With a happy heart, Juan hastened to the summit where he found a most beautiful Lady who invited him to draw near. Her garments shone like the sun and the crag upon which Her feet rested gave off rays of light as from a thousand precious stones. Even the barren earth where the heavenly Visitor stood glistened like the soft mist of a rainbow. The lowly bushes and grasses sparkled like emeralds and find turquoise, and the branches and thorns, like shining gold. The endearing voice spoke again.
Juanito, my sweet child, where are you going? Understand, my dear son, that I am the ever-Virgin Mother of the true God, in Whom we live, the Creator and Maker of heaven and earth. It is my urgent desire that a temple be built here to my honor where I shall spread my love, compassion, help and protection.
I am your Merciful Mother and a loving Mother to your fellow men who love me and trust me and seek my aid. I will listen to their lamentations, and give solace in all their sorrows and their sufferings.
To bring about all that my love demands, go now to the house of the bishop in Mexico City and tell him that I send you to make known my great desire to have a temple built in my name here. Tell him exactly what you have see and heard. Know that I shall be grateful and that I will reward you. I will show you that this labor is worth while. Now you have heard my desire, little son. Go and do your very best.
With a bow, Our Lady's ambassador left to carry out Her wishes. He headed straight for Mexico City where he relayed all to Bishop Juan de Zumárraga. The holy Franciscan prelate hesitated to act immediately, for he wished to test the authenticity of the story. He dismissed Juan Diego, promising to take the matter under careful consideration.
Crest fallen, Juan returned to Tepeyac Hill to inform the Lady from Heaven of his failure. I can clearly see that the bishop thinks I may have made it up. So I beg You, my Lady, Queen, and my Little Girl, to send one of the nobles who are held in esteem, for I am a man of no importance. Forgive me, my little Virgin, if I grieve You and You are angry with me.
Our Lady replied: My dearest son, you must understand that there are many noble servants to whom I could entrust my message; however, I have chosen you to undertake the task. It is through your help that my purpose will be accomplished. Go again to the bishop tomorrow, speak to him in my name, and inform him that it is my desire that he undertake the erection of the temple which I ask. Tell him that it is I, in person, Holy Mary, ever-Virgin Mother of God, who sends you. Juan Diego promised to try again and to return the following afternoon to give an account of the bishop's answer.
After Juan reported to Bishop Zuamárraga on Our Lady's second visit, the Bishop informed him that he was unable to act without further evidence and that he needed more than Juan's word to carry out the order. It was necessary that he receive some sign from Heaven.
Just Diego hurried back to Tepeyac Hill. There the Queen of Heaven awaited him. So be it, my son. Come back tomorrow morning so that you may obtain the sign for the the bishop. With my sign he will believe you and no longer will he doubt you or suspect your good faith. Know that I will reward you for your trouble. At dawn tomorrow, I shall await you here.
Juan Diego's uncle, Juan Bernardino, was very ill and therefore, on the next day, Juan delayed in delivering Our Lady's message to the bishop. So as not to encounter the Queen of Heaven before settling the urgent matter of bringing a priest to give the Last Rites to his dying uncle, Juan took a side path at the foot of Tepeyac Hill. How astonished he was to be greeted there by Our Lady! What troubles you, my dear son? Where are you going? Listen my son, there is nothing to fear; be neither trouble nor afraid; do not fear this illness or any other sorrow or affliction. Am I not here, I who am your merciful Mother? Have I not taken you unto myself and made you my charge? What more do you need? Let nothing distress or disturb you. As for you're uncle's illness, it is not unto death. At this moment I ask you to believe that he is already cured. And it happened exactly as Our Lady had promised.
Go, my son, to the summit of the hill where you first saw me. There you will find a great variety of flowers. Gather them and bring them to me. Arriving at the top of the hill, Juan found himself in a heavenly garden just as Our Lady had foretold. Joyfully he gathered the roses, filling his tilma with the celestial blooms.
On his return, Our Lady arranged the flowers in Juan's tilma with Her own hands and sent him on his way, saying. My dear son, these roses are the sign which you must give to the bishop. Tell him in my name that in these roses he will see my will and accomplish it. You are my ambassador and are worthy of my confidence. When you reach the bishop, unfold your tilma and show him what you carry, but only in the presence of the bishop. Tell him all that you have seen and heard, omitting nothing. Tell him that I sent you to the top of the hill and that you gathered the flowers there. Repeat the story completely so that the bishop will believe you and will build the temple for which I have pleaded.
When the servants, who were at first reluctant to let Juan in to see the Bishop, noticed that with bowed head he held something in his tilma, they became curious to see what it was. They forced Juan to open his cloak a bit, but when they went to touch the contents, the magnificent flowers evaded their grasp and seemed to be merely embroidered or painted there. They reported this to the bishop, who had the lowly Indian escorted into his presence.]
Juan opened his tilma, and the roses cascaded gracefully to the floor, filling the room with a heavenly fragrance. The Bishop and all his attendants fell on their knees and wept, for there, miraculously painted on the cloak, was the image of Our Lady, just as She had appeared to Juan Diego. It is the Immaculate One! the Bishop exclaimed. All looked on in silent ecstasy.
Our Lady got Her magnificent Basilica which remains standing to this day. A modern edifice was later built nearby to house the heavenly image miraculously imprinted on Juan Diego's tilma which can still be seen today in all its unfaded glory as a lasting monument to Mary's graciousness and motherly love.
When the Mother of God had appeared to Juan Bernardino and cured him, She told him, also, that She wanted a temple built at Tepeyac Hill, stating that her image should be called, The Perfect Virgin, Holy Mary of Guadalupe. In the following eight years, through Our Lady's powerful intercession, occurred the astounding miracle of nine million conversions to the Catholic faith.
Mary Sweet Hope of My Soul
The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
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