For the past seven years, we have been going to Mexico to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. As we became more familiar with the other apparitions of Our Lady, we began to discover how very much the Mexican people have been blessed. Then, as we continued studying the holy occurences to our neighbors to the South, we realized that Our Lady had come to bless and anoint all the Americas, our United States included.
As we researched Our Lady of Guadalupe, we learned who she was. Even before Our Lady appeared in Lourdes and affirmed what our Church has always believed - that Our Lady was Immaculately Conceived, she appeared in Mexico, on Tepayac hill, as the Lady in Holy Scripture, the Lady who crushed the head of the serpent, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. And who is the patroness of the United States? Yes, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. And so, it is no big surprise that a representation of the Miraculous Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe is visiting every home, church and village in the United States. Is she here to fill our homes and hearts with the Peace of her Son? Is she coming to us to call us to bring her message to the whole world?
Last year, we visited the Shrine of Saint Michael of the Miracle (San Miguel del Milagro). Two of our Priests, on Pilgrimage, mentioned they would like to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Ocotlan. As our schedule was packed full, we were not able to comply. Monsignor Mistretta (one of the Priests) went himself with a handful of our pilgrims. When they returned and shared their experiences, we decided we had to go in December of 1992.
What a gift the Lord had for us! When we entered the Basilica, we felt the overpowering presence of Our Lord and His Mother in the splendor before us. When we speak of awe and wonder, when we think of Heaven and the glory of Our Lord and his Mother before us, I have to believe this has to be a foretaste. We have travelled half way around the world and I have never seen anything quite like this tribute to Our Lord and His Mother. The back and sides of the Altar are covered with the most breathtakingly beautiful gold carvings depicting Our Lord, His Mother, the Angels and the Saints. Brother Joseph (with our Video Camera) was industriously endeavoring to capture the Church and the paintings which so graphically reflect the story of Our Lady's appearance in this little sleepy village. Possibly, you have seen this Documentary on Mother Angelica. It's part of The Many Faces of Mary Series.
OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
Just ten short years after our Lady appeared to Juan Diego on Tepayac Hill she came to another Indian - Juan Diego Bernardino (no relation to Juan Diego) in Tlaxcala. The Indians of Tlaxcala had been a fierce tribe. They had never been defeated. And yet, these same Indians were the first to befriend Cortes and the first to accept Our Lord Jesus and His Church in the New World. They were the first Christians!
In the beginning of 1641, a devastating plague (believed to be Small Pox) attacked the Indians of Tlaxcala. Nine out of every ten died. There was not a family left untouched by this disease that spread like a fire out of control. The Indians turned to their medicine men. They were helpless! They had never seen anything like it. The Indians plunged their fever-ravaged bodies into a river they believed contained curative properties.
On June 24, 1641, we find Juan Diego Bernardino, jug in hand, journeying to the river to retrieve some water to bring back to his family who had also been struck down. Having filled his jug with his last hope (he thought), he set out across the hills to his family. As he made his way through the ocote (pine) trees in the forest, he found himself suddenly blocked by the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She looked like a queen! What would someone of her importance be doing here before him, a humble peasant. She gently addressed him with these words: "May God save you." And then she asked him: "Where are you going?" Can you picture yourself in the presence of Mother Mary? And we have a 2000 year tradition of Our Mother! We have read of Our Lady's coming to her children in Mexico, Italy, France, Spain and on and on. Therefore, it would be easier for us to accept a heavenly Lady appearing. But these dear simple believers knew very little about Our Lady. There were very few known apparitions of Our Lady in the world of the 16th century. It is true, Our Lady had appeared to another Juan Diego just ten years before, in a far off state. But communication being what it was at that time, I wonder if this Juan Diego Bernardino even knew who the Mother of God was and what she looked like. It's true he worked for the Franciscan brothers, but you have to remember he was going for help to a helpless stream; how solid was his knowledge of God and His Mother?
When, at last, he summoned the courage to speak, he weakly replied: "I am taking some water from the river to my family who are dying from the plague."
I can just see the huge black eyes of this Indian open even wider, gleaming, as Our Lady waved to him to follow her with these words: "Then follow me. I will give you water to cure the disease. It will not only cure your family but all who drink it. My heart is always ready to help those who are ill, for I cannot bear to see their suffering and pain."
Although he had never seen a body of water of any kind in the forest of the ocote, he followed, skipping lightly, confidant that the Lady would be true to her word. As they approached the edge of a cliff, he looked down, to where the Beautiful Lady was pointing. To his amazement, in the ravine below, was a spring of gushing fresh water. She told him to take as much as he needed, and "know that those who are touched by the tiniest drop will receive not only relief from their pain but will be restored to perfect health." A little water and a lot of faith.
Juan Diego Bernardino emptied his jug of water from the river and refilled it with the blessed water. He bowed to the Lady and begged his leave. She stopped him once more. She wanted him to bring a message to the Franciscans at the church of Saint Laurence: "Tell the religious that in this place they will find a statue of me. It will not only manifest my perfections but through this image I will bestow many favors and compassion. When they find it they are to bring it and place it in the the church of Saint Lawrence" This humble, gentle Indian, like another Indian named Juan Diego, was to be sent on a mission to speak to his superiors! After all, he worked for the Franciscans.
The beautiful Lady's words resounding in his ears and heart, Juan set out, with a spring to his walk, to bring the miraculous water to his family. He gave the water to his family and they were immediately cured. The moment they were healed, Juan and his family went out to all the villagers sharing the Good News of their miraculous healing. Juan shared the water with all the afflicted. As they drank the tiny drop of water Juan sparingly gave them, they too were instantly healed. The Good News spread quickly from all corners of this town to the neighboring towns. Juan would repeat the story of the Lady and the spring over and over again.
Having completed his mission to his family and neighbors, Juan descended upon the unsuspecting Franciscans. He recounted what had transpired between him and the precious Lady. He carefully, meticulously shared the Lady's message to them, just as she had given it to him. They questioned him over and over again. His story and the message was always the same. Finally convinced this was important enough for them to look into, they told Juan Diego to go to the spot where our Lady had appeared and to the miraculous spring. They waited until dark, as they did not want Juan Diego to know they were following him, and they did not want the villagers to get involved in case it was a hoax.
Now, Tlaxcala was a very small village. The moment the first villager spotted the Franciscans, practically the whole village knew and followed. They had grown to love them. Were the Franciscans going to leave them?
When the informal procession arrived at the forest, they fell back. The whole forest was on fire! Especially, the largest ocote tree. The flames were encircling it, like huge tongues, devouring it. As it was very late and they had not come prepared for such a catastrophe, they left. Juan had to have really been convincing for the Franciscans to return, but nevertheless the next day they and the entire town were on their way once more to the ocote grove. As they rounded the crest of the hill called Hill of Saint Lawrence or Cerro de San Lorenzo to their amazement, the forest appeared untouched. There was the giant ocote without even smoke damage. The Franciscans ordered the tree to be split open. We do not know if this was to see if there was a smoldering fire inside that could later ignite the forest once more and spread, or maybe could they have had a thought from some unknown source as the world would say? Or if we look at these people of faith, could it have been their Guardian Angels or perhaps the Queen of the Angels who placed that thought in their minds? I'll opt for the Queen and her Angels every time.
When the tree was split open, to their astonishment, there in the corazon, the heart of the great ocote tree, was the image of Our Lady, the Holy Mother of God. And she was magnificent! Juan Diego just stared at her! There is nothing to indicate that he knew who she was, at the time she had appeared to him. But he had been taken with her, he could not refuse her anything. She was a Queen! She did not look like anyone or anything he had ever known in this world. He could not get her out of his mind. Upon experiencing the presence of the Lady, all he wanted to do was serve her. His yes, his Fiat so like that of the Lady when she was a young girl, was to bring our Lady not only to him for that short time but to the people of his town, his state, his country and the world for over 400 years with her image Our Lady of the Ocote Tree or Ocotlan!
The Franciscans recognized the image before them immediately. She was Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
The Franciscans and the villagers solemnly lifted the Lady on a litter upon their shoulders and processed to the Church of Saint Lawrence. The villagers serenaded their Lady with their love songs, so full of reverence, so filled with awe of the God Who loved them so very much , He would send His Mother to them.
They placed Our Lady on the center of the main Altar. After all, it was only right. Should not a Mother be near her Son? Besides would not her Son want her to be so honored?
Well, there is always a doubting Thomas in the wings. I know him first hand because I have always been a "I have to see it to believe it." person. The sacristan of the Church of Saint Lawrence did not believe the story. Even if he had heard about Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady who appeared on Tepayac Hill, why would she appear to a humble Indian here in Tlaxcala? Besides, this was the church of Saint Lawrence and his Saint should not be relegated to a side altar, unless she was.....But that was ridiculous! And so, that night after the church was closed, he removed Our Lady from her place on the main Altar and returned Saint Lawrence to the spot he had held for so many years. Happy with Himself, trusting he had done the right thing, he went home.
The following morning when he entered the church, there she was on the main Altar. Surely someone must have sneaked in. Maybe they had been hiding! Well, he would fix that. That evening, after the church was locked, the sacristan again removed Our Lady's image from the Altar and replaced that of Saint Lawrence. He would take her home. Now let's see how the perpetrator would perform his infamy against his Saint.
The next morning, there she was, back on the Altar reigning as Queen near her Son in the tabernacle. Would you not think he had enough? No way! That evening, he removed Our Lady from the Altar and locked her up in a chest used to store her priests' vestments. Back went the statue of Saint Lawrence. He was not going to take any chances. They would have to get past him. He slept at the foot of the Altar, guarding his beloved Saint.
As the new day cut through the dark church, what do you think greeted the sacristan? An open chest and Our Lady perched royally on the Altar in her rightful place of honor. I guess he finally believed that the image of Our Lady's image was placed among them miraculously and he better not mess with the Mother of God, because he left her on the main Altar. He next ran to the Franciscans, trembling more with fear of the Lord and His anger than he was of their reaction to what he had done to the Mother of God.
Our Lady of Ocotlan has been known from the 16th century to now as Our Lady of the Ocote in honor of the burning ocote tree which contained in its heart her image. She has dwelled on the main Altar of the Church of Saint Lawrence from that time till today, as a sign of the power of God and the special graces He bestows on those who say yes!
The statue of Our Lady of Ocotlan is carved (miraculously) from one piece of wood from the ocote tree, and stands five feet tall, the same size of most of the Indians who live here. Again, although Queen, she appears to her children as one of them, a woman who would bring honor to all women.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Ocotlan, in 1746, was raised to the stature of Our Lady of St. Mary Major, the first Church of Mother Mary in Rome and one of the Basilicas that have a Holy Door which the Pope opens every 25 years. At that time, the Pope granted Indulgences, privileges and Apostolic indults to the faithful venerating the image of Our Lady of Ocotlan. Pope Clement XIII declared a feast day to be celebrated on a Sunday in July, in honor of this apparition. The apparition is remembered each year in February, with the faithful walking in solemn procession, their Queen on their shoulders, just as their ancestors had done before them.
Down through the centuries many people, including Priests and Bishops have see the features of Our Lady change at certain times. Her cheeks pale, her usual bright rosy complexion turning almost gray. This has been witnessed at such important times as religious feasts or at other momentous times. We say why not? Are we always happy? Do not our faces telegraph our feelings? Do you not think Our Lady is involved with us in our pain as well as in our joy? We sometimes wonder; how many times does she have to come to us before we recognize the Jesus she brings, as she did during the Visitation. Who are we that the Mother of God should come to us? And when she does, will we recognize Jesus and jump for joy as St. John the Baptist did while still in his mother's womb ?
Five Popes have been involved in affirming the appearance of Our Lady of Ocotlan from the eighteenth century to the twentieth century: Pope Clement XII (1735), Pope Benedict XIV (1746), Pius VI (1799), Saint Pius X (1906) and Pius XII in our century in 1941.
The faithful are still drawing water from the miraculous spring (now a well), believing and in that believing miracles still abound through the intervention of Our Lady of Ocotlan and the water she blessed. She is here giving them, and us, hope that we are not alone, that the Mother of God is interceding, as they journey in solemn Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Ocotlan. As in Lourdes, no one leaves here the way he came. It may not be immediately that one recognizes what change has come about. But as when we are consumed by the Eucharist, we are never the same, so it is with His Mother here in this village of Tlaxcala.
Bob and Penny bring a Pilgrimage to Mexico to Our Lady's Shrines on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This Shrine is included. If you want to see a Documentary on this Shrine and other Marian Apparitions. More on Our Lady of Ocotlan
