FEAST OF ST JUAN DIEGO, THE APOSTLE OF MEXICO.
" What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that went astray?
And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18: 12 - 14),
Tuesday 9th December 2025 of the 2nd Week of Advent is the feast of St Juan Diego. (1474 - 1548). Mexican.
St Juan Diego was a Hermit and visionary.
Our Blessed Mother appeared to this humble and simple Mexican Indian and used him to transform the nation of the Aztecs.
"Behold the humble maid servant of the Lord. Be it done to me according to Your promise."
God can use you and me to accomplish great things in the world. All He needs is humility and faith.
Mary said to St Juan Diego:
“Let not your heart be disturbed… Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.” (Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego).
"Be on your guard, then, and be prudent, but without fear, because I am your Mother and, just as I said to my beloved little son Juan Diego, I hold you beneath my protecting mantle, in the crossing of my arms, close, very close to my Immaculate Heart. Trust in my protection. Yes, I am your Mother of Perpetual Help, ever ready to come to your rescue, ever ready to provide for your needs, to deliver you from danger, and to console you in sorrow. Approach me with childlike confidence and you will never be disappointed." (IN SINU JESU, Tuesday, December 9, 2008).
Tuesday of the 2nd week of Advent. The Lord puts before us the parable of the Lost and Found Sheep.
How do you feel when you lose or misplace something valuable?
I do not consider myself a miser. I confess that I embarrass myself how diligently I search for a lost something until I find it. Or I am forced to stop searching because the search has become absurd and ridiculous.
Once upon a time, I prepared for weeks to teach Young Adults Confirmation class, a 7 weeks course. I walked into the classroom on the first night and found just one sheep. Just one sheep? To make a long story short, I declined to go ahead with the course.
I had not learned the Power of One!
The Lord came after me quickly. First, He sent the young man's mother to confront me the following Sunday. "I worked so hard to convince my son to register for the course with the hope that the course and the Confirmation Sacrament would lead him back to the Church."
The very next Sunday, we had the Parable of the Lost Sheep as the Gospel.
At the end of the Mass, I have got more than enough lesson and rebuke for my misdeed.
I learned the Power of One.
"And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." (Matthew 18: 13 - 14).
"Paris is worth a Mass," so the saying goes. If bringing home one lost sheep causes rejoicing in Heaven, God forbid that I will deny Heaven such a joy!
The Church honors the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary every day in December.
Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."
For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:
