A Pilgrimage and a Mission

What does God want to do with you today?

You’ve seen countless images of her: in your parish church, on holy cards, on pickup trucks. Wouldn’t you love to pray in front of the REAL tilma? You know, the cactus fiber cloak that is nearly 500 years old and should be long gone? The one that no science can explain. The one that converted an entire nation. The one that continues to be an instrument today for people to encounter their Mother and therefore their living God?

Maybe you’ve never thought about going to Mexico City. Maybe you’re nervous about safety or the water. Maybe your friends don’t want to go. Well, leave behind the excuses and come get your questions answered at my Sneak Peek tomorrow night. No obligations–just come find out more. And if you can’t make it, register and I’ll send you the recording.

Pilgrimage to Guadalupe: November 5-10, 2025 (find out more here)

Our Lady of Guadalupe Sneak Peek: May 20, 7:30 on Zoom

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Does anyone know how old Juan Diego was when Our Lady appeared to him?

57 years old.

That’s a long time to wait around fory our mission. Of course, he didn’t know he was “waiting” for his mission. But still. A lot of days came before he was given what he would be known for.

And when did that mission come to him? While he was in the middle of his faithful, every day work. Maybe he felt like he was in a rut! Or maybe he felt stressed by every day life, like he was too busy! But when did Mary appear? When he was in his routine, in the middle of service.

You know the story… On December 9, 1531, a native Mexican named Juan Diego rose before dawn to walk fifteen miles to daily Mass in what is now Mexico City. Juan lived a simple life as a weaver, farmer, and laborer.

That morning, as Juan passed Tepeyac Hill, he heard music and saw a glowing cloud encircled by a rainbow. A woman's voice called him to the top of the hill. There he saw a beautiful young woman dressed like an Aztec princess. She said she was the Virgin Mary and asked Juan to tell the bishop to build a church on that site.

She said, "I vividly desire that a church be built on this site, so that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defense, for I am your most devoted mother . . . to hear your laments and to remedy all your miseries, pains, and sufferings."

The rest is history. Juan Diego’s bishop asks for proof, but before Juan could go back to the Lady, he found out his uncle was dying. So he did exactly what he should do: he went to get a priest. His vocation at that moment was to take care of his dying uncle. While on his way, going a different route to try to not get stopped by the mysterious lady, she intercepted him. She met him, told him his uncle had been cured, and sent him to the top of the hill where there were roses, miraculous roses from Spain, which she arranged in his cloak for the Bishop.

The miracle was not just those roses. The miracle would come in the Bishop’s residence, when the roses (which he had asked for years earlier!… more waiting!) spilled out to reveal the mysterious Lady appearing right at that moment on Juan’s cloak.

photo credit: Jenna Streich, Verso Ministries

Juan Diego was serving God in his daily work when he was called for his mission. He was going to Mass. He was taking care of his sick uncle. It was from these ordinary, daily tasks that he was chosen.

Maybe that’s what God wants you to remember today. God wants to work through you. But he’s going to do that when you’re in the midst of your ordinary work. So go do it. Go to Mass. Go take care of your sick uncle. It’s not glamorous. But that’s how he works–when you are at work.