Our Lady of Lourdes
This past Saturday was the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. One day, I’ll write about the liturgical calendar and the different feast days in the Church. The calendar is a really cool thing to learn about and to follow throughout the year. A memorial isn’t a Feast day, but it is nonetheless celebrated by the universal Church. So, February 11th is the day that the entire Church honors Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes because of her apparition to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France, in 1858. It’s one of my favorite titles of Our Lady mainly because of the miracles that have resulted at the apparition site and from Lourdes water the past 165 years. I’ve been to Lourdes twice and have experienced the miraculous power of its water on many occasions.
Saturday was an up and down day with OLOL. Early in the morning, I walked to open up the church and, as usual, bowed to the statue of Our Lady first thing in the morning. Except I was bowing to nothing. The statue was not there (in the garden by our lower level doors). My first thought was that it got blown away somehow because the wind was very strong. But, I was panicked because that was not a real possibility. After surveying the grounds, I came to the sad realization that the statue had been taken. Minutes later, footage from our security camera confirmed this; two people stole the statue on Friday night. I was distraught all day that someone could do this. I really miss Our Lady every time I walk by the spot where she was and am praying that whoever did this will return her and in the same condition she was.
The uplifting experience with Our Lady of Lourdes was a healing of which she was most likely a part this weekend. And, it involves the same boy from our parish who was miraculously healed of something different last year. He was suddenly taken to the emergency room on Friday for an illness that went undetected recently and then quickly facing surgery. Saturday changed that. Even though he and his mother had a treacherous stay at the hospital (ironically, they were shown little or no hospitality), they received the amazing news from the doctor that he decided against surgery. I immediately thought of OLOL and how she did it again! And, the two other parts that helped bring about the miracle last year were a part of this one – an Anointing from a priest at the hospital and prayers from OLVP parishioners.
Whether we relate to her as Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of the Visitation, or any other title, the important thing is that we relate to and with her. Mary is real, and she is a real Mother. She is real caring, loving, and powerful. One thing I hope happens to the two young ladies who stole her is that through this, they will one day have a relationship with her. That’s exactly what she wants with them and each of us.
