Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH Mk 8:1-10 Entrance Antiphon: “Hail, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the King who rules heaven and earth.”
Yesterday we celebrated Our Lady of Lourdes who appeared in 1858 to a poor and sickly girl, Bernadette Soubirous, at a grotto in Lourdes, France, where miraculous healing waters appeared. Some 6 million pilgrims come to the shrine in Lourdes, France, each year to pray and seek healing.
On Saturday when we honor Mary, Fr. Ed helps us appreciate the importance of this appearance of Our Lady for us!
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—moral, emotional, spiritual, 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 to the simple Bernadette. Strongly to be encouraged for reading is Saint Bernadette Soubirous by Abbe Francois Trochu, 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 of the meaning, message and teachings taught and proclaimed by Our Lady of Lourdes and her messenger—Saint Bernadette.
GOLDEN 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… Unless you become like children you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” (Mt 18:13, 19:14) Our Lady wants us to bring the children to her tender and loving Immaculate Heart.
2. OUR LADY REVEALS HER NAME TO BERNADETTE AND THE WHOLE WORLD. This beautiful Lady that Bernadette was privileged to see 18 times revealed her name to Bernadette: I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. At Fatima, to the children Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, she 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, she 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 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 ASKED FOR A CHURCH TO BE BUILT. As in the apparitions in Fatima and Mexico, Our Lady of Lourdes desired that a Church be constructed. 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 constructed, Masses will be celebrated frequently. Furthermore, priests will be available 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 into the ground to discover water. Amongst the curious onlookers, Bernadette obeyed by digging into the ground. Many thought she was crazy. But little by little water started seeping forth from where the little girl dug. Consequently, the 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. Through the intercession of Mary 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, the forlorn and abandoned of the world. Our Lady of Lourdes teaches us to pray for the sick, to help the sick, to the support the sick, and to love the sick. Because in the sick and suffering we can discover the Face of the Suffering Jesus.
7. PRAYER AND SACRIFICE. The messages of Our Lady of Lourdes and 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.
8. EUCHARISTIC PROCESSIONS AT DUSK. Our Lady of Lourdes desired that Jesus be honored by Processions. At dusk, outside the Basilica to this very day there are Eucharistic Processions. The Eucharistic Face of Jesus present in the monstrance is honored and worshipped in the plaza. 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 our Eucharistic Lord heal our bodies, minds and hearts!
9. 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 and 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, (the 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.
10. Then 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. The 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. Furthermore, 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 of Our Lady of Lourdes by selecting a few inspiring quotations from Saint Bernadette, hoping to motivate us to strive for an authentic life of holiness in our love for Mary, for Jesus, and the pursuit of heroic virtue.
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“O Jesus and Mary, let my entire consolation in this world be to love you and to suffer for sinners.”
“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.”
Copyright 2022 Oblates of the Virgin Mary / St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
