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Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter's for the December 12 feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, empress of the Americas.
In his brief homily, he focused on the comforting essence of her message in 1531, invent us to gaze "at the image of Mary, pregnant Mary of Guadalupe, who announces the birth of the Savior, as a mother."
The mystery of Guadalupe is to venerate her, and to hear in our ears: "Am I not here, I who am your mother?" We need to hear this in every moment of life: The various difficult moments of life, the happy moments of life, the routine moments of life. "Do not be afraid. Am I not here, I who am your mother?" This is the message of Guadalupe.
The Holy Father encouraged us to let our hearts be filled with this message of closeness and care.
Let us hear it, like a refrain, with a voice that repeats it, saying to us: "Do not be afraid. Am I not here, I who am your mother." May it be thus.
Devotion of the pope
Pope Francis has a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and visited her during his trip to Mexico in 2016.
Once in 2015, the Pope reflected that Mexico's various problems are because of the devil's irritation with Mary's work.
I think that the devil punishes Mexico with a lot of problems. Because of this: I think the devil has not forgiven Mexico, for Mary having shown her Son there. That’s my interpretation. In other words, Mexico is privileged by martyrdom, because it has recognized and defended its Mother.
"And you know this well yourself. You will find some Mexicans who are Catholics, some who are not Catholics, some who are atheists, but they are all ‘Guadalupanos,’ [devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe – translator’s note]. That is to say, they all feel that they are her children. Sons and daughters of the one who brought the Savior who destroyed the devil.
