杏MAP导航 at Mass: Mary is Woman, Mother, Mestiza
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp
As has been his custom since the beginning of his pontificate, 杏MAP导航 Francis celebrates the liturgy in honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He was joined by many members of the Latin American community in Rome for the celebration in St Peter鈥檚 Basilica on Thursday afternoon. 杏MAP导航 Benedict XVI was the first Pontiff to celebrate this liturgy in 2011 in honour of the bicentenary of independence of the Latin American and Caribbean nations.
Mary鈥檚 essence
杏MAP导航 Francis delivered his homily off the cuff, saying that the liturgy for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and her image displayed on the altar, suggested three adjectives to him. These three adjectives explain Mary鈥檚 essence: Woman, mother, mestiza, he said.
Mary as woman
Mary is a woman, the 杏MAP导航 began. She is the woman par excellence most particularly because she is a disciple of her Son, whose message she bears. 鈥淚t is that simple鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said. Even though Christians have venerated her under many other loving titles throughout the ages, 鈥渘othing else is needed鈥� to describe Mary, he said. Mary is humble and faithful to her teacher, her Son, the only Redeemer.
Mary as mother
Mary never took anything from her Son because she is His mother. 鈥淪he is our Mother, the Mother of our peoples鈥he mother of our hearts,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 explained. Not only is she the Mother of the Church, she is also an image of the Church. Therefore, 鈥渨hat can be said of Mary can also be said of the Church which is feminine鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said. The Church cannot be imagined except in this Marian sense. This is essential in understanding the role of women in the Church, the 杏MAP导航 went on. Understanding the role of women only in a functional way is incomplete, he said.
Mary as mestiza
Our Lady wanted to be seen as a 鈥渕estiza鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 noted, 鈥渘ot only with Juan Diego. She became a mestizo to show that she is everyone鈥檚 mother.鈥� Mary speaks to us just as she spoke with Juan Diego, tenderly, maternally. The 杏MAP导航 concluded his homily noting that Mary appears as a person of mixed race in order to communicate that her Son too is a 鈥渕estizo鈥�: that is, He is God, and He is man.
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