Our Mama Wey Get Mercy

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

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Then the angel tell am, “No fear, Mary, because you don find favour for God eye. See, you go carry pikin for your womb and born one son, and you go name am Jesus.” Luke 1:30–31

Today we dey celebrate di five times wey Mama wa wey God don bless appear to Juan Diego, one Indian wey don join di faith. Early morning of December 9, 1531, Juan dey travel go di town of Tlatelolco, where e plan to attend catechism class and Holy Mass. But as e dey pass near Tepeyac Hill for road, God grant am di gift to see one bright light and hear music from heaven. As e look up with wonder and deep respect, e hear one sweet voice wey dey call am. As e move towards di voice, e see di glorious Mama of God wey stand there, looking young and shining with heavenly glory. She tell am, “Na me be your Mama wey get mercy…” She still reveal to am say she want make dem build one church for that place, and say make Juan go tell di Bishop of Mexico City.

Juan do wetin Our Lady ask am, but di bishop no too ready to believe. But di Mama of God appear to Juan again and ask am to go back to di bishop with her request. This time, di bishop ask for one sign, and Juan carry di message go meet di Mama of God. She talk say e go get one sign, but Juan no fit receive di sign because e need to care for im uncle wey sick.

But after two days, on December 12, 1531, Juan dey travel again go di church for Tlatelolco to ask di priest to come attend to im uncle wey dey die. But this time, Juan follow another road so that di person from heaven wey dey visit am no go delay am. But this time, Mama wa wey God don bless come meet am and talk say, “E dey well, my son wey small pass and wey I love well well, but now listen to me. No let anything trouble you, and no fear sickness or pain. No be me, your Mama, dey here? You no dey under my shadow and protection? You no dey inside my arms wey I fold round you? Any other thing dey wey you need? No fear, because your uncle no go die. Make your mind rest…e don well already.”

As soon as Juan hear this from di person from heaven wey visit am, joy fill im heart, and e ask for one sign wey e go give di bishop. Di Mama of God direct am go di top of di hill, where e go find plenty flowers wey don open, even though no be their season at all. Juan do as she talk, and when e find di flowers, e cut dem and fill im outer cloth, wey dem dey call tilma, with dem, so that e fit carry dem go meet di bishop as di sign wey di bishop ask for.

Juan then go back to Bishop Fray Juan de Zumarraga, di Bishop of Mexico City, to give am di flowers. Everybody surprise as e open im tilma to pour out di flowers: di image of di very woman wey appear to am show for im tilma. No be paint dem use make di image; instead, every thread for this simple, rough cloth don change colour to form di beautiful image. That same day, Mama wa wey God don bless also appear to Juan uncle and heal am through miracle.

Even though these miraculous events don become part of Mexican culture, the meaning of the message pass culture by far. “Na me be your mama wey get mercy,” she talk! The deepest desire of our Blessed Mama na make all of us come know her as our mama. She want follow us waka through the joy and sorrow of life, just as any mama wey get love go do. She want teach us, lead us and show us the merciful love of her Son wey be God.

Today, reflect on di miraculous things wey di Mama of God do. But reflect especially on di love wey she get for us as our mama. Her love na pure mercy, one gift of care and compassion wey come from di depth of her heart. Di only thing wey she want na make we dey holy. Talk to her today and invite her to come meet you as your mama wey get mercy.

My mama wey get mercy pass all, I love you, and I invite you make you pour your love on me. Today, as I dey in need, I turn to you, and I trust say you go bring me the plenty grace of your Son, Jesus. Mama Mary, O Virgin of Guadalupe, pray for us wey dey turn to you when we dey in need. Saint Juan Diego, pray for us. Jesus, na You I trust.

New one for 2024!
One better Christmas gift…