1/1/25

The Sanga Shantivanam Peace Vigil last night was beautiful– the hall is softly lit with candle light and white icicle lights, and they bring the cloth labyrinth for people to walk. I love to do this, and it gives me joy each time I get to experience it.

Each of the speakers was wonderful, and the time for contemplative quiet between speakers was companionable and peaceful.

The topic was Return to the Mother, for this year’s focus. It made me think of the book I just got, about “Guadalupe and the Flower World Prophecy.”

It is fascinating that there are records in Nahuatl, from centuries before, about a person very like Juan Diego, picking beautiful flowers on the mountain, for the Mother of God. The people who wrote the book, and Mexican history scholars currently are considering this as a prophesy, similar to what Isaiah says about the Messiah, which prepared the way for Jesus’ coming. Something like 10 million people came to the Missionary Spanish priests, begging for baptism! Begging urgently for baptism and conversion! The appearance of Guadalupe herself on the “tilma” or cloak, of Juan Diego is still considered miraculous– there is no explanation for its presence, its continuity in time, as the cloth would normally have disintegrated since 1531; its graphic depth— they have done studies of the eyes in the image of Guadalupe, and the image of Juan Diego is reflected in her eyes! To recognize her as the Mother of God, and the protectress of all the children of God, especially the abused and oppressed, made the Spanish missionaries really understand the Gospel more deeply. The Buddhists call the mother of Buddha or “all” of us, Prajna paramita. Perfect wisdom. The mammalian brain, which is 50,000 years old, is superimposed in our brains on the reptilian brain which is 100,000 years old. The older reptilian brain covers the body’s actions which are unconscious, and regulates our metabolism. The cortex (mammalian brain) is about thinking, dreaming, imagining, putting things together in meaningful ways. But above all, there is compassion. Mercy and understanding, and connection and communion are possible because of this compassion. To my mind, this is the great achievement of the mammalian mind. For the Mother of God to appear in each part of the world, in culturally appropriate ways, simply and purely to show compassion, and to assure people of her love and protection, is to prefigure humanity’s potential for love, tenderness, forgiveness, unity and hope. I came away with an even more profound love for Our lady of Guadalupe, and for the wonderful attempts of this interfaith group sharing, respectfully and joyfully praying for peace together, from every faith tradition and culture!