Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
REFLECTION
"Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God."
Today we commemorate the 33rd World Day of the Sick celebrated on the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes in this Jubilee Year of Hope.
Three apparitions of Mother Mary: Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531, Our Lady of Grace in 1830, and Our Lady of Lourdes in 1858 all carried a message of hope.
In Mexico, Our Lady's message was to stop human sacrifice, cure the sick, and bring conversion. In Paris, Our Lady's message was to give her Miraculous Medal to the sick and to convert sinners. In Lourdes, Our Lady's message was to bring the sick to bathe in the miraculous spring waters and to pray the rosary for the conversion of sinners.
Our Lady appeared to Bernadette 18 times at the grotto. Each time Bernadette went to meet her more and more people came out of curiosity. Bernadette followed Mary's instructions and prayed the rosary at the grotto for 15 days. She told the priest that the Lady wanted a church built near the grotto. Bernadette also obeyed Mary's request to dig a hole and drink the water from it. Many people who touched or drank the spring water were cured of their illnesses. Finally, Mary revealed to Bernadette that she is the "Immaculate Conception."
There were 70 miracles confirmed by the Catholic Church at the spring in Lourdes. It is the second most frequented pilgrimage destination in the world, second to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.
St. Pope John Paul II in 1992 proclaimed February 11th as a day for the world to pray for the sick.
Let us all pray the rosary today for the sick of the world. "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
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