September 16th - Our Lady of Las Lajas
See Pictures at:
http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j145sdLasLajas_8-16.htm
In Spanish las lajas means "the rocks." This image was imprinted on the
rocks of a gorge above the Guaitara River in Colombia near the border of
Ecuador. It has the singular characteristic of having been painted by
Angels. The image is situated inside a cave very high in the mountains,
and
was completely unknown until it was discovered in the mid-18th century by
an
Indian (see the history below).
It is not painted, but mysteriously imprinted in the rock. The colors are
not applied in a surface layer of paint or other material, but penetrate
deep into the rock. No one knows how the work was done. Certainly it has
no
natural geological cause. I have never heard of any case where nature
reproduced human faces with such perfection.
The image represents a noble Lady from an uncertain period, most probably
16th- or 17th- century Spain. How such a picture came to be in that cave
unnoticed by anyone remains a mystery. These cir***stances seem to
indicate
that it is an akeropita image - akeropita in Greek means not made by human
hands, id est, painted by the Angels.
How can the beauty of this image be described? I will comment on two
aspects: the colors and the persons.
The ensemble of colors in the picture gives an undeniable idea of majesty.
The colors behind Our Lady's head create a splendorous background. The
burgundy of her dress is a warm, rich red embroidered with a golden flower
pattern, giving the impression of the garment of a Queen. Her long hair
flows freely in such a way that it appears to be a royal mantle. In my
opinion, there is extraordinary good taste in the way the hair is
arranged,
which reinforces the notion of majesty.
The two crowns are very beautiful, rich and royal, but I think they are a
little too large for the pro****tion of the heads. They were added by the
faithful later in thanksgiving for graces received.
Now, we can look at Our Lady's face and observe how she watches us from on
high with a serious probing gaze. She is not smiling. She has the royal
physiognomy of a person who imposes respect with confident strength.
In contrast, the Divine Infant is very amiable and is turned toward the
supplicant. Thus, instead of having the classic picture of a serious Child
and a smiling Mother, here we have the opposite. One could say that He is
distributing the gifts while she appears as a Queen.
In reality, there is something profound in this contrast. It is the idea
that He is merciful because He is seated in Our Lady's arm. He
communicates
to the person who prays a little of His happiness to be with her.
Is there some thing strange about the Child? It seems to me that He is
very
small in size. His face and attitude are those of an older boy,
notwithstanding the small size. Is this a mistake or is meant to express
something? It appears that it expresses His wisdom at each stage of His
life. He did not have the weaknesses or lack of reason of a normal child.
His wisdom was perfect at every age of His life. So, what the image
expresses is that even when He was very small, He was already conscious of
everything He did, as an older boy would be.
After having considered the Child, if we return our eyes to Our Lady we
can
see how the image expresses motherhood. She is not looking at Him
directly,
but she has an enormous intimacy with Him. She extends this maternity to
the
sinner who kneels before her. She is also his Mother.
This image is a masterpiece reflecting both the majesty and the maternity
of
Our Lady.
History
A bit of history taken from the Colombian website ipitimes.com
Historians and scientists are at a loss to explain this fabulous image on
the wall of a South American cave. It may forever remain an enigma.
Back in the 18th century, Maria Mueses de Quinones, an Indian woman from
the
village of Potosi, Colombia, often walked the six miles between her
village
and the neighboring one of Ipiales. One day in 1754 as she was making the
journey, she approached the place called Las Lajas (the Rocks), where the
trail p***** through a deep gorge of the Guaitara River. Maria never liked
this part of the trail. There were rumors that a cave in Las Lajas was
haunted. Such superstitions lingered amongst the converted Christian
Indians.
She was carrying her daughter Rosa, a deaf-mute, on her back in the Indian
fa****on. By the time she had climbed to Las Lajas, she was weary and sat
on
a rock to rest. The child got down from her back to play.
After a while, Rosa emerged from the cave shouting: "Mama, there is a
woman
in here with a boy in her arms!" Maria was beside herself with the fright
since this was the first time she had heard her daughter speak. She did
not
see the figures the girl was talking about, nor did she want to. She
grabbed
the child and hastened on to Ipiales.
When she recounted what had happened, no one took her seriously at first.
However, as the news spread, some asked if perhaps it were true. After
all,
the child was now able to speak.
A few days later, the child Rosa disappeared from her home. After looking
everywhere, the anguished Maria guessed that her daughter must have gone
to
the cave. The child had often said that the Lady was calling her. Maria
ran
to Las Lajas and found her daughter in front of a noble Lady and playing
affectionately with a Child who had come down from His mother's arms to
let
the girl enjoy His divine tenderness. Maria fell to her knees before this
beautiful spectacle; she had seen the Blessed Virgin and the Divine
Infant.
Fearful of ridicule, Maria kept quiet about the episode. But she and Rosa
frequently went to the cave to place wild flowers and candles in the
cracks
of the rocks.
Months went by, with Maria and Rosa keeping their secret. Finally, one day
the girl fell gravely ill and died. A distraught Maria decided to take her
daughter's body to Las Lajas to ask the Lady to restore Rosa to life.
Moved by the sadness of Maria's unrelenting supplications, the Blessed
Virgin obtained Rosa's resurrection from her Divine Son. Overflowing with
joy, Maria returned home. It was not long before a crowd had gathered to
hear what had happened. Early the next morning everyone went to Las Lajas,
each one wanting to check the details for themselves.
That was when the marvelous picture of Our Lady on the wall of the grotto
was discovered. Maria Muese de Quinones could not recall noticing it until
then. The Child Jesus is in Our Lady's arms. On one side of Our Lady is
St.
Francis; on the other is St. Dominic. Her delicate and regal features are
those of a Latin American, perhaps an Indian. Her abundant black hair
covers
her like a mantle (The two-dimensional crown is metal and was added by
devotees much later on). The Indians had no doubt: this was their Queen.
Saint Quote:
Occupy your minds with good thoughts, or the enemy will fill them with bad
ones. Unoccupied, they cannot be.
--St Thomas More
Bible Quote:
Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth
in
me, although he be dead, shall live: And every one that liveth, and
believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? (John
11:25-26)
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SAFELY HOME
I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.
Did you wonder I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh! but Jesus' love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.
And He came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus' arm to lean on,
Could I have one doubt or dread?
Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still:
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust our Father's Will.
There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth-
You shall rest in Jesus' land.
When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!
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