Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
SATURDAY, June 19th Mt. 6: 24-34 “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
- Saturday is a day set aside to honor Mary, Our Blessed Mother. Mary loved and served only one Master – our Triune God. She is the daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of God the Holy Spirit.
- Three of the most famous Marian apparitions are Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Fatima, and Our Lady of Lourdes.
- Today we will honor Our Lady of Lourdes and her chosen vessel, Bernadette Soubirous. Let us consider Our Lady’s message in this apparition and Bernadette’s participation, and derive fruit for our own spiritual growth.
OUR LADY OF LOURDES: “I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.” By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Our Lady of Lourdes appeared 18 times to the simple, humble, sickly little girl Bernadette Soubirous—now honored with the title Saint Bernadette of Lourdes.
In our short essay on Lourdes and Saint Bernadette, we would like to highlight the golden nuggets, the pearls of infinite value, the precious diamonds of wealth that flow from this approved Marian Apparition.
First and foremost, we should base our Catholic faith upon Biblical Truths, as well as Dogmatic truths, as well as catechetical expressions. However, for many Catholics—and myself included in this group—approved Marian apparitions can definitely foster, bolster and fortify our faith and love for Holy Mother Church, for the Blessed Trinity, as well as for our Heavenly Mother.
Indeed, many Popes, scholars and saints have traveled as pilgrims to Lourdes, thereby receiving many blessings— spiritual, moral, emotional, and quite often physical healings.
We invite all to read, study and strive to become familiar with the message, content and happenings in Lourdes, France 1858—in total 18 Apparitions of Our Lady to the simple Bernadette. Strongly to be encouraged for reading is Saint Bernadette, by Abbe Trochou, Tan Publishers. This writing is a spiritual masterpiece on Saint Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes. Furthermore, we invite all to view the movies: “The Song of Bernadette”, as well as “The Passion of Bernadette.”
All that we can do to foster knowledge, love, devotion, confidence and imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary should be enthusiastically encouraged and promoted. In the words of Saint Louis de Montfort: “Mary is the quickest, shortest and easiest pathway to Jesus.” Indeed, Mary is the shortcut to the Heart of Jesus.
Therefore, let us dive into the deep riches and treasures in the meaning, message and teachings taught and proclaimed by Our Lady of Lourdes and her messenger, Saint Bernadette.
GOLD MINE OF TREASURES FROM LOURDES AND BERNADETTE.
1. OUR LADY LOVES AND CARES FOR CHILDREN.
Two of the most celebrated approved Marian Apparitions are Fatima and Lourdes. In both of these Apparitions, Our Lady chose to appear not to scholars, nor intellectuals, nor the rich, powerful and prestigious. Rather, she chose to appear to simple children. Jesus Himself reiterated this basic theme: “Let the little children come to me….” (Mt. 19:14) “Unless you become like little children you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” (Mt. 18:3) Our Lady also wants us to bring the children to her tender and loving Immaculate Heart.
2. OUR LADY REVEALS HER NAME TO BERNADETTE AND TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
This beautiful Lady that Bernadette was privileged to see 18 times revealed her name to Bernadette: I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. To the children of Fatima—Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, Mary revealed herself as Our Lady of the Rosary. In Mexico to Juan Diego, “Am I not your Mother?” But to Bernadette and the whole world, Mary lifts her gaze and proclaims one of her great privileges—THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
3. OUR LADY AFFIRMS THE TEACHING OF THE MAGISTERIUM—THE TEACHING OFFICE OF THE CHURCH.
Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Saint Bernadette in 1858. Only four years earlier, in 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed dogmatically the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Therefore, true and authentic devotion to Mary will always align us with the authentic teaching of the Magisterium of the Church. For that reason, the Second Vatican Council proclaimed Mary as the Mother of the Church.
4. OUR LADY ASKS FOR A CHURCH TO BE BUILT.
As in the apparitions in Fatima and Mexico, Our Lady of Lourdes desired that a Church be built. Why? The reason is crystal clear: Mary desires our conversion, our sanctification, and the eternal salvation of our immortal souls. Of course, two of the most important supports for our salvation are frequent reception of the Sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist. Once a Church is built, Masses will be celebrated frequently. Furthermore, priests will be there to reconcile souls to God through the Sacrament of Confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
5. OUR LADY OF LOURDES AND THE MIRACULOUS SPRING OF WATER.
Our Lady told Bernadette to dig in the ground to discover water. In the sight of curious onlookers, Bernadette obeyed and began digging into the ground. Most thought she was crazy. But little by little water started seeping forth where the young girl dug. Consequently, a miraculous spring of water has flowed forth even to this day. Many of the sick who have washed and bathed themselves with this water have been miraculously healed. It is through the intercession of Mary that these miracles occurred. Jesus worked His first public miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana through the intercession Mary by turning water into wine. Still to this day, God works miracles through the powerful intercession of Mary, most holy.
6. OUR LADY LOVES THE CHILDREN AND THE SICK.
These miraculous cures are carried out among the terminally ill, the sick, the suffering, and the forlorn and abandoned of the world. Our Lady of Lourdes teaches us to pray for those who are sick and suffering, as well as do all we can to help them, support them, and love them. It is in the sick and suffering that we discover the Face of the Suffering Jesus.
7. SALVIFIC VALUE OF SUFFERING.
Not only is the concept of helping those who suffer part of the message of Our Lady of Lourdes, but also the reality that our human suffering united to the suffering Hearts of Jesus and Mary, has infinite value. If we can offer our sufferings to Jesus through the sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary by placing them on the altar in the Mass, then our suffering can serve to repair for a multitude of sins, or own and others, as well as touch and convert the hearts of many hardened sinners – souls saved for all eternity!
8. PRAYER AND SACRIFICE.
The message of Our Lady of Lourdes and the message of Our Lady of Fatima have a common thread: PRAYER AND PENANCE OR SACRIFICES! Our Lady points out that many souls can be saved from eternal loss if generous persons offer fervent prayers and generous sacrifices. Remember, even one soul is worth more than the whole created universe!
9. EUCHARISTIC PROCESSIONS AT DUSK.
Our Lady of Lourdes desired that Jesus be honored by Processions. The Eucharistic Face of Jesus present in the monstrance is honored and worshiped in the plaza. While they have Eucharistic Processions in the daytime, to this very day, there are Eucharistic Processions in the plaza at dusk; the lighted candles create a dramatic scene as the dusk deepens. A very interesting note: most of the healings occur during these Eucharistic Processions. Mary leads us to Jesus, and Jesus who is truly the Divine Physician, heals us. May Mary’s prayers bring us healing! May the Eucharistic Lord heal our bodies, minds and hearts!
10. FEBRUARY 11TH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK.
Pope Saint John Paul II was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease as early as 1991, but the disease was officially confirmed in 2001. It is very interesting that the saintly Pope decided to create the World Day of the Sick one year after his diagnosis. The Pope had suffered much during the course of his long pontificate (October 16, 1978 – April 2, 2005). One of his greatest sufferings was the shooting attack on his life May 13, 1981. Less than three years later, Feb. 11, 1984, Pope John Paul II published one of the most eloquent and touching Apostolic letters on suffering, Salvific Doloris (Salvific Value of Suffering). In this letter, the Holy Father, from his own studies but especially through his own experience, explained the positive meaning and value that derives from suffering if it is united to the suffering of Jesus on the cross.
Next, Pope John Paul II chose the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11th, as the day for the observance of the WORLD DAY OF SUFFERING. This saintly Pope reminds us of the purpose of this day. It is a day in which we are united to pray for those who suffer, but also for all of us, to offer our sufferings for the good of the Church. The Church can be sanctified and purified by our prayers and sufferings united to Jesus’ suffering on the cross. Finally, the Holy Pontiff invites us, through the eyes of faith, to see in our sick brothers and sisters the face of Christ.
We will conclude our reflection on Our Lady of Lourdes by selecting a few inspiring quotes from Saint Bernadette, hoping to motivate us to strive for an authentic life of holiness in our love for Mary, love for Jesus, and the pursuit of heroic virtue.
1. “Everything is nothing to me, but Jesus: neither things nor persons, neither ideas nor emotions, neither honor nor sufferings, Jesus is my honor, delight, heart and soul.”
2. “I must die to myself continually and accept trials without complaining. I work, suffer, and I love with no other witness than His heart. Anyone who is not prepared to suffer for the Beloved and to do His will in all things is not worthy of the sweet name of Friend, for here below, Love without suffering does not exist.”
3. “When my emotions are strong, I remember the words of Our Lord: ‘It is I, do not be afraid.’ Immediately I appreciate and thank Our Lord for this grace of rejections and humiliations from my Superior and Sisters. It is the love of this Good Master who would remove the roots from this tree of pride. The more little I become, the more I grow in the Heart of Jesus.”
4. “O Jesus and Mary, let my entire consolation in this world be to love you and to suffer for sinners.”
5. “My weapons, I decided, would be prayer and sacrifice, which I would hold on to till my last breath. Then only would the weapon of sacrifice fall from my hand, but the weapon of prayer would follow me to Heaven.”
Saint Bernadette, Pray for us!
