Is There Anything Else You Need? A Conversation Between Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe is my favorite Marian apparition. I have always been drawn to her and the story of her appearances to St. Juan Diego.  I love so many things about her:the fact that she is pregnant, as indicated by the Aztec maternity belt that she is wearingthe extravagance and beauty of the sign she gave to Bishop Zumarraga : Castilian roses, miraculously picked in full bloom on the hills of Tepayac, Mexico in the middle of Decemberthe rich intricacy of her image mysteriously placed on Juan Diego’s tilma, which should have long since disintegrated, but remains intact as a sign of contradiction to the wise and learned of the world and an image of hope and joy to the childlikethe staggering number of Aztec conversions to Catholicism which occurred in Mexico in the years following her apparition and the continuing steadfastness faith of the Mexican people Most of all I love the words which she spoke to Juan Diego: words of comfort, solace and hope – words which she speaks to us and to all her children today:As the Church once again celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I find myself pondering her pointed question to Juan Diego: “Is there anything else you need? Over and over that phrase turns in my mind — is there anything else I need?  Juan Diego could answer that question and place his complete trust in the Mother of God who was standing directly in front of him. I have not been given such a privilege. I am, however, asked to have the same trust and faith that he did. I find myself asking her to beg her Son, our Lord Jesus to give me the grace of complete trust in her words. I long to be able to live freely as a child of God, knowing that my