The Flower World Prophecy
“In the land of heaven, birds sing flowers,
Their music unfolds petals of light,
My song gathers the divine bouquet.”
-excerpt of Nahua paradise flower song
How I Learned About this Beautiful Book
Coming upon the glorious work that is “Guadalupe and the Flower World Prophecy” by married couple Joseph Julián González and Monique González and published by Sofia Institute press is a treat whether you are religious or secular, a scholar or a non-academic. My niece, a religious sister, read it in preparation for her pilgrimage to Mexico City and recommended it to me. Her visit motivated me to (finally!) write about our pilgrimage there (which would be helpful to any readers unfamiliar with what happened when Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531).
A New Interpretation
This book is at once a gorgeous tribute to the sensory-filled Heaven narratives of the Pan-Mesoamerican people and a detailed comparison study between their paradise song-poem (xochicuicatl) visions and heavenly salvation through Jesus Christ. As revealed by the subtitle, “How God Prepared the Americas for Conversion Before the Lady Appeared,” the authors put forth the theory that it was not “just” the rose-filled cloak infused with the image of Our Lady and the symbols of the native Nahua people that struck so many hearts, but it was in fact these indigenous stories that came before that made the stunning conversion of nearly 10 million indigenous people to Christianity possible. The authors reframe the “Guadalupe event” and show how St. Juan Diego was a bridge between Aztec cosmology and Christian theology.
They describe the four foundational pillars (Beauty, Truth and Goodness, Life After Death, One Supreme God and Worthiness to Enter Heaven) that created links between the two cultures, give an overview of the various Mesoamerican cultures, go in-depth on the Nahua people’s history, culture and philosophy, share the story of the sincere Spanish missionaries, and explain and analyze the wondrous Nahua flower songs of the promised land with understanding and passion.
Fascinatingly, the pre-Christian paradise involves vivid imagery of a holy mountain that is the entrance to the afterworld. In detailed lengthy song-poems which were memorized by the Nahua (!), a fantastic garden is described that only the worthy can enter. This dovetails perfectly with what happened to St. Juan Diego at Tepeyac Hill, and the authors use the “hero’s journey” storytelling concept to relate this reinterpretation of history. We are taken through the saint’s quest on a most beautiful and apocalyptic journey of our own into the lush transcendent flower world beyond.
Well Researched and Filled with the Spirit
The topic was clearly meticulously researched with numerous footnotes and an extensive bibliography. The polyglot Catholic authors give great attention to accurate translations and show a deep understanding of how important nuances are in language. Their adept analysis and interpretation of the poetic paradise hymns as they compare to the Christian understanding of Heaven is impressive.
The duo’s enthusiasm and tender love for the stories and “true myths” that fed the hope and faith of the Mesoamerican people in ancient times and for the Christian ones that nourish them today is obvious on each page. The Holy Spirit seems manifest throughout this work, mirroring that of the “Guadalupe event” itself.
Personally Speaking
For me, it was refreshing and inspiring to realize that it was the natives’ mystical vision of an impossible-to-reach Heaven coupled with St. Juan Diego’s “hero’s journey” that created a conversion path for millions. More than elevating and deepening the miracle of the roses and image of Our Lady on the tilma, it revealed anew the exquisitely personal way that God makes Heaven possible for each of us. By acknowledging Him in humility, we will be made the worthy ones.
Recommended
If you are looking for an absorbing unique read that will take you into the depths of Mexican Mesoamerican beliefs and culture, into the hearts of Spanish missionaries who tried and failed to convert them, as well as into a new and fuller understanding of St. Juan Diego, the love of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the mercy of God for His people, this book is for you. The inclusion of the song-poems in their entirety and the charming accompanying drawings only add to the allure of the story telling. May this book bless and enliven the hearts of all who read it.