I think Our Lady, specifically, Our Lady of Guadalupe has been guiding and protecting me this year. It's my first year of teaching, and I don't doubt Our Lady of Guadalupe's love and help.
Back in August, for my training days, the new teachers and I from my school took a photo in front of an Our Lady of Guadalupe image. I thought it was a powerful and beautiful meaning looking back now.
I can remember back to her glorious feast day on December 12th. We had a school Mass and I was anxiously praying for what was to come, the transition of my position and filling in for another teacher, or so I thought. I was also praying to our Lady, while looking at her beautiful statue display with St. Juan Diego and the colorful roses.
During lunch, I had an intuition that if I were to go into the lunchroom, I would encounter the teacher I would be covering for come January and hear more about my assignment. Lo and behold, she came up to me when I entered the room. She told me that her surgery was postponed and wouldn't be until March, and she was sorry about that.
So basically, it changed everything, the whole plan of me staying there. I had to process the news and let it sift through my mind, my heart and be open to the next step. In the later afternoon, I taught my students about Our Lady of Guadalupe. I showed them the prayer card of her in my wallet from Mexico City, a bracelet and also rosary bracelet I was wearing. Sharing about her story, Juan Diego, the miracle of the roses and the tilma and all the various meanings on her image was intriguing for them.
Just two weeks ago or so, I taught my students at my new school about Our Lady of Fatima. I also shared about Our Lady of Guadalupe, as I had a picture of her on one of my boards in my class. I shared with them the jewelry I was wearing- I happened to be wearing 3 bracelets with her image on them that day! They were excited and in awe of the connections, just as I was. My favorite bracelet- the beautiful rosary bracelet from my sister, her handmade dark green bracelet with Our Lady of Guadalupe on it as well, and the blue bracelet with her image from El Salvador.
On Friday, I felt weary, exhausted and depleted. So much to process and mentally rejuvenate from. I went to the chapel to pray for a while, and as I was leaving, I remembered that the Our Lady of Guadalupe image was behind me.
I see her heling hand and prayers with me throughout this teaching year, and all the hurdles, transitions, joys and hard parts. She is always with us. She loves us and helps us be closer to Jesus.
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