Ave Maria

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is observed on the 12th. And perhaps I’ll revisit the theme then. But for today, according to tradition this is the day in 1531 that Mary appeared to a local Indian Juan Diego…

Me, I’m always interested in images of the divine feminine. I admit my favorite is Guanyin. Still, our native American incarnation is Guadalupe. And while the history of this visitation and the authenticity of the painting which is the focus of the miracle is certainly up for challenge, I find a deeper meaning in this longing for the great mother than a simple historical inquiry will likely reveal.

For me the deeper meaning is the story of the love of our mothers, even if sometimes and necessarily portrayed in the negative, which ultimately is the image of our truest relationship within this world.

It is our human sign of enduring hope and abiding love.

And these days perhaps we need that and therefore of her more than most times…

Although of course in reality the call is perennial…