Chosen By a Saint?

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ThePuzzledCatholic

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Hi everyone, I’m back with a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for a while. I remember when I first came into the Church a few years ago and I was trying to choose a saint for my confirmation. I ended up choosing St. Christina the Astonishing because I could totally relate to the struggles with being an outcast, a very sensitive sense of smell, and mental illness. A few months later, however, I felt as if I had been chosen by another saint - and not just a saint, the Blessed Virgin herself. Specifically, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
I’m not trying to sound impressive or anything here: I didn’t receive any kind of vision or heard God or Our Lady speaking to me. I just felt an almost unstoppable pull towards her and, honestly, I still kind of think it makes absolutely no sense. OLG is a national Mexican symbol, plus a symbol of Hispanic and Latino heritage. I’m the exact opposite of Hispanic/Latino: an exceptionally pale, German-Scottish-Irish-Canadian young woman who may have lived in southern California for most of her life, but doesn’t know a lick of Spanish and can’t roll her Rs (but I’m determined to learn it one day!). The most “Mexican” I have in me is a quesadilla I ate for lunch.
This may seem really, really petty, but it’s always puzzled me. Certain saints or Marian apparitions stand for certain things, and my life didn’t seem to match with OLG’s message to Juan Diego. The best I could come up with through my own feeble thinking is that OLG appeared to a member of an ostracized, conquered population that didn’t receive much recognition or care. I have autism, and despite what a lot of good-intending people try, I am very much part of a misunderstood and ostracized group of people. I often feel invisible and lonely, and I wish someone was on my side. I’m wondering if Our Lady of Guadalupe took me into her care because Juan Diego and his people felt similarly to how I feel in the 21st century.
Does anyone have any ideas or stories of being “chosen” or inexplicably drawn to a particular saint/apparition?
 
That’s a good point. I just feel like an oddball when I see ceremonies or celebrations for OLG and it’s mostly Hispanic or Latino individuals. I’m like, “Why me?” I feel like I have no history with her yet she chose me anyway.
 
That’s true, and she’s also the patroness for the unborn, which I thought was pretty cool.
 
I have autism too I heard somewhere that st Thomas aquanis had it he was quite a akward guy too they used to call him the dumb ox because he was quiet in class never talked much but Thomas proved them wrong he is now known as the angelic doctor and is probably one of the greatest theologians that ever existed
 
The native peoples of South and Central America were not an ostracized, conquered people. (Someone has been rewriting history.) They were blessed to have come to know Christ and His Church, that is why Our Lady appeared to St. Diego. She is not only the ‘Mexican Virgin Mary’. She belongs to us all. Blessed are the people to whom she has appeared.

I come from island people, Atlantic and Carib, many female family members baptized Maria.
 
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ThePuzzledCatholic said:
Specifically, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
I’m not trying to sound impressive or anything here: I didn’t receive any kind of vision or heard God or Our Lady speaking to me. I just felt an almost unstoppable pull towards her and, honestly, I still kind of think it makes absolutely no sense. OLG is a national Mexican symbol, plus a symbol of Hispanic and Latino heritage. I’m the exact opposite of Hispanic/Latino: an exceptionally pale, German-Scottish-Irish-Canadian young woman who may have lived in southern California for most of her life, but doesn’t know a lick of Spanish and can’t roll her Rs (but I’m determined to learn it one day!). The most “Mexican” I have in me is a quesadilla I ate for lunch.
Click to expand...
Yum, quesadilla…

Actually it makes perfect sense. What you have experienced is totally NORMAL and VERY COMMON.

Mary is Mary. She is the Mother of us all. Everyone who is developing in sanctity will encounter Her somehow at some point. Of course it’s usually a great surprise because we never think it will happen to us… but it will, because She loves us.

It’s not always an apparition or something grand… it can be a little encounter. A Miraculous Medal or Rosary that shows up. A book about Her that’s just sitting there at the store that calls to you. A picture. A statue. There are a LOT more Marian miracles, apparitions and locutions than those that have been formally approved by the Church, because the vast majority of these are meant for just one person… so they stay between the person who receives them and their priest.

Now why that particular advocation of Hers? Whenever there’s a great need, She gets a new name and with that She often gets a different appearance, usually to match the people She is helping. And there’s always a reason for that. In the case of Our Lady of Guadalupe, She chose to appear as a Native American to send a message to the Spaniards, that all people are equal in dignity regardless of race. Now is there a message for you in Her story? Maybe! You’ll just have to follow Her and find out. Her decisions are often mysterious but always the right ones. You’ll see.

Why don’t you make an appointment with a priest you trust and tell him what happened?

Edit: I thought about your encounter with Mary a little more and something came to me. There were two sides to the Guadalupe apparition. Like I said, there was the fact that Mary wanted to send a message to the Spaniards. But She also sent one to the Indians. The famous image on the tilma is actually a coded message in the form of the Nahuatl art and symbology that they knew. It was basically the Gospel in a form they could understand. As a result millions of Native Americans renounced paganism. To this day people are still decoding Her image. Now I’m sure there is something She’s trying to tell you. I know it’s going to be an adventure in which you will see how much God loves you. Definitely talk to your priest. And have fun!
 
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Mary just loves you, so she reached out to you. In her appearance at Guadalupe she reminded Juan Diego that she was his mother. Maybe she wants to remind you of that too.

Yes, I have some saints that I think chose me at certain times. Mary has not hesitated to send a little message too. As others said, it’s normal. Just go with it and don’t spend a lot of time analyzing it.
 
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