11/02/2021
MEMORIAL of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
OUR LADY of LOURDES
February 11
(World Day of the Sick)
HISTORY
Our Blessed Mother appeared eighteen times to St. Bernadette Soubirous in the cave of Lourdes, France. The apparitions happened between February 11 and July 16, 1858. Bernadette was asked by Our Lady to always pray the rosary for the conversion of sinners and visit her at the cave every after 15 days of which she never failed. On the apparition of February 25, Our Lady asked Bernadette to dig on the ground and a spring came forth which were later associated with miraculous cures. Nowadays, three million people, among those are 50,000 sick and disabled, go to Lourdes each year for healing. That is why this day was later decreed as the WORLD DAY OF THE SICK. But what is considered as great miracles are the conversion of sinners, renewal of faith and greater zeal for God's service of those who come for pilgrimage. It was also in this cave that Our Lady, when asked about her name replied, "I am the Immaculate Conception", affirming the Marian dogma three years after its proclamation.
REFLECTION
When St. Bernadette was asked with this question: "Is our Blessed Mother beautiful?"
Her answer was "Oh! Oh! Yes indeed! And even more than that! So lovely that when you have seen her once, you would willingly die to see her again!" May our fervor to see God and our Blessed Mother increase, so that we may submit ourselves to good works and prayer.
PRAYER (Collect Prayer from the Roman Missal)
Grant us, O merciful God, protection in our weakness, that we, who keep the Memorial of the Immaculate Mother of God, may with the help of her intercession, rise up from our iniquities. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.