My parents and I once again celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. A friend shared a beautiful story about a French nun who survived COVID-19 and was celebrating her 117th birthday today. This afternoon, I was able to get Communion from the church and bring it home to my parents. A friend called to tell me about a Mass she had just participated in online and said she thought of me. My parents and I attended Mass with our favorite parish in the east coast. Then I found the one that my friend told me about. When we watched the homily, I understood what she was saying. The Gospel reading for today is that of a woman who had so much faith, that even when Jesus seemingly didn’t want to be troubled by her, the woman was persistent and her daughter was in fact healed from her illness. I remembered the trip to Lourdes my mother took me on. She was like the woman in the scripture. She brought me to that place with great humble, persistent faith that I would be cured from my juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. I was in fact mostly healed from that disease though there are lingering affects, which is probably a good thing so I don’t forget what God has done for me. We then watched a short video outlining the lessons from Lourdes. As they highlighted the different sites, my mother and I recognized each one and it brought back a flood of emotion and “spiritual remembering.” Each year on this feast day, I feel I get a little spiritual boost, reminder, and encouragement.

I Found God today remembering the holiness of Our Lady of Lourdes.