Our Lady Of Lourdes

“Who is she? Our Lady appeared to a little twelve year old girl, and pointed her to a spring that brought healing to generations and generations of people. Limbs have reappeared here, cancer has been cured, and hearts that were broken beyond repaired were restored. Those who leave the waters often leave transformed. They stand again in the confidence that mirrors their faith.

Our Lady is willing to show up in your life in the midst of your littleness. She will come to the meek, the tiny, those with nothing to offer. She will come to you, to me. She will invite us that are wounded, scarred, hurt, abandoned, and without into Christ’s waters of healing mercy. She desires a transformed life for us. She longs for us to be astounded by Christ’s closeness to us. For He is within us, He is upon us. And He is begging us to enter into His Divine Mercy, into His transformation, and into the intimacy and intensity of His tender beautiful gaze. “ - Leanne Bowen

Christ has desires for you. He has placed them on your heart because he already intends to fulfill them. May we boldly ask his mother to appear to us in the depths of prayer today. May we bring before them the hidden wounds and hurts of ours hearts and entrust ourselves to His healing.

“The Story of Our Lady of Lourdes

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. A little more than three years later, on February 11, 1858, a young lady appeared to Bernadette Soubirous. This began a series of visions. During the apparition on March 25, the lady identified herself with the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Bernadette was a sickly child of poor parents. Their practice of the Catholic faith was scarcely more than lukewarm. Bernadette could pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Creed. She also knew the prayer of the Miraculous Medal: “O Mary conceived without sin.”

During interrogations Bernadette gave an account of what she saw. It was “something white in the shape of a girl.” She used the word aquero, a dialect term meaning “this thing.” It was “a pretty young girl with a rosary over her arm.” Her white robe was encircled by a blue girdle. She wore a white veil. There was a yellow rose on each foot. A rosary was in her hand. Bernadette was also impressed by the fact that the lady did not use the informal form of address (tu), but the polite form (vous). The humble virgin appeared to a humble girl and treated her with dignity.

Through that humble girl, Mary revitalized and continues to revitalize the faith of millions of people. People began to flock to Lourdes from other parts of France and from all over the world. In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes for the diocese. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907.

Reflection

Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and healing, but even more of faith. Church authorities have recognized over 60 miraculous cures, although there have probably been many more. To people of faith this is not surprising. It is a continuation of Jesus’ healing miracles—now performed at the intercession of his mother. Some would say that the greater miracles are hidden. Many who visit Lourdes return home with renewed faith and a readiness to serve God in their needy brothers and sisters.

There still may be people who doubt the apparitions of Lourdes. Perhaps the best that can be said to them are the words that introduce the film The Song of Bernadette: “For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.” “

Taken from franciscanmedia.org