The story goes that in the winter of 1531, Juan Diego, a humble Mexican peasant, was on his way to morning Mass in Mexico City when the Virgin Mary appeared to him on a hill along his path; she asked him to speak to the bishop for her about building a church in that spot.
The bishop didn't believe Juan Diego at first. So Mary provided a miracle as proof: she directed Juan Diego to the top of the hill where he found flowers miraculously blooming in the frost. He gathered some in his cloak and took them to the bishop. When they fell from his cloak, an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe remained where the flowers had been.
The church was built, the story spread, and within a short time, six million native Mexicans had themselves baptized as Christians...
If you're wondering why Mary didn't just ask the bishop herself, click here and here for more info and to read the whole story.
Our church has held a Mass for Our Lady of Guadalupe for several years now, but this was the first year Tom and I have been able to go. We jumped at the chance...and not just because of the legendary homemade tamale dinner that always comes afterward.
But, I confess, that made it a lot easier to decide what to do with our free Friday night.
The Castillo family makes these tamales and the rest of the meal from scratch every year for the traditional parish dinner. That's a reason to say hallelujah for sure!
Traditional Mexican sweets... almost too pretty to eat!
Almost.
A plate full of YUM! Homemade tamales, rice, beans, and picadillo. (I passed on the menudo. Actually, it wasn't even offered to me. I think they just knew I wasn't tough enough.)
