As we all learned in grade school in the USA the Spaniards arrived in the new world in 1492. They attempted to establish settlements and colonies throughout the Caribbean Islands, Santo Domingo, and Venezuela. Their efforts included attempts at evangelization. All those attempts at the imposition of foreign rule, Catholic religion and the establishment of a self-sustaining colony meet with repeated failures.
Then the Spanish conquistadores arrived in what we now call Mexico in February 1519 to establish a colony. Friars from the Franciscan order were charged with the evangelization of the native population. The original 12 Apostles, that is the initial evangelizers, from the Franciscan Order arrived in Mexico in May of 1524. Later Augustinian and Dominican friars joined the evangelization efforts.
The Aztec empire was organized into a well-structured society with urban and agricultural areas. The government and religious sectors were well formed. During this initial period the Aztec authorities recognized the authority of the Spanish king over them and Spain began to import precious metals and agricultural goods. However, the Aztec political and religious leaders and the common folk resisted the imposition of any foreign religious system. The Aztec political leaders even threatened the Spanish by inferring that the imposition of the Catholic religion would provoke an uncontrollable revolt by the common folk. Despite the efforts of the friars, very little progress was made during those initial years of evangelization efforts. Their human efforts met insurmountable barriers like multiple languages, cultural differences, political resistance, and their association with foreign military conquistadors. The Aztecs were conquered politically and militarily, but overall, the Aztec heart and soul resisted being dominated. They would not renounce their Aztec gods and idols.
Almost forty years after arriving in the New World and after 12 years in Mexico the Spaniards were only able to convert a small number of folks. The small local communities of faith were mostly those centered around the mission compounds. Then the evangelization process took a huge turn. In December of 1531 Juan Diego a common experienced a vision while on the road. In the vision of Mary was clothed in Aztec style, spoke to him in his native Aztec language, protected his family by curing his uncle, and proclaimed herself mother. She understood his worry and obligations to his family. Suddenly the Catholic faith was no longer associated with ugly, foreign, unintelligible Spanish military. Here we have Aztecan language, cultural values, family, and the love of a mother. Seven years later the Aztec heart and soul was Catholic. Practically the whole Aztec empire, around 7 million people, was converted over that seven-year period.
What the Spanish conquistadores could not accomplish in forty years by force, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was able to do in a few years by signs of God’s through maternal concern.
Today’s Gospel presents Mary as a woman who surrenders her will to the will of God and who constantly goes beyond herself to serve others. The Gospel today shows us Mary running to serve her older cousin who is pregnant. Mary, who was pregnant, had every right to sit down and rest, to worry about herself and her child, or to insist that others serve her. Yet we see that she gets up and runs to serve her cousin. This is our common vocation as Christians.
Am I not here, I who am your mother?
Image: https://digitalmissioners.com/2019/12/matthew-721-24-27/