The first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the 14 year old girl named Bernadette Soubarou on this day, February 11, in 1858. Bernadette reported seeing a young woman dressed in white, with a rosary in her hand, and a yellow rose on each foot.
In one of the early apparitions, the lady in white instructed Bernadette to go to a nearby spring, drink from it and wash herself in it. Not long after that, a number of people who bathed in that same water reported remarkable cures.
Many may find the idea of a Marian Apparition rather strange. One cannot deny the biblical evidence that Mary loved to visit people. She lovingly visited her cousin Elizabeth to share her joy of the Christ-child inside her. She was there in Jerusalem during her son’s Passion, and approached him during His way of the cross, she approached him on calvary, and stood by him during his suffering. She was with the apostles, in prayer, on Pentecost.
The messages of Our Lady in all her apparitions around the world, whether they be at Fatima in Portugal, or at Guadeloupe in Mexico, or at Lourdes in France, or the many other places she appeared, the message has been the same: to pray for the conversion of the world to her Son, Jesus. In other words, the Blessed Mother repeats the message she first gave at the wedding at Cana, “do whatever he tells you.”
In addition to asking that a shrine be built at Lourdes, the Virgin Mary told Bernadette to pray for the conversion of sinners, by praying the Rosary and meditating on the salvific events in the life of Christ.
Today, more than 7 million people make a pilgrimage to this place, every year. Church authorities have officially recognized over 60 miraculous cures, though countless people have experienced healing in some way.
In 1992, Pope John Paul II, who had such a great devotion to Our Blessed Mother, designated the 11th Day of February as a World Day of Prayer for the Sick: “a special time of prayer and sharing, of offering one’s suffering for the good of the Church, and reminding us to see in our sick brother and sister the face of Christ who, by suffering, dying, and rising, achieved the salvation of mankind.” (Letter instituting the World Day of the Sick 13, May 1992, no.3)
We unite ourselves in a special way today with all those who turn to God for help in their afflictions, who seek his peace and healing. May we, be instruments of that peace of healing for them, with Mary, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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