b'ribbon above her waist announces her maternity; and Nuestra Seora Santa Maria dea flower with four little petals on her womb represents Guadalupe Reina de Mxico yEmperatriz de Amrica by divinity. And it is precisely there, on her womb, that unknown artist, ink on paper,the flower of divinity reveals she is the Mother of God. October 12, 1978. Courtesy ofShe also blocks the sun with her back, has the moon the Marian Library, Universityunder her feet, and her mantle is full of stars. These of Dayton.three elementsthe sun, the moon, and the firmament represent the main gods of the indigenous people.Mary herself stands higher than all of the gods, butshe is not God. When the indigenous people saw thesigns in her image on the tilma, thousands of themembraced her as the Mother of God and obeyed hercall for a new evangelization.Mary calls Juan Diego, already an adult, JuanDieguito," which means the smallest of my sons,showing that singular compassion, tenderness, andlove that only a mother can give. It is she who is madethe channel of evangelization, which is one of themeanings of the word, Guadalupechannel orriver. She is the channel that brings the truth to thisEarth and gives birth to a new civilization. We cannotcomprehend the history of salvation without herpresence as the great channel of grace, one more reasonto recognize her as the Mother of God and our Mother.From that very moment, Our Lady of Guadalupe has Brother Juan Pablo EspinozaChvez, SMbeen understood as the Mother in our land, reflectingthe love, the compassion, and the redemption for apeople who place at her feet all of their sufferings andafflictions. Their love of Mary transforms their suffer-ings into events of celebration and gratitude, whichmanifest the glory of the Reign of God.took a shortcut so that he could avoid meeting Our We, the Marianists of Mexico, trust in Our Lady ofLady. However, our Blessed Mother appeared to him Guadalupe. We entrust to her our preoccupations andfor the fourth time. He spoke to her about all of his needs. As we receive unfailingly her motherly love,troubles. She patiently listened and said to him, Am we feel we are within her protecting womb, receivingI not here, I who am your Mother? Trust me, my little her unconditional love, which only a mother can give.son, your uncle is already well.Full of grace, she gathers us together and places usShe sent Juan Diego to the top of the hill to collect in her lap. She converts us through the grace of Jesus,roses that were miraculously growing out of season. whom she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,She helped him place the roses in his tilma, or cloak. bringing us each day into tender companionship withThe roses were to be the sign for which the bishop had her. Through her intercession and companionship,asked. When Juan Diego met the bishop and opened the we are led to build the Reign of God in the world intilma, the roses tumbled out and revealed the miraculous which we live. image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the tilma. Santa Mara de Guadalupe, salva nuestra patria y The image is full of symbols that spoke to theaumenta fe.indigenous people and to the conquerors as well. Holy Mary of Guadalupe, save our country andOur Mother appears with indigenous features,increase our faith.\x01making herself one with Juan Diego and his people.She appears as a native woman, poor and simple. Brother Juan Pablo Espinoza Chvez, SM, belongs to theHer hair is not tied, which signifies virginity; a black Communidad Marianista in Puebla, Mexico.marianist.com/donate 5'