December Taizé: Mary Speaks to Juan Diego

The story of the origin of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is well known. Juan Diego was a quiet, humble man, a poor peasant. When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked him to tell the local bishop to build a church in her honor, Juan Diego became a very reluctant messenger.

The bishop would not believe him. So, Mary filled Juan Diego’s tilma, or cloak, with roses in December, and when he emptied out these beautiful flowers at the bishop’s feet, there, imprinted on his tilma, was a wonderful image of the Virgin, dressed like a young Aztec woman.

Our Lady spoke to Juan Diego in his own language, with an appearance that reflected the indigenous people and their culture.

God could have chosen to become a full-grown, powerful man, but instead came as a little baby to an ordinary girl who said yes to God.

Like Mary, we also change the world a little bit every time we say yes to God and love others like Jesus taught us.

Download a program for the service here: Taize Service Worship Aid for December 1, 2022.

What is Taizé?

Taizé prayer is practiced throughout the world. It is a meditative candle-lit form of community prayer that includes simple chants sung repeatedly, silence and prayers of praise and intercession. In prayer, we enter the silence, stilling the mind, opening the heart, surrendering to the action of the Spirit ever molding us into the image of Christ. The candles used in the service symbolize the presence of the risen Christ, who conquered darkness and sin and offers new life to all humankind.

Taizé Prayer comes from an ecumenical, monastic community in France and has spread to numerous spots around the world.

From the depths of the human condition, a secret aspiration rises up. Today many are thirsting for the essential reality: an inner life, signs of the Invisible. Nothing is more conducive to communion with the living God than meditative common prayer. When the mystery of God becomes tangible through the simple beauty of symbols, when it is not smothered by too many words, then a common prayer awakens us to heaven’s joy on earth.

All the videos of our Taize prayer services are available here.

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