Today Mexico celebrates --- this is their feast day. We hear about it often. Do you know the story? It makes the day more meaningful. The year is 1531. An Indian, Juan Diego, was making his way to Saturday devotions in a nearby town. He nears a hill, Tepeyac Hill. He hears his name being called: "Juanito, Juan Dieguito." He climbed the hill. It was the virgin Mary. "Go to the Bishop of Mexico and make known what I greatly desire." She had told him: a church on this place. Juan met with Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, a Franciscan. "Come another time, and I will listen at leisure." A first failure to "hear." So Juan returned to Tepeyac and met the Lady again. He told her he could not convince the Bishop. Mary should ask someone more intelligent to meet the Bishop. Mary asked him to go again, the next day, Sunday, and tell the Bishop that "I, the every virgin holy Mary, Mother of God, am the one who personally sent you." Episcopal disbelief continued, asking Juan to come back with a "sign." A second failure to trust Mary's message.
The next day, Monday: Juan did not go to Tepeyac. Word came Monday evening that an uncle, Juan Bernardino, was seriously ill and had asked Juan to go to Mexico City to bring a priest to hear his confession.
Tuesday morning: Juan heads to Mexico City, going around the other side of the Tepeyac Hill. He did not want to be detained by the Heavenly Lady. But like all mothers, she was there to meet him. Mary reaffirmed her care and concern for Juan. Furthermore, she told him "Do not let your uncle's illness distress you. It is certain that he has already been cured." She directed him to the top of Tepeyac Hill where he would find a variety of flowers. He was to cut some and bring them to her. You can imagine that this was one maternal chore that was not ignored but done swiftly. At the top, despite the seasonal frosts that had ruined flowers, many Castilian roses were abloom. Juan cut a collection of roses, placed them in his tilma (mantle) and brought them to Mary. She told him to take the flowers to the Bishop. These would be the sign that the Franciscan sought.
Juan went to the Bishop and presented the roses with an account of what had happened. As he opened the tilma, the roses fell to the ground and immediately an image of Mary appeared on the material ... just as it is today in the shrine of Tepeyac. Obviously the Bishop listened.
