IT'S THE SMALL THINGS

Last Monday, Dec. 12, was the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Many devotees around the world go on a pilgrimage to Mexico City to reach her basilica on that day. Others, do their own form of celebration and indulge in extra prayer on her feast day, in her honor. A lot of miracles and prayers answered in this world can be attributed by many to her intercession, and I have heard myself, many miracles she has granted to devotees. As the patron saint of Mexico, whether Catholic or not, she is most definitely an ingrained and essential part of Mexican culture.

I have always prayed to the Virgin Mary, and I have known of Our Lady of Guadalupe since I was a child. In my grandparents’ home, a tilma was above their bed and I grew up seeing it every Sunday, and every visit to their home. I was never estranged to her miraculous works, but, I personally did not feel her power nor influence in my life until I started living in Mexico last year. I do not know if it is a part of assimilating into the Mexican culture, but from my first trip to her basilica, I felt an energy of warmth, comfort and solitude in her presence. Though a foreigner living in a completely new country, my visits to her have re-affirmed my faith, and my faith has given me the security I did not know I needed, but which my soul was apparently seeking.

And then this last Monday, as I was scrolling through my social media in the morning, I chanced upon a Facebook memory. Fourteen years ago, on Dec. 12, 2008, I was admitted early into my dream school – Barnard College. I remember praying about it from the moment I had applied – though at the time my prayers were more general, and not directed to specific saints – and going to mass everyday in the hopes of God knowing how much it would mean to me. At the time, I did not know it was the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, so now that she has had a much heavier influence in my life, I got goosebumps when I realized and it occurred to me. Long before I even knew, she was already my patron – watching over me, interceding and praying for me. It was perhaps fitting that I spend some years of my life in Mexico. Truly, God always has His plan, and a big part of this move was to be able to get closer to, and get to know the one who has been guiding me all these years.

Through the years, she definitely has not failed me, and my heart overflows in gratitude to her – most especially in these last two years. Many times, I believe it is important to be specific in prayer, but more often than not, I have found that even matters I do not verbalize in prayer come to fruition, and these are simply thoughts that linger in my mind when I am in the basilica. Our Lady of Guadalupe truly knows what is in my heart, and I will never forget all the gifts she has granted me and shown me the value of for the rest of my life.