Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe ( December 12 )

Nothing is accidental with God, so it is not mere coincidence that the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which falls on December 12 , is within the Octave of the Feast of The Immaculate Conception, December 8 and following. In both appearances ( at Lourdes, France in 1858 and on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico in 1531 ) she appeared to a lone seer, each one being very poor and most pure, and said "I am" and gave her name in reference to each apparition: "I am the Immaculate Conception" and " I am your Mother."
In the first apparition the healing that followed was spiritual that of conversion from barbarism to the blessed Catholicism; in the second, physical cures as well as conversions.
But the significance of the titles she gave includes the close connection between two apparitions that were 327 years apart. In both Mary's Motherhood is proclaimed. At Guadalupe she came as "Mother", Mother of the poor, the Mother of Sorrows and the Mother of God, as depicted in her garments which to the Indian natives of Mexico were evidence of her approaching time at Bethlehem. At Lourdes, Mary's Divine maternity is enshrined in her Immaculate Conception, God's great work and miracle, the Mother of God and of the Church, who was conceived without Original Sin, who bears the Savior of Mankind. The name Guadalupe, is roughly translated as the "savior from the devil." In truth both apparitions are Apocalyptic, for Our Lady is the Woman with the Twelve Stars who will crush the seed of satan.

Memorare to our Lady of Guadalupe

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, that in thy celestial apparitions on the mount of Tepeyac, thou didst promise to show thy compassion and pity towards all who, loving and trusting thee, seek thy help and call upon thee in their necessities and afflictions.
Thou didst promise to hearken to our supplications, to dry our tears and to give us consolation and relief. Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, either for the common welfare, or in personal anxieties, was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Mary, ever Virgin Mother of the True God! Though grieving under the weight of our sins, we come to prostrate ourselves in thy august presence, certain that thou wilt deign to fulfill thy merciful promises. We are full of hope that, standing beneath thy shadow and protection, nothing will trouble or afflict us, nor need we fear illness, or misfortune, or any other sorrow.
Thou hast decided to remain with us through thy admirable image, thou who art our Mother, our health and our life. Placing ourselves beneath thy maternal gaze and having recourse to thee in all our necessities we need do nothing more. O Holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer us.
[Here mention your petition.]

Five Hail Marys. . . in gratitude for the four apparitions to Juan Diego and the one to Juan Bernardino

Mother of all Mankind

Mary is the Mother of Jesus and the spiritual mother of all mankind. She became our mother at the foot of the cross on Calvary when Jesus said to St. John, "Behold thy Mother.” Because she is our spiritual mother she has the love and concern for our well-being and our salvation, just as any good mother would have for her children. And this is why we address her as Our Mother or Our Blessed Mother.

Mary has given us many spiritual gifts through her Son's Church during the past 2,000 years. Not only did she console and fortify the Apostles with her Motherly wisdom and strength, but she helps each one of us as well--if we desire her help. Among her gifts to help us get to heaven are: the rosary, the brown scapular, the green scapular and the miraculous medal. We call these helps sacramentals because they assist us in prayer and in pleasing God.

Ask Mary to pray for you every day, and intercede on your behalf with her Divine Son at the hour of your death. To help you prepare for these, the most important moments of your entire life, she gave us the gift of her green scapular. This little piece of green cloth displays a picture of Mary on one side, and the prayer asking for her help at the hour of our death on the other side. These little green scapulars provide help and strength for all of us as Mary complys with our daily prayer to intercede for us with her Divine Son. We need all the help and prayers we can get in order to know, love, and serve God in this world so as to gain heaven; and Mary's help and prayers are invaluable contributions to our eternal well being and happiness in heaven.

Drawing closer to the Holy Mother of God

MARY is the Mother of God. She is the eternal virginal mother of only one Child : the only begotten Son of God , our Lord and Saviour Jesus . If we are to become Mary's child, we must become the Child Who is her only one. And He is Jesus Christ. We must become divine with the Divinity of Jesus, and human with the flesh and blood of Jesus. We must be able to say, And I live, now not I: but Christ liveth in me. Unless we are other Christs, we are not Christians. Saint John Chrysostom says we are to be formed of His flesh and bones.

Mary is full of grace, and has become by grace, what God is by nature. God is Divine by nature. Mary is "divine" by grace. Just as it is blasphemy to belittle what God is by nature, so it is blasphemy to belittle what God does by grace. Mary is the fullness of grace. She has not only all the grace needed for her own sanctification, she has all the grace needed for the sanctification and salvation of the entire world.

God is infinitely perfect. Mary is perfect in the finite order. Mary has nothing of her own, but all that God has, He has given her. God's Divinity flows into Mary by sanctifying grace, which is a participation in the Divine nature, while she remains human.

Blessings for all christians , through infinite Love of Mary , Mother of God