The Tilma and Our Mission to Defend Life
I cannot wait to share with you one of my favourite stories, the beautiful story of Our Lady of Guadalupe! This beautiful feast day is celebrated every December 12 in the Catholic Church as it marks the day when, in 1531, Mexico, our Blessed Mother appeared to a 57-year old layman with a special mission.
During this time in history, the majority of Mexico were still Aztecs who worshipped pagan gods. They often sacrificed humans to these false gods, where it has been estimated that roughly 250,000 children were sacrificed every year. However, in the midst of this culture was a humble, middle-aged, Catholic man named Juan Diego who was willing to swim against the current.
Juan Diego was walking near Mexico City on Tepeyac Hill when the Virgin Mary first appeared to him. She asked Juan to have a church built on the hill in her honour. Juan then shared this experience and Our Lady’s request with the Bishop, however the Bishop was not convinced and asked Juan for proof that this request was truly coming from Our Lady. Juan then went back to the hill where Mary again appeared to him, and she arranged and placed a bouquet of roses in Juan’s tilma (cloak made out of delicate cactis fibres) to bring back to the bishop as proof. Juan immediately returned a visit to the bishop, and as he opened up the inside of his cloak to show the roses, there instead was a beautiful image of Our Lady depicted as a pregnant mother, standing on the moon and surrounded by sun rays. This miracle instantly convinced the bishop, who then instructed for a church to be built on Tepeyac Hill where the Virgin Mary first appeared to Juan Diego. Due to this miracle, within only a few years, millions of Aztecs converted to the Catholic faith, and with growing devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe human sacrifices phased out.
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When learning about the different stories of Marian apparitions from around the world, not only am I always left in awe of Our Lady and her love for us, but I am also left with a new mission in sharing Her beauty to the rest of the world. From the Marian apparitions I’ve read about so far, such as Our Lady of Lourdes, La Vang and Fatima to name a few, she has always appeared to lay people with a special request. Our Lady of Guadalupe did not simply request Juan Diego in 1531 to build a church on a hill to convert the Aztecs, she is also requesting you today to share the value of human life in a world that eliminates it when it brings inconvenience.
Upon reflection of why I am so drawn to Our Lady of Guadalupe, I recognised it is because of her calling for us to defend life. To defend not just the unborn, but the most vulnerable, unloved, homeless, suicidal, physically and mentally disabled, elderly, and all those society deems as inferior. I don’t think a beautiful image of Our Lady left behind for us to adore is meant to be the end of the story. She calls me and every one of us to build a place, shining light on the value of life in a society that doesn’t. We no longer practice Aztec rituals such as human sacrifice, but human sacrifice is still prevalent. In Australia alone roughly 250 abortions are performed each day, it’s becoming surprising to meet a young woman who is not on contraceptives, and euthanasia is attempted to be legalised everywhere around the world. As heartbreaking as these realities can be not all hope is lost, Juan Diego and the millions of Catholic converts in Mexico can testify to that. Mary’s mission for us is to restore this culture of death back to life.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron of the unborn, pray for us.
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Some amazing facts of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Loose hair was a symbol of virginity in Aztec culture.
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A belt was tied around Mary’s stomach, a sign that she is pregnant.
- Tilmas are made from cactus fibre which normally deteriorate after 15 years, yet the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has lasted more than 400 without cracking or fading.
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Her dress is decorated with the Nahui Ollin flower, which is the greatest Aztec symbol of the presence of God.
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The stars on the image correspond exactly with the constellations of the sky December 12, 1531, the day the image was created.
In other words, it is as if we were looking at an image from outside the universe; the stars on the image are a snapshot of both heaven and earth from the very moment Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego.
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Archaeologists have discovered microscopic images at 2,500 times magnification of a bearded man in the pupils of Our Lady, which they later identified as Juan Diego.
- The image is always 37 degrees Celsius, the average temperature of a human body.
REFLECT
- What does the story of Juan Diego and the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe mean to me?
- Which aspect of the tilma’s symbolism stands out to me?
- How can I defend and protect the dignity of human life?
Karen is a big advocate for protecting the dignity of human life, the virtues in which competitive sports can produce, and the beauty in which fashion can be used to evangelise. She’s currently studying a Masters in Social Work and her dream is to travel around the world leaving each country better than she found it. In her spare time, she loves to have fun with mates, powerlift, shoot hoops, eat sweets and curate outfits for women.
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