head> Quinceañera Mass

HOMILÍAS/HOMILIES

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Spanish Version
Misa Quinceañera
 
            Today we have gathered together in community to celebrate one of the most beautiful events of the Mexican Culture – La Misa de Acción de Gracias Quinceañera.  It is a tradition that is gaining popularity among all of the Hispanic groups in the United States. 
 
The origins of this celebration continue to be a mystery.  Some say that it comes from the Aztec tradition.  Bernardino de Sahagún wrote in his History of New Spain that among the Aztecs it was tradition to commemorate the transition from young girl to woman.  In the Aztec ceremony an explanation of the seriousness of the event was included.  During the celebration an older person would explain to the quinceañera what were the acceptable attitudes that she had to live by from that moment on.  Other people say that this celebration has its roots in the Jewish family's tradition of presenting a young girl in the Temple.  There she showed, before God, that she was ready to live a mature life and to follow the mandates of her religion.
 
Today, this tradition is celebrated when a girl reaches fifteen years of age.  Traditionally it is celebrated with this Mass of Thanksgiving.  (Name) and her family, friends and acquaintances have come to this temple freely to give thanks to God for the immense gift that God has given, which is (name)’s life.  We are happy with her and for her.  Her parents are joyful because they have seen their daughter grow and mature.  Now she is ready to tell God that she wants to follow him, that she wants to follow his commandments during her life, that she wants to be a responsible Christian woman.  That is why she comes today to consecrate herself to God as well as to the Virgin Mary, who was also a girl and a woman and who knows about the joys and pains that all women have.  We celebrate (name)’s future because we are sure that, now that she is a woman, God will continue to bless her with the grace she needs to live an adult life “as God wills,” as we usually say.
 
(Name)’s parents celebrate this day.  Faithful to the promises that they made when they baptized her, they have been the first teachers of (name) in the Catholic Christian faith.  They have seen her grow in the faith and now they bring her here to give testimony of their own faith in God.  They pray to the Most High so that, through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin, (name) can continue to grow and mature in the faith, so that she can continue developing as a Christian woman, so that she will soon know what her vocation in life will be and so that she will follow the Lord’s call faithfully. 
 
(Name) in the name of the Christian community of this parish, I congratulate you on this very important day in your life.  We are prepared to help you so that you will continue to mature in the faith, so that you will continue to learn all that you need to know in order to become a mature Christian woman.  I ask you to continue to be faithful to all that your parents have taught you during your childhood, to continue to be faithful to all that you have learned form Our Mother, the Church, that you continue to give joyful and valiant testimony of the faith that you have inherited from your parents, your grandparents and all of you ancestors.  May God bless you always.