Oh Mary Our Hope! (Group C)
The city lay enraptured in grey. The rain had not ceased since dawn, it came down in light sheets spraying its shades of grey across those below. The center of the world was the chapel. It stood in strong, radiant splendor overlooking the city of Lourdes its spire stretching to the heavens; alongside the chapel two long arms extended themselves down to the front steps where the great wooden doors invited all weary pilgrims. I watched from underneath one of these arms looking out across the open space in front of the chapel, to my left was the grotto and to the right the river flowing behind. A light spray touched my face blown by the wind to invade my shelter, and I was thrust back to a state of wakefulness.
My mind had been full of thoughts that were just as dark as the world around me. Why in this place of holiness and prayer could I not find peace? I searched my mind; recently gone to confession… “check”, received communion… “check”, prayed in the grotto… “check”, spent time in worship… “check” all the boxes seemed crossed. And yet I could not shake this feeling that I was excluded, an outcast in this place of pilgrimage. My own words came thundering back into my head, “I have no devotion to Mary! She is the Mother to Christ nothing more nothing less, her existence does not play a role in my faith.” How could it? She is not God, she does not have a divine nature, she is the statue in the grotto. I flushed with a sudden anger, “Yes, just a statue insignificant in the modern age and a distraction from the true Lord her Son.”
God is constantly calling us. He desires an intimate relationship so close that we’d blush to describe. In order for him to come in we have to invite him, unfortunately this is harder than it seems. The bible says Christ is standing by our door knocking trying to get our attention, begging to come inside. What is hindering us from opening that door? It is often that one thing deep, dark and secret that no one knows exists. This is where Christ wants to enter in. He entreats us to lay down our arms, our last defense, and invite him to encounter his spirit.
I met back with the group in front of the grotto by the river and sister rang her bell so that we would all gather in a circle in order to hear her voice. “Tonight we will be taking part in the Lourdes procession, and all of you will be involved.” “We need men to volunteer; you will be carrying the statue of our Lady at the front of the procession.” I raised my hand. Why? Because it was a great honor, Mary was not God but she was special, besides she meant so much to millions of others, I should at least try to participate.
We were led to the chapel where they rolled out the 400 lbs. statue of our lady which stood on platform with two beams along either side. It was breathtaking. The officials rolled the statue to the starting point where we were told to wait for the start of the procession. Together we prayed as we waited, and like a child I could scarce contain my joy. It was not out of religious fervor but rather because I could sense I was about to be a part of something so much greater than myself. As I stood waiting I saw a man approach the statue he removed his shoes and bowed down towards the ground. When he arose I saw the tears glistening in his eyes and he prayed aloud with no shame, “Mary pray for me.” Then in a flash it was time for the procession to begin, the French coordinator gave the one word command, “Lift.” I placed the beam on my shoulder and as I stood I breathed “Mary show me, help me to understand.”
The night processed on like a beautiful song that will forever echo in my mind. With a heart open and willing to embrace that moment in Lourdes I was brought to a sense of spiritual joy that words fail to describe. I watched my Mother Mary above and the myriads of lights which echoed “Hail Mary.” I was cleansed, Christ had invaded my heart and he had done it through his Mother.
We are eternal beings in a fallen world. Christ desires for us to come home to a state of spiritual bliss that is Himself. His mercy is a doorway which is always open with the invitation to walk through. It bathes us clean of those things finite and makes new, more perfect, and more eternal. Christ made his home in my heart, and Mary was that conduit of mercy.
