Miracles

“It was a Saturday and Juan Diego, a native recently converted to Catholicism, had begun the long walk to attend his religious instruction class. As he neared the hill of Tepeyac, in the valley of Mexico City, he heard the exquisite singing of many birds. ‘Where am I?’ he wondered. ‘Am I in the land of heaven?’ Suddenly, he heard a gentle, sweet voice calling his name. Puzzled, he looked around and there stood a lady, beautiful beyond imagination, her robes shining like the sun, the rock upon which she stood projected bright rays of light, the earth around her radiated the colors of the rainbow, the weeds and cactus were like emeralds and turquoise, the thorns like gold.

In awe, he fell to his knees. ‘My son,’ she said, ‘I want you to go to the Bishop and tell him to build me a sacred house here, so that I can console and help all those who seek me, and give them all my love.’

Realizing that this was a request from a Heavenly Lady, he hurried off to see the Bishop. When he told him what had happened, the Bishop rebuked him, ‘Juan Diego, this is only your imagination,’ and sent him away.

Troubled and sad, Juan Diego returned to tell the Heavenly Lady that the Bishop would not listen to a poor, humble Indian like himself, that instead She should send a nobleman, so that then the Bishop would believe the message. ‘I have chosen you, Juan Diego, to be my messenger. Go, do as I ask of you.’

The next day Juan Diego left before dawn to attend mass, and then to see the Bishop. This time, the Bishop told Juan Diego that he must bring a sign from the Heavenly Lady, or not to come back again.

Juan Diego did not return to see Her the next day, as his uncle, with whom he lived, was gravely ill. That same evening, the uncle, knowing his end was near, asked for a priest.

Early on Tuesday, December 12th, Juan Diego set out to summon the priest. Fearing that the Lady would detain him, he took a different route, but as he came to the foot of Tepeyac hill, She stopped him. ‘Where are you going?’ She asked the distressed Juan Diego. He told Her about his uncle’s illness. ‘Do not concern yourself, your uncle is now well.’

‘Now, go to the top of the hill and gather flowers.’ There are never flowers there, only rocks, he thought to himself. To his amazement, he found the hill carpeted with flowers, which he then gathered and placed in his cape. ‘This is the sign that you shall take to the Bishop, so that he will believe My words to you.’

After much waiting, the Bishop received him. When Juan Diego unfolded his cape, a cascade of fragrant flowers fell to the floor before the astonished Bishop, and on the cape appeared imprinted the Image of the Heavenly Lady, just as Juan Diego had seen Her on the hill.”