Our Lady of Guadalupe is not just a Mexican saint

By the devotion extended her, one might believe that Our Lady of Guadalupe -- whose feast day we celebrate today -- is only a Mexican saint.

While she did appear in Mexico on Dec. 12, 1531, to an Indian named Juan Diego, she voiced her concern for all people and to bring peace to a land savaged by violence from all sides.

The Aztecs annually butched hundreds of thousands in their games. The Spanish conquered the land and killed their share. So Our Lady appeared to bridge the violent divide between those people of European heritage and those of Indian heritage.

Does this need sound familiar here in the United States, as Americans rightly fear a different people who speak a different language. And immigrants fear reprisal for the color of their skin and their language skills.

So Our Lady is here to help us to bridge this gap, because both sides are devoted to God. And isn't that what life is all about? Amen. Es Verdad.