Day 5 of Lent 2023 🐑 Saint Bernadette

Day 5 of Lent 2023 🐑 Saint Bernadette

Hello Everyone!

     Yesterday we entered the 5th day of Lent, which can also be described as the 6th Day of Lent, if you include Sundays. From what we understand there is debate as to whether Sundays are included. It seems to me they are indeed included. 

     Yet, because we are trying to reach everyone, not just Catholics, we chose to give the option of practicing Lent Observance without including Sundays, which some Catholics say is OK. Excluding Sundays makes the Lenten Sacrifice a bit easier. So we are following the “path of least resistance” and describing Lent as a 40 Day Period. If you know it’s a 47 Day period, good for you. We are looking for the lost and strayed sheep, and radically included everyone who might possibly be inclined to practice a Lenten Vow. 

     Saint Bernadette was a shepherd and she had visions of seeing the Virgin Mary while she was tending to her flock in Lourdes, France. She is thus often depicted with the Blessed Virgin in the grotto of Lourdes. I visited Lourdes a few years ago and found lots of medals to paint and share. I flowed along with the traditions and bathed in the healing waters. There was a long line, it was cold and the whole procedure of bathing in the miraculous healing waters was pretty rote and procedural.

     A more interesting event occurred, in my opinion, when we were traveling the French countryside by car and arrived in Nevers, France. The guidebooks said Saint Bernadette was there so we went to the church to take a look. It was locked up and closed, so we visited the replica of the Lourdes Grotto and were about to travel to another town. As we were doing that a side of the wall of the church opened up and people walked out! I was with my friends Mary, Michele, and Rick and one of them or I went over to see if we could get through this now unlocked open door. We were not able to talk to the people leaving but we could say “Bonjour” and smile. 

     The 4 of us were alone together inside the Church in Nevers. It was very small. And there she was, under glass! Saint Bernadette Soubris, so very tiny, maybe 5 feet tall or less. Her body was waxed, and she looked so beautiful. Having our visit, just the 4 of us and little Saint Bernadette, remains as one of the most memorable heartfelt experiences of my life. Bernadette was tranquil and beautiful, and she spoke to me, this oftentimes lost sheep in a herd. 

Thanks for reading to the bottom line.

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