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Bernadette's Song-And I'm Listening

Sister Marie Therese: "...You whistle and everybody dances. Except one person, Myself.  For I simply don't believe you."

Bernadette Soubirous: "I never wanted you to believe me, Sister."

I remember several years ago a conversation with a friend from work in which I stated that I wanted to be a saint.  How silly a statement this was.  I'm sure it was misunderstood and that I was inwardly mocked by my friend.  But, I only meant in my ways...to be a better person.  I was not professing a desire to be a famous saint - but I have to admit I did crave attention to my perceived goodness.  How foolish in my thinking I was then.  I had no idea...none.

It occurs to me that I was immature, and still am, in my faith.  I don't pray as often as I should as I fill my time with my job, then television and relaxing.  Prayer in all it's forms, through spiritual readings, meditation on God's wonderful creations, spoken prayer, good works, sacrifice, etc.  Without prayer, how can one become intimate with God and his heavenly creatures.  Prayer is to God what courting is to lovers...a path to love of another.  There is first an attraction and then the weaving of a relationship.  How else to develop familiarity and fondness for someone unless you communicate and interact with them?

 My sister Barbara just sent me the book, The Song of Bernadette.  It was such a welcomed and appreciated gift because I've always had an attraction to the saints, and St. Bernadette is one of my favorites. This book has been an inspiration and has given me food for thought...

I do not know the feeling of pure abandonment to the world, carefree of others condemnation or praise; but, I understand what St. Bernadette felt.  Even this pitiful knowledge, I have discovered, gives me great peace.  And if the mere knowledge gives me such a gift; how much more, I can't even imagine, the experience for Bernadette!  The gift she was given graced her with insight as to the low worth of the material things the world has to offer - she was subjected to praise, adoration, and gifts and abhorred them all!  Even romantic love, although once attractive to her, had no hold on her.  St. Bernadette's ecstasy during communion with "the lady" were of such pure love, which previewed Heaven, that upon waking from her trances, the world disgusted her in comparison.

The disgust was of sin...people's indifference to the gift that God, in his infinite mercy and with much sacrifice, offers to us pitiful and ungrateful creatures!  Oh, how arrogant and prideful we are!!! And, yet, God continues to reach out to us.

Penitence is the message of the Virgin. With tearful pleading and admonition during her visitations throughout the ages, she begs this of us. How long will God allow her to beg? 

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