From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
February 11th - Our Lady of Lourdes
The story of Lourdes, where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette
Soubirous, is rich in lessons for us. One lesson is about suffering.
We see in Lourdes two attitudes of Divine Providence with regard to
human suffering that can appear to be contradictory.
On one hand, the thing that attracts the most attention at Lourdes is
that Our Lady has pity on men, hears their requests, and works
miracles to free them from the pain and illnesses they suffer. Also,
Our Lady has pity on souls, and to prove that the Catholic Faith is
the only true religion, she often works spiritual miracles of
conversions. By making both physical and spiritual miracles, she shows
that she is our Mother who loves us and wants to relieve us from
suffering both here and in eternity.
On the other hand, we see something else at Lourdes. A great number of
sick people go to Lourdes and return without being cured. Why does Our
Lady give cures to some, and not to others? In fact, there is an
important lesson for us in the cures she doesn't give, and perhaps =
the
greatest miracle of Lourdes is found precisely in this.
For the great majority of persons, suffering is indispensable for
their own sanctification. Therefore, the illnesses and troubles they
suffer are necessary. It is through sicknesses and spiritual
tribulations that they will sanctify themselves. One who does not
understand the role of suffering and sorrow in bringing about
detachment, conversion, and love of God does not understand what the
spiritual life really is.
St. Francis of Sales used to affirm that suffering is the Eighth
Sacrament. It is so indispensable that he considered that no one could
be saved without it. Cardinal Pedro Segura, Archbishop of Seville, who
was an admirable Spanish Catholic, once told me about a talk he had
with Pope Pius XI.
Pius XI boasted to him that he had never been sick. The Cardinal told
him: =E2=80=9CSo, Your Holiness does not have the sign of the elect soul.= =E2=80=9D The
Pope was surprised, but Cardinal Segura was resolute: =E2=80=9CThere is no predestined soul who does not suffer profoundly from sickness at least
once in his lifetime. If Your Holiness has never had any health
problem, you do not have the sign of the elect.=E2=80=9D Some days later, P= ius
XI had a strong heart attack. From his bed he wrote a message to
Cardinal Segura, saying: =E2=80=9CYour Eminence, now I also have the sign o=
f
the elect.=E2=80=9D
I agree with Cardinal Segura that suffering =E2=80=93 be it physical or mor=
al
=E2=80=93 is the sign of the elect soul.
Now then, Our Lady would work against the salvation of souls if she
would cure every illness. Sometimes she does, because it is for the
ultimate good of that person to be relieved of the suffering. But
normally it is not opportune. This is why Our Lady, who is the Mother
of Mercy, permits suffering for some souls, because it is
indispensable.
But Our Lady also does something else that is very beautiful. To the
sick persons she does not cure, she gives a profound conformity to the
will of God and acceptance of their sufferings. I have never heard of
a person who had been to Lourdes and was not cured who became angry
and revolted against God. On the contrary, persons who go there return
with an enormous resignation, happy to have been at Lourdes and seen
other people being cured.
Further, there are numerous cases of persons who travel long
distances, arrive at Lourdes, and witness other persons who are
suffering much more than they are and have greater need of being
cured. Seeing this, they ask Our Lady to cure those persons instead of themselves. That is, a person voluntarily accepts his suffering for
the advantage of another. In my opinion, this is also a miracle. It is
the renunciation of one's own self love for the love of God and
neighbor. For a person to renounce human egotism is perhaps a greater
miracle than the cures of sicknesses and the conversions.
At Lourdes, there is a Convent of contemplative Carmelite sisters who
offer their lives to win graces for the cures of body and soul for the
pilgrims who go there. These nuns never ask any cures for themselves,
and accept every illness in exchange for the cure of others. They
suffer enormously, and sometimes die prematurely, with the sole
purpose of their lives being to do good for others.
When we look around us at other men, at human nature corrupted by
original sin, we understand how this kind of abnegation violently
conflicts with normal human interests. This kind of sacrifice causes
horror to our human egotism. Then we think about it, we realize how
the very existence of those nuns and pilgrims who accept suffering for
others is, in itself, a miracle. A miracle that is greater than the
cures that are worked at Lourdes. It is this kind of miracle of
generosity that wins Heaven for the persons who are cured.
The principal aim of the love of Our Lady, who watches over us body
and soul, is to lead us to God and to Heaven. This is what she desires
the most for us.
The greatest lesson of Lourdes, then, is the acceptance of suffering,
be it a physical illness or a moral sorrow, if it is necessary for our salvation. It is very difficult to carry the cross of suffering with resignation. Yes, it really is. But in such cases, we have the divine
example of Our Lord in the Garden of Olives who prayed: =E2=80=9CFather, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: nevertheless, not my will, but
thine, be done=E2=80=9D (Luke 22:42). This is the position we should have i=
n
face of our particular sufferings. If it is not possible to remove the
chalice, =E2=80=9Cnot my will, but thine, be done.=E2=80=9D A grace will co=
me to
console us, like the Angel who came to console and give strength to
Our Lord.
We should have an understanding of suffering, the courage, resolution,
and energy it takes to face it, and even the joy to receive it. We
should remember that to suffer is a sign of the elect.
Our Lady will help us to face our sufferings, just as she helps those
who request her assistance at Lourdes.
See Icons at:
http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j115sdLourdes_2-11.htm
Saint Quote:
If you intend to serve God, prepare your soul for temptation, for it
is an infallible truth that no one is exempt from temptation when he
has truly resolved to serve God.
-- Saint Francis de Sales
Bible Quote:
The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into
your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out,
'Abba, Father!' The Spirit himself and our spirit bear unit=
ed witness
that we are children of God. =C2 (Romans 8:15-16 )
<><><><>
The Prayer for Courage
Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous,
teach me to serve You as You deserve:
to give and not count the cost,
to fight and not heed the wound,
to toil and not seek rest,
to labor and not seek reward,
save that of feeling that I do Your will. - Amen.
--Saint Ignatius of Loyola
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)