The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

For about 10 years in the sixties, my family and I were parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes church in Northridge, Ca. I was confirmed in that church. Today, my home is about 10 blocks from Saint Bernadette Catholic Church, and though we are registered at Saint Luke’s, we still attend Mass at St. Bernadette’s occasionally (when I’m not on the road or taking Mom to Mass at her parish in Lodi). So I have a special interest in Our Lady’s apparition at Lourdes and the miracles that continue to this day at the site.

On February 11, 1858, Our Blessed Mother Mary appeared to a fourteen-year-old girl named Bernadette Soubirous in the recess of the Massabielle cliff near Lourdes, at the foot of the Pyrenees. She appeared a total of eighteen times, with the last appearance on July 16th—the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Our Lady spoke to Bernadette with reverence and told her she was the “Immaculate Conception”, a name that had not been revealed to the general public but only to the Bishops and upper clergy at that point in time.

In the reading in 1 Kings we find God is displeased with King Solomon, the son of David because he is worshiping other gods. He was following the beliefs of his many foreign wives, building high places for worship and other forms of recognition to their many gods. “The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice…” (1 Kings 11: 9). Why did the people back then build these statues and monuments to other gods when the first commandment reads “I am the Lord your God, you shall not have strange gods before you”? Probably for the same reason that devotion expressed by focusing more time, money or energy towards things other than of God or in things that don’t advance His kingdom here on earth are a modern day way of worshipping other gods. We realize we are all guilty of these acts and this reading is so relevant to us today.

In the Gospel from Mark we find Jesus crossing the path of a woman, a non-Jew, who has sought Him out to heal her daughter who is possessed. Jesus starts to dismiss her saying He should take care of the children (of Israel) first. But, she pursues her quest for healing for her daughter saying, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” (Mark 7:28) And Jesus heals her daughter with a word because of her persistence and belief in Him. Again, this is relevant to today’s world and a reminder to be persistent and believe the good Lord can work the miracle you seek should it be His will.

Pray the Rosary! Ask Mary to help us remember that her Son is the model of perfection we need to strive to be! Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for us!