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The first thing that struck me about the story of Juan Diego was that he was poor. He was poor in possessions. He was poor in power. He was poor in influence. He was poor in education. Yet to this poor man came the richest woman in the the history of the world.

Oh it is true that Mary of Nazareth wasn't rich in the world's estimation. She didn't have many things. And on the eve of the birth of her child, she had no home. And in the following days she had no country of her own, for Herod's threat against the newborn children of Bethlehem forced Mary and Joseph and the child Jesus to flee to Egypt -- a land which was not home.

So some might think that Mary was not rich. Yet we know that Mary was indeed the richest woman in the world, for she carried God within her womb for nine months. She fed God with her own milk. She taught God to walk. She kissed away his scrapes and tears. She taught him what it meant to be joyful and sad, hopeful and obedient. And at the end of her life, after seeing her son so cruelly killed, after joyfully embracing him in the resurrection, she was raised up for all time and for all people as the Queen of Heaven and the mother of us all.

And that is why she is the richest woman in the world. She started out by having God has her son. And she finished by having YOU as her son....YOU as her daughter. As I stand here tonight and look out at each of your faces, I know that I am seeing the sons and daughters of Mary. And how blessed is she that you are her children.

Juan Diego, the poor man without power, was Mary's son too. And she had special plans for him. Luckily for us, he was a good son, and he listened to his mother. And despite the doubts of bishops -- and indeed despite his own doubts and fears -- he did what she asked and brought her message to the church, and eventually to our world.

I had a recent experience of poverty. It was the poverty of health. During the summer, as many of you know, I had a heart attack. There I was, lying in the ambulance, then in the emergency room, then on an operating table, then in a hospital bed. I knew I was supposed to be afraid. But I wasn't. Throughout it all, I had a sense of protection and peace. Remember the story of Juan Diego?: his uncle was gravely Ill and Our Lady of Guadalupe visited him and he was healed. I too felt the healing presence with me in my time of illness.

So what is it that we are celebrating tonight? That we, who experience poverty in its many forms, are being visited by the richest woman in the world.

What poverty do you face at this time in your life? Is it being separated from family? Our Lady knew this poverty and so comes to you as "mother", so you are not alone. Is your poverty physical -- struggling to live in a decent place with adequate space, heat, and dignity? Our Lady knew the poverty of the manger and so comes to you now, offering you the gift she received that holy night: Jesus! "Yes," Our Lady says, "I give you my son Jesus...who first entered the world in that cold, cramped, and undignified manger.

Do you too have poverty of health? Do your muscles ache? Do you have a cough? Is there trouble with your eyes or your ears or your stomach or your heart? Then your Mother comes to you tonight, with soothing words and her son's healing touch. "Come rest," she says. I will hold you and comfort you. "
Does your poverty come from injustice? From wages not paid? From promises not kept? From unfair hours or unfair working conditions?

Then Our Lady comes to you with the richness of God's promise that, though the dragon of injustice may sweep many stars from our skies, one day she will stand, "clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of stars" and she will rejoice in the justice that her son Jesus will bring to the earth. Feel her promise tonight. Feel her presence.

Does your poverty come from a broken heart? Not broken like my heart attack, but broken because of failed love? Do you have poverty of hope -- wondering if it will ever be safe to love another without being hurt? Do you cry in loneliness or shame? Then Our Lady, whose heart was pieced with sorrow at she witnessed the death of her Son, comes to you with the richness of understanding.
Indeed, her understanding and compassion has grown over the centuries as her countless children turn to her in their poverty. And she does not leave them.

In reality, the story of Juan Diego teaches what riches Our Lady offers in the face of our poverty. She gave direction to Juan Diego so that he found his purpose in life. His purpose wasn't poverty. His purpose went beyond the the conditions he lived in. He discovered his purpose through the visit of the richest woman and he faced his adversaries with great courage and faith.

Don't you know that Our Lady offers you the same thing tonight? Discover your blessed purpose. Find your courage. Ask the questions, "Why am I here?" and "What does God want me to do now?" And listen as Our Lady, our Mother, gives direction to your life.
Can you not hear her call to you? LIsten!