Feb. 11th - Our Lady of Lourdes

 

                                                     Live Video from Lourdes

 Today, we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. On February 11^th, 1858, when Bernadette was 14 yrs. old, she, her sister and a friend went looking for wood-- in a meadow, near “the River Gave". While in front of the Grotto of Massibiele she heard "a noise like a gust of wind", but "none of the trees were moving". Bernadette describes what she saw: “I saw a Lady in white. I was a little frightened, and thinking I was seeing things (an illusion), I rubbed my eyes, but in vain…. The Lady took up the Rosary, She held in her hands and She made the Sign of the Cross. I tried again to make it and this time I could. My great fear went “away” as soon as I made the Sign of the Cross. I knelt down, and said the Rosary before this beautiful Lady.” This was the first apparition of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes.

The Grotto was called the "pigs' shelter" because pigs fed in the area—and took shelter there. It was here the Virgin Mary, dressed in white, appeared as a sign of total purity.

During the third apparition Feb. 18^th, the Virgin Mary spoke the first time. Bernadette held out a sheet of paper and a pencil so she might write her name, but the Lady replied: "what I have to say to you does not have to be written down". This was an extraordinary statement which meant the Virgin Mary wanted a personal relationship with Her. Mary then said, "Would you do me the kindness of coming here for 15 days?" Bernadette was overwhelmed because it was the first time anyone addressed her in a formal way.

Our Lady then said, "I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the other.” Mary was stating we cannot find true happiness in a world of violence, lies, impurity, greed, and war. But, someday we hope to enter the heavenly world of love, peace and joy.

During the first seven apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Bernadette had a radiant face with joy and happiness. However, between the eighth and twelfth apparitions her face became sad and sorrowful. She moved on her knees to the back of the Grotto, kissed the disgusting ground used by pigs, ate the grass, and took mud in her hands and smeared her face.

At the ninth Apparition, "the Lady" asked Bernadette again to scrape the ground in the "pigs’ shelter", saying, "Go to the spring, drink of it and wash yourself there". At first the water was muddy but then it became clear. The spring of water would prove to be miraculous.

Bernadette then told those around her that Our Lady said, "Penance, penance, penance, pray for sinners". By penance we understand to offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. We pray for sinners that they may turn away from sin and turn toward God.

During the 13^th apparition, Our Lady said to Bernadette: "Go, tell the priests to come here in procession and build a chapel here." Processions would begin because of the miracles and many people, who would come to be healed in the water. A chapel would be built in response to Our Lady’s request and to give people confession and the Holy Eucharist.

On March 25^th, the day of the sixteenth apparition, Bernadette went again to the Grotto. The parish priest asked her to ask the Lady her name. When she had done so, Our Lady said, ("I am the Immaculate Conception"). Bernadette did not understand, but repeated the words to the astonished priest. The words were a reminder of the proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed four years earlier in 1854.

Since the beginning of the apparitions until today, there have been over 7,000 miraculous recoveries attributed to Our Lady of Lourdes. However, the Church has only officially approved 70 medical miracles since 2018. The miracles have been dramatic ranging from paralytics who have walked, pilgrims cured of blindness, cancer tumors disappeared and multiple sclerosis healed.

More importantly, with the millions of pilgrims, who go there every year, there has been untold spiritual healings, which have occurred –causing deep and lasting conversions.

The apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes are reminder for us to be pure in imitation of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. To pray the rosary everyday. To pray for the conversion of sinners and to do penance for them. To live a life of humility as St. Bernadette who ate grass, washed her face in mud, and drank dirty water. They remind us that we can only find our true happiness in heaven—not in this world.

And they also remind us that Our Lady wants a personal relationship with Her. If we don’t have a relationship with Mary,---- during Lent, we should try to speak to Mary everyday as we would speak to Our Mother. She is really with us, loves us and wants to help us to get to heaven. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us, who have recourse to thee!