I have that portrait of Mary in my house, the La Virgin de Guadalupe. It’s an amazing story, for sure.
For those who doubt the role of Mary, the story of Guadalupe is decidedly the most definitive. The extraordinary manner in which she appeared, from her attire, stance, skin coloration, resulted in six million Native Mexicans converting to Christianity.
The first lesson is that God has chosen Mary to lead us to Jesus. No matter what critics may say of the devotion of Mexicans (and Mexican descendants) to Our Lady of Guadalupe, they owe their Christianity to her influence. If it were not for her, they would not know her son, and so they are eternally grateful. The second lesson we take from Mary herself. Mary appeared to Juan Diego not as a European madonna but as a beautiful Aztec princess speaking to him in his own Aztec language. If we want to help someone appreciate the gospel we bring, we must appreciate the culture and the mentality in which they live their lives. By understanding them, we can help them to understand and know Christ.