Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people,
and he will dwell among you,
and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land,
and he will again choose Jerusalem.
Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD!
For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.
R./ You are the highest honor of our race.
Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,
above all the women on earth;
and blessed be the LORD God,
the creator of heaven and earth.
R./ You are the highest honor of our race.
Your deed of hope will never be forgotten
by those who tell of the might of God.
R./ You are the highest honor of our race.
Mary then set out for a town in the Hills of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit, and giving a loud cry, said, "You are most blessed among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed that the Lord's word would come true!"
And Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my savior!
A Mother’s Call to Renewed Faith and Hope
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe reminds us that God’s providence never ceases. Through Mary, He manifests His tenderness and mercy in moments of great need, revealing His deep care for humanity. As Saint Paul writes in Galatians 4:4, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman.” Through Mary, the Eternal One entered our world, becoming «God-with-us» to walk alongside us in love and solidarity.
Nearly five centuries ago, in a time of upheaval in the Americas, God sent Mary to Tepeyac as the Mother of the “true God for whom we live.” She came not to exclude but to embrace all people, especially the poor and forgotten, with her motherly presence and consolation. Her apparition to Saint Juan Diego transformed a fractured world into fertile ground for the Gospel. Through her tender care, she brought dignity and hope to the oppressed.
Today, as we face the rumblings of war, injustice, and suffering, Mary continues to set out «in haste,» inviting us to trust in her Son and to abandon fear and indifference. She calls us to fraternity, urging us to reach out to the forgotten and discarded in our communities. Like Mary, we are called to act swiftly, with love and courage, to embody the Gospel.
As we journey toward the fifth centennial of the Guadalupean apparition, let us renew our commitment to Christ through Our Lady of Guadalupe. She desires to stay with us, guide us in becoming credible witnesses of Christ’s love, and build a culture of care and inclusion.
May Our Lady of Guadalupe lead us to her Son, that we may live with joy, hope, and peace, proclaiming: “Maranathá! Come, Lord Jesus!”
On December 9, 1531, our Lady appeared to a young Indian convert, Juan Diego, in Tepeyac, Mexico, now part of Mexico City. On his cloak she left the impression of her image. This site became the most venerated place of pilgrimage for Latin America. Under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary was declared the patroness of the Americas. Formerly a secondary patroness of the Philippines, this memorial of Mary has been reintroduced as a celebration for the Philippines because of the former strong links of the Philippine Church with the Mexican Church.
Lord our God,
Like you and your Son Jesus,
Mary cared for the poor and the humble,
to whom she herself belonged.
With the whole people of the Americas
we honor her today and ask you
through the intercession of Mary
to give us a deep respect and concern
for all that is poor and little
and to let us live in your caring hand.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
We will respond to each petition:
"Through the intercession of Mary of Guadalupe, hear our prayer."
Lord, lover of all that is little,
we bring before you the humble gifts
of bread, the daily food of many,
and of a little wine, the token of joy.
With these let us join in the sacrifice of Jesus,
whose Mother we honor today
with all the people of the Americas.
Grant us this through Christ our Lord.
Our loving God,
in this eucharist we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary,
who gave us your Son and Savior.
May we rejoice in the saving love of Jesus
and in the loving care of Mary.
May we be faithful to him
by doing deeds of justice and service
and praising you with songs of joy.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
