Water Walk #6, Lourdes

When visiting Nazareth, one cannot miss the “Fountain of the Virgin,” and just beside, the corresponding spring situated in an orthodox church. Nazareth reminds us of Mary, as she daily collects the water at the fountain, like all the other women of the village. Nazareth reminds us of Bernadette. On the day of the Annunciation, Mary was probably not much older than Bernadette in 1858: 14 years of age. The beautiful lady first appears to Bernadette as “a little demoiselle,” not much taller than herself.

Thirty years after the day of the Annunciation, Jesus left to announce the Gospel. In Saint Matthew, his first words are: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit; blessed are the meek; blessed are the pure in heart; blessed are you when people utter all sorts of evil against you falsely on my account.”

The Beatitudes are the portrait of Jesus, but are also the portrait of Mary and, to a lesser extend, of all Christians. They are also the portrait of Bernadette. She was poor, in spirit and in worldly goods: and she always wanted to remain so. She had character, but she was gentle with the sick. Nowadays, she is venerated by everyone, but, at the time, many treated her as a liar.

Blessed are you, my Lord for sister Water, which is so useful and so humble, and so precious and so chaste. These words of Saint Francis express so well the spirit of Nazareth, the beatitudes of the purity of spirit, according to the Gospel. At this fountain, let us drink of the Spirit of the Beatitudes. May it refresh us in body and spirit.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Beatitudes, “Gate of Heaven,” make us enter into your humility. In Nazareth, you kept, in your heart, all that the Lord did. Teach us to be grateful and to give thanks to the Lord.