Recently, I traveled to Mexico (with my siblings) to visit Our Lady of Guadalupe at her home, due to Covid it felt like a doctor’s visit as we were in and out without being able to go inside either of the basilicas. We were able to walk the outside grounds which have a lot of Catholic history and pass in front of the tilma, yet I was hoping we would be able to go inside be there for mass or at least a good hour of personal prayer while I took in the image of Our Lady. To add to our unsuccess we had a tour guide who wasn’t Catholic and he rushed us through the tour, at a point saying, “you guys are probably so sick of churches by now.” I am used to going to on Catholic led tours and this one totally felt different. I felt misunderstood in my desire to slow down and let me soak in the blessed ground that I was walking though. I wanted a long moment in a pew, to just be. Yet, with Covid limited access, I had to make the best of my short moment with Lupita.
I thought of the many pilgrims that come on this journey and
are rushed with a non-Catholic guide and I realize that the shrine can become just
a tourist destination with no substance.
Just another place to take a picture at and cross off of the bucket list. Yet, to me and my siblings Our Lady of
Guadalupe was the reason we made the trek to Mexico City. We were so thirsty for faith, so in need of
the most powerful intercessor in addition to wanting to leave our burdens at
the altar of Jesus. This past year of isolation
has taken a toll on each of us and we were hoping to go and be with our Mother
as she led us closer to Jesus. While I
didn’t get my time to sit in a pew or to even see the basilicas from the inside
up close, the trip did ignite that flame in me that was growing fainter by the
day. During the entire trip I kept a close
conversation with Lupita and I feel close to Jesus again. I am inspired to continue trying to live a
holy life.
It was also interesting to travel with a non-Catholic guide
because I got a different perspective from the way that I usually look at
things. I got to see how some Mexicans
are extremely proud of their indigenous roots, of the ancient civilizations,
languages and cultures that intermingle in our history. Our guide’s passion was evident at Teotihuacan,
the site of Sun and Mood Pyramids- I think he cut the basilica short because he
had so much more to say about the pyramids and its ancient people. He was particular ticked off that some Catholic
Churches, like the one was legend has it that Juan Diego was baptized, were
made from pieces of the pyramids. He
also got offended when I asked which temple was used for sacrifices and gave me
a long lecture on the “non-History-Channel” truth as he called it. I realized that in his mind the Church was what
ended the ancient civilizations…
When I saw the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe I also asked
him why it was so big since I thought it would be smaller. I was like, “Why is
it so big if Juan Diego was an indigenous and probably not that tall?” And our
guide just whispered something under his breath and never gave me an
answer. It was only until mom reminded
me of how indigenous people used their tilmas to carry items folding them to
make them into a large pouch that would support the loads they carried- that I
understood its size. Any who, I learned
that in the future I will stick to my Catholic led pilgrimages (smile).
