A 57-year-old indigenous Aztec convert was walking to mass during a time of Spanish conquest. A peasant man whose people were largely discriminated against is who our Mother Mary chose to appear to…and whose story converted over 9 million indigenous people.
It was not the missionaries nor a Bishop; neither a layman nor a priest. It was God who allowed his blessed mother Mary to appear not once, but twice to Juan Diego. God uses people in power, he uses people who lay their lives down for Him, but he chooses the meek and humble for His most precious plans (Life of Christ, Venerable Fulton Sheen).
Oftentimes we become so obsessed with where we are called to serve that we forget to serve in our daily actions. We conceive of how we can objectively and abstractly lay our lives down for the Lord, focusing entirely on how our Vocation is our path to heaven. Our actions become calculated, and we dwell on doing what is right. Yet, how often does God invite people to oscillate between choices and to become so focused on their own lives? This is not his style! God is looking for your ‘yes’ whether that is setting aside a few minutes to someone you meet on the sidewalk or Juan Diego saying yes to Mary. Becoming so self-centered in our prayer, we forget about the “Little Way” St. Therese Lisieux promotes. We don’t have to wait for angels to appear in our dreams to become living saints. In giving we receive more abundantly and above all we wait in silence for God’s whisperings in our hearts.
But this story relates to a bigger picture too. How can we as Catholics enter the world and exercise our faith amongst our peers? What does this look like beyond smiling and holding doors? Where does this put Catholics in terms of social justice issues?
As Our Lady of Guadalupe demonstrates, God does not choose who to work through based on skin color, social class, age, perceived sanctity, or ability. And yet, our society discriminates against all of these factors. Our Lady of Guadalupe reminds us of the dignity of every person, one of the fundamental understandings of Christianity. As humans created in the image and likeness of God, we are not called to just respect others, but to love others. We must recognize the indispensability of every person we encounter; Jesus did this for the blind, the lame, the deaf, the outcasts. But we forget to do that for our roommates, classmates, friends, and peers. To easily imitate the life of Jesus is to recognize that everyone, including you, is created with the sole purpose to love God.
We must actively take a stand against injustices, but recognize that the way our society does such is inherently divisive. The nomenclature alone which segregates and generalizes people on account of one or two physical characteristics undermines the beauty and intricacy with which God has intentionally formed each person. Putting people in groups alone is evil and discriminatory. This divisive thought process leaves each person feeling either alone or that he/she can only confide in others within their group, promoting disunity. This perpetuates discrimination. If every man is for himself, how can we realize the great power we have together? How do we unite as one body, in one holy, universal and apostolic church?
Instead of getting angry and feeling entitled to retribution or that we are undeserving of the bodies, hearts, and opportunities God gave us, there is an alternative to confronting social justice issues. We may teach people about their biases so that they can recognize their prejudices and seek truth. Educating our brothers, sisters, and ourselves with charity and honesty invokes the Holy Spirit to transform hearts. We teach others how to be ‘antiracist’ coming from a place of truth: all humans have inherent dignity endowed by our Creator. Teaching that a certain group of people is insecure or downtrodden because of their race, gender, ability, or socio-economic class perpetuates stigmas. This informs them that they are worth less due to how society views their status. God does not limit people like this. Everyone is worthy and beloved. That is how we know that this is a tactic from the evil one.
So, we move forward, recognizing the source of our love, learning and then teaching how we may better love each other. Let us encounter one another with humility, looking past the barriers that society proposes so that we may rejoice in love that always brings ourselves and others towards the fullness of truth. Let us witness the beauty inherent in every person, as they are created as an expression of love (Pope John Paul II). Let us act so that we may be a light to all others, answering our call not to enmity but to love.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:11-12