr. Elizondo-1989: 129)

 

The Comechigones, an indigenous group in Argentina, say they have a prophecy, that the eagle of the north will one day become once again united with the condor of the south, This will happen when a new consciousness is developed. This is expressed artistically painted on their drums with the meeting point in Central America. No doubt for me, this will come about with the help of the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe, expressed in her image.

 

And how we need this call to unity more than ever, as all around the world, polarization between individuals and groups has reached a dramatic stage, and we are in danger more than ever, of destroying ourselves, together with the common home we live in. The doomsday clock that calculates the situation in the world is now closer than ever to mid-night, but our common sense indicates this as well, if we pay attention to all that is going on in the world today. We have the eyes to see, but unfortunately, if we are possessed by wickedness, we will remain blind, even with all the evidence before us. The Pharisees could not accept that a blind man had been cured by Jesus, and therefore were blind to acknowledge the truth. As Jesus said to them: “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” (John 9:9)

 

That brings us to another important message of the image on the 'tilma'. The face of Mary reveals something very special. There are indigenous and Mediterranean features. This speaks of MESTIZAJE (HYBRIDIZATION) of a birthing of a nation long before it was formed, a true birth of a New Reality which we call America, a marriage between two continents[3] often in a dramatic, painful, and yes, even sinful way. These are part of the pangs of birth. But, that is not all we see in the face. Her eyes are green!...Yes, she is also the mother of those further north with fairer eyes (click link to see)  and skin. And yes, ANOTHER PAINFUL 'MESTIZAJE' is taking place amidst a lot of persecution, threats, racist slurs, slanders, insults, and scandalous, unjust policies, and even racially motivated assassinations. But nothing and nobody can stop the flow of history under the guidance within God's plan. We have seen it all before, since Pharaoh tries to exterminate the Israelites in Egypt, and closer to our times, Hitler in Germany… Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Myanmar… they all speak of the horrors of attempts of snuffing out certain groups of people… But there is a plan in movement, as is shown in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where the bend in the dress indicates that she is walking forward in the historic flow in the growth of God's reign.

 

Looking into the 12 figures seen in the eyes of Mary (click link to see), with the help of digital technology, we see more details of an all embracing mother who loves each of her children from every ethnicity, every age, and every specific vocation in life. (Maussan 1991; Tonsmann 1981)

 

After all, because she loves each of us, she suffers when we humans are at odds with each.

 

Based on studies of the eyes in the image, we see a young couple, with a baby and older child. We see Zumarraga, the bishop, an African slave, an Aztec priest…yes, we are all there: different ages, different ethnicities, different sexes, different vocations, even different religious persuasions.

 

As mentioned previously, the painful process of 'mestizaje' started long before the Mayflower arrived on the east coast of North America in 1620, which would become the United States of America. Florida, which in Spanish means the "place full of flowers", had the first melting pot in St. Augustine (founded in 1568) with people from different parts of the world, including England and escaped slaves that moved south before those who would move north; there they gained their freedom. (PBS - on St. Augustine) [4]

 

Out west, we have the influence of Spanish rule, which was an area larger than what Mexico is today. We have California (meaning "the hot place" in Spanish), Nevada (the snow capped mountains), Arizona (meaning the "arid place"), and Colorado (meaning "Red"…. all of this was under Spanish rule before it became part of the USA. Even Montana, which was never under Spanish rule, but was named because of the influence of a Spaniard, comes from the Spanish word Montaña (pronounced "montanya") means "mountain". We can also add the presence of the French who left a historical mark in our country with names like Louisiana, St. Louis, Louisville, New Orleans, Baton Rouge (meaning 'red post'), etc. Other ethnic groups have left their mark in the USA with names and customs from their culture of origin. But if we go further back in time, all this region belonged to the first nations who lived and moved back and forth at the border of United States and Mexico. El Paso on the border, actually means "the passage way".

 

The main message though, in all this, is that we are all called to be ONE PEOPLE and overcome the 'us' and 'them' mentality which Pope Francis reminds us of as he addresses the youth and the opening ceremony at WYD (World Youth Day) in Panamá.

 

The culture of encounter is what makes us walk together with our differences but also with love, everyone united on the same journey. By your actions and your approach, your way of looking at things, your desires and above all your sensitivity, you discredit and defuse the kind of talk that is intent on sowing division, the kind of talk that is intent on excluding or rejecting those who are not “like us”. As we say in different countries of America: “They are not people like us”. You discredit this. Even with our differences, all are people like us. It is because you have that instinct which knows intuitively that “true love does not eliminate legitimate differences, but harmonizes them in a superior unity” (BENEDICT XVI, Homily, 25 January 2006). On the other hand, we know that the father of lies, the devil, always prefers people who are divided and quarrelling. He is the master of division, and he is afraid of people who have learned to work together. This is a criterion for distinguishing people: those who build bridges and those who build walls. The builders of walls seek to sow fear and make people afraid. But you want to be bridge builders!   (WYD-Panama 2019).

 

As we become more and more a global people, with a medium to assist us, each time more, we are challenged to work together, while honoring each others cultures with their differences, as we do with each person. We should in this way become interdependent, sharing our resources and ideas, enriching each other with cultural differences…as we come to develop evolving new cultures. At the same time, we must find ways to protect our common home, which is greatly endangered. Again, as Pope Francis says:

 

You teach us that encountering one another does not mean having to look alike, or think the same way or do the same things: parrots do that. To encounter means to know how to do something else: to enter into the culture of encounter. It is a call inviting us together to dare to keep alive a shared dream. We have many differences, and we speak different languages. We wear different clothes but, please, let us aim at having a dream in common. We can do this. This does not cancel us out but enriches us. A great dream, a dream that has a place for everyone. The dream for which Jesus gave his life on the Cross. (WYD-Panamá 2019)

 

The message is clear from the Cross. Jesus’ message is a universal one. The inscription 'INRI' that we see on many crucifixes, is a Latin acronym for "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudii"…a sign that was also written in Hebrew and Greek. However the whole phrase was written on the sign. Oh that all nations were to embrace the Salvific message of the Cross, of living out an unconditional love for God and others…loving those who are different to us…to the point of forgiveness when necessary! Yes, it is challenging, but salvation comes to us only if we are willing to pick up our own cross and follow in the path of the Crucified One.

 

I remember one of my professors in post graduate studies, at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Fr. Robert Schreiter, mentioning in class, that the first millennium of the Church was Roman, the second millennium was European, and the third millennium is to be universal. Even though Europe sent out missionaries around the world during the second millennium, it was always done from Europe mainly, wrapped in the culture of 'Christendom' which was mistakenly and through ignorance, imposed on other ethnic groups of the world, as it was considered Christian.

 

The fact that Pope Francis was born outside of Europe, the first from the "New World", and is nominating more abundantly cardinals from many parts of the world…holds a synod of the Amazon people in the Vatican; these are indicators of the difference we are experiencing in the third millennium. The beautiful emblem of the 2000 jubilee, visually invites us into the reality of a Church that has grown into a reality of Universality.

 

The different colored doves interlocking and complementing each other represent the diversity in the unity each enriching the other. It is the work of the Holy Spirit (dove) that makes this possible. The bright light is at the center, which represents Christ, the Light of the world, and shines brightly from his Cross that opens outwards, also in different colors, to represent the incarnation of the message of Christ throughout the world, according to people's customs and culture.

 

No doubt, the challenge exists, to find common ground, with those of good will, who don't share our Catholic heritage. This is highlighted by Pope Francis:

 

We Catholics possess in sacred Scripture a treasure that other religions do not accept, even though at times they may read it with interest and even esteem some of its teachings.

 

We attempt to do something similar with the sacred texts of other religions and religious communities, which contain “precepts and doctrines that... often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men and women”.[144] We also possess a great treasure in the seven sacraments, which some Christian communities do not accept in their totality or in the same sense. At the same time that we believe firmly in Jesus as the sole Redeemer of the world, we cultivate a deep devotion to his Mother. (Amazonia 107)

 

For this we need to form a Culture of Encounter, which Pope Francis talks about often, and is desperately needed today more than ever.

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

INDEX

 

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