Against the Odds

Seeing how God prefers to pick the poor

12/12/2020

Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.”

Do you like to cheer for the underdog or for the overdog? Americans tend to cheer for the underdog ever since our humble beginnings in the Revolutionary War. The Colonials were clearly the underdogs in their war of independence from Imperial England. But today America can hardly claim the role of underdog; most of the world would look at us as the Imperial Power that dominates the world scene. Still, I believe there is an undying American instinct to cheer for the underdog. Most of the country cheers for whoever plays against Alabama in football, and against the New York Yankees in baseball. Americans love to see an upset. We bet against the odds.

Throughout the bible, God too tends to underwrite the underdog, to champion the poor. This is nowhere clearer than his choice of the Chosen People. The whole history of Israel from Abraham to the Maccabees could be a Netflix series called “Underdog versus Overdog.” That 1800 year history was briefly interrupted for 70 years during the reigns of David and Solomon, when Israel enjoyed being the overdogs for a change. God’s predilection for the poor can be summarized in the adage: “How odd of God to choose the Jews.” God cheers for the underdog as much as we Americans do. God loves to see an upset. He bets against the odds.

Today’s feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe again highlights how odd of God to underwrite the underdog. In Luke 1, the Archangel Gabriel is sent to a lowly maid named Mary, who declares to her that she will be the “Mother of the Most High.” Mary is uncomprehending, but humbly answers: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Now, fast-forward fifteen hundred years to 1531, to the Aztec Empire in central America. This time it is Mary who appears gloriously to another lowly person, a peasant named Juan Diego. She tells him to request the archbishop to build a church on a little hill called Tepeyac. But the bishop is not interested in little people.

Juan Diego returns to Mary and replies: “I beg you to entrust your message to someone more illustrious…for I am only an insignificant man.” In other words, you should pick an overdog for this job, not some underdog like me. Mary could have replied: “Haven’t you studied the history of the Old Testament from Abraham to Maccabees, and don’t you remember what I said to the angel in Luke 1?” But instead, she assured him that God has a penchant for the poor. He loves to see an upset. He always bets against the odds. Juan Diego is perfect for the job.

Today, don’t be surprised if you see lots of signs and symbols of the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Most churches prominently display large images of Guadalupe. Our parish of Immaculate Conception will conduct a four-mile pilgrimage through Fort Smith, featuring songs, praises, and Aztec dancers. Of course, I volunteered Fr. Daniel to go on the pilgrimage. Masses throughout the Americas – North, Central and South – will be packed with people, and I pray they all stay safe.

But today’s feast is not just for Hispanic Catholics, but for all Catholics, especially American Catholics. Why? Well, because today we cheer for the underdog versus the overdog. How odd of God to choose the Jews in the Old Testament. How God bets against the odds again and again in choosing a peasant girl from Nazareth and a peasant man from Tepeyac. And it should not shock us if God also chooses you and me to do his work. It’s no use giving him the line about us being the underdog.

Pope St. John Paul II declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the Patroness of the Americas. Why? Because she beautifully symbolizes the great contest of the underdog versus the overdog: the Woman clothed with the sun versus the huge Red Dragon described in Revelation 12. The scene looks pretty one-sided and rather hopeless. But we Americans, just like God, love to cheer for the underdog, and bet against the odds.

Praised be Jesus Christ!