“The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God”

The desert has always been a symbol of reflection and meditation on the mysteries of God.  Revelation says that the woman fled into the desert.  Saint Charles Borromeo says in the spiritual reading that “in his infinite love for us, though we were sinners, he sent his only Son to free us from the tyranny of Satan, to summon us to heaven, to welcome us into its innermost recesses” [i]  During the Advent season we recess, or withdraw, into the desert.  We withdraw so that we can be free from Satan, and because we are called, we are summoned to heaven, the presence of God.  Saint John the Baptist, preaching in the desert, announced that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  It is in the desert, withdrawing from the devil, the world and the flesh, that we seek God and we begin to know what it means to rejoice.  The third Sunday of Advent “is known as Gaudete Sunday. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Entrance Antiphon, "Rejoice". Rose vestments are worn to emphasize our joy that Christmas is near, and we also light the rose candle on our Advent wreath.” [ii] 
 
It was in the desert of Mexico City that a great sign was given to the people of the Americas and the Aztec natives, as well as the Spanish settlers had reason to rejoice.   What was the sign that given to Juan Diego?  What was it that Mary asked him to do, in order that the Bishop would have proof that she was indeed the Mother of God?  “The local Bishop had asked for a sign as proof of Mary’s petition before granting Juan Diego’s request.  Our Lady appeared again later and directed the amazed peasant to cut a bouquet of long-stemmed roses that were growing nearby on the arid hillside to be presented to the Bishop.  This miraculous event took place in the dead of winter, in the month of December, two thousand feet above sea leaven.  When Juan Diego spread out his white cloak to deliver the roses, the beloved image of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared, impressed upon it, as is plain for any observer to see today.” [iii]  The Bishop was Spanish and had been praying to Our Lady that she would intercede for his flock and that the Spanish and Aztecs would be friendly to each other.  Imagine the joy, the rejoicing, the Bishop would have had when the sign he received from Juan Diego were Castilian roses, the same species that grew in the Bishop’s native land of Spain.  What a beautiful answer to the Bishop’s prayer that Our Lady not only answered his prayer but that she answered it with a sign from his homeland, a personal touch, so that there was no doubt of Mary’s maternal love and care of the Bishop.  It would have been a miracle enough that the Castilian roses, a species from Spain would have grown in Mexico, especially in the dead of winter.  The roses, however, were only the beginning of the miracle that Our Lady wanted to leave the people of the Americas.  She wanted to leave a greater miracle, the image of herself so that all generations could witness the miracle of Tepayac Hill.  Our Lady appeared to San Juan Diego the day before the 2 ^nd Sunday of Advent, in 1531.  She appeared pregnant, very fitting for Advent.  San Juan Diego would have presented the roses to the Bishop during the second week of Advent.  The next Mass, the Bishop would have celebrated, with his flock would have been December 17, 1531, Guadete Sunday.  Imagine the joy and rejoicing that would have taken place when the Bishop put on the rose color vestments, a reminder to him and all of Our Lady’s intercession and desire to bring the people of the Americas to her Son.

What reason do we have to rejoice?  We are free from the tyranny of Satan.  We have been summoned, called to heaven.  God has welcomed us into His innermost recesses.  We are shown the truth.  We are trained in right conduct; the seeds of virtue have been planted within us.  The treasures of his grace are given to enrich us.  We are children of God and heirs of eternal life.  During this advent season, especially as the Nativity approaching let us consider and meditate on the gift we have been given in our Savior.

What must we do to fully receive all of these gifts that we have been given?  It is not enough to rejoice and do nothing, we can only truly rejoice and live a life of joy if “we shall share his power, if, through holy faith and the sacraments, we willingly accept the grace Christ earned for us, and live by that grace and in obedience to Christ.
 

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[i] Spiritual Reading in this Link to Liturgy packet
[ii] Catholicculture.com
[iii] Fr. Francis Fernandez; In Conversation with God; Vol. 7; section 55.1