There are so many marvelous depictions of the Virgin Mary that our Lord has deigned to give
us. Our Lady Undoer of Knots, Our Lady of the Streets, and Our Lady of Lourdes are some of my
favorites. But my absolute most beloved Marian image is that of our beautiful Lady of
Guadalupe. I can probably vouch for my whole family in saying the same, because one
December, in the year 2000, she was there to save my family in its direst need.
My Mom was pregnant with her seventh child, (her fifth pregnancy, previously she had had
twins and she had adopted one of her sons). She went into labor, her and my Dad rushed to
the hospital, and everything was in order. During labor however, the baby’s heart rate
plummeted and the doctors ordered a stat C-section to try and save him. My parents didn’t
know he was a HIM yet. On the way into the operating room, with hearts full of utter fear, a
nurse handed my Mom a holy card. It was an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Then for my
Mom, the world turned black.
My Mom always tells this next part with tears in her eyes, a choke in her throat, and a smile on
her face. Under anesthesia, lying there on that operating table, she had a vision or dream.
Whatever you want to call it, she saw our Lady at the foot of the cross. She was looking up at
Jesus and she said, “My Son, please do not allow this mother to undergo the pain I went
through of losing my Son.”
When my Mom awoke, she heard the joyous news that her son was alive, and was just down
the hall in an observation crib. My Dad and her knew that there had been a miracle by Our
Lady’s intercession, and they named my brother Joseph.
Before any of this had happened, just weeks before labor, my Mom had gone to a Catholic
supply store to purchase a baptism or wedding gift for someone. While there, she was struck
by an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a gold frame. She walked out of the store as the price
for the image was too much for a family with as many kids in it as we had. As she got to her
car, (she tells this part so adamantly today) something in her shouted, “Diane, you go back in
that store and retrieve Our Lady’s image!” So she turned around and did just that, thinking she
would give it to my Dad for his Christmas present.
We still have the holy card the nurse gave to my Mom, and it is in my brother Joseph’s room. In
addition, the framed image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is in the front room of our house, and we
give Our Lady special honor with it every year on her feast day, December 12 th . We bring it
down from the wall to pray for her intercession with every new labor in our family, among
many other pleas and thanksgivings of prayers before her. My Mom states that she is not sure
what would have happened to Joseph if she had not given in to Our Lady’s request of buying
this portrait.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is OUR Mother. She is YOUR Mother too. The same words Our Lady
spoke to Juan Diego in 1531 holds true for you. “Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are
you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the
hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else
worry you, disturb you.”
You have a Mother who loves you with a Mother’s love. There is nothing in your life
unimportant to her. Tell her your needs, your sorrows and pains, your joys and desires. She
will enfold you in the hollow of her mantle, snuggle you close, and shower you with her love
and grace. She will lead you to her Son Jesus, take you to the foot of the cross where His love
poured out in blood and water. It is there we are transformed and become saints. St. Louis de
Montfort said that “Mary is the quickest, easiest, most secure way to become a saint.” So if
you haven’t consecrated yourself to Jesus through Mary yet, please do it, Mary does not
disappoint. She will never let you down.
One final thought: another Marian apparition is Our Lady of Medjugorje. She said, “If you knew
how much I love you, you’d cry of joy.” Mary wants you to know her love.
- Genevieve G'Sell
