Sunday: Our Lady of Lourdes Date: February 11, 2002 Year: A The readings: [1 Kgs. 8:1-7, 9-13; Mk. 6:53-6] The message: They brought the sick wherever Jesus was. Prepared by: CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY Total words: 1291 |
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May I take this opportunity to wish you all a happy Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Today's Feast commemorates the first of eighteen apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary that began on February 11, 1858 to the humble child Bernadette. On March 25 th of the same year, when Bernadette asked the Beautiful Lady what her name was, the Virgin Mary answered, "I am the Immaculate Conception." Since then, a new page has been turned in the history of the Catholic Church, a regeneration as never seen before. A devotion began to Our Lady of Lourdes, such reaching every corners of the world. And countless miracles have been granted by God through the marvellous intercessions of Our Lady.
In view of the fact that through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, God's healing grace has touched many souls, both physically and spiritually, Pope Paul II set February 11 aside as the "World Day of the Sick." In his proclamation, his holiness stated, "I consider most appropriate, indeed, the bestowal upon the entire ecclesial community of an initiative which, as already practised in some nations and regions, has brought forth precious pastoral fruit."
February 11 th serves the purpose of reminding the members of the Church of the healing ministry of the Church. It reminds us of our Christian obligation to attend to the sick and the suffering that is all around us. This day has been set aside to show our gratitude to all those who model after Jesus, the care-givers, the doctors, the nurses, the health care workers, the pastoral ministers, all those who are striving to restore the health of the sick.
During today's Gospel Reading, [Mk. 6:53-6] we heard of the healing ministry of Jesus who was accompanied by His disciples. Such a ministry can be very demanding, allowing very little time to rest. No matter where Jesus went, He was recognized [Mk. 6:54] and the word spread like wildfire, drawing huge crowds to the area. As in Lourdes, France, the sick were brought on mats [Mk. 6:55] or came on crutches. Others may have been brought on carts in the days of Jesus versus today's wheelchairs. One thing is certain, they came by the thousands.
"Wherever Jesus went, into villages or cities or farms, the people laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might touch even the fringe of His cloak; and all who touched it were healed." [Mk. 6:56] Praise God for manifesting His love, mercy and healing grace towards mankind!
Today's First Reading [1 Kgs. 8:1-7, 9-13] provided us with an account of the dwelling place of the Ark of the Covenant. At the festival in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month, all the people of Israel assembled with King Solomon. [1 Kgs. 8:2] The festival in the month Ethanim is the autumn harvest feast that was commonly known as the Feast of Tents or Tabernacles.
This huge gathering included King Solomon, the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, etc... [1 Kgs 8:1] Why was everybody gathered? Biblical history tells us that David brought the Ark, the visible sign of Yahweh's presence, to Jerusalem, to the old Jubusite city later called the city of David. [2 Sam. 5-6] Now, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was being taken out of the city of David to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, beneath the outstretched wings of the Cherubim. [1 Kgs. 8:6- 7; Ex. 25]
The "inner sanctuary" was also known as the "Holy of Holies." Today the Ark of the Covenant would be equal to the Sacred Tabernacle that is found in the Catholic Church where the presence of the Lord dwells physically.
So the priests brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. [1 Kgs. 8:4] During that time, King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel were sacrificing many sheep and oxen, so many that they could not be counted. [1 Kgs. 8:5]
When the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. [1 Kgs. 8:10-1] There the Lord dwelled in the thick darkness, an exalted house, a place for Him to dwell in forever. [1 Kgs. 8:12-3]
In those days, there was one Ark of the Covenant. Today, there are an endless number of Sacred Tabernacles in the Catholic Churches throughout the world. On the subject of the tabernacles, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us:
"The tabernacle was first intended for the reservation of the Eucharist in a worthy place so that it could be brought to the sick and those absent outside of Mass. As faith in the real presence of Christ in his Eucharist deepened, the Church became conscious of the meaning of silent adoration of the Lord present under the Eucharistic species. It is for this reason that the tabernacle should be located in an especially worthy place in the church and should be constructed in such a way that it emphasizes and manifests the truth of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament." (C.C.C. # 1379)
"It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end," [Jn 13:1] even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, [Gal 2:20] and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love:"
"The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease." [John Paul II, Dominicae cenae, 3] (C.C.C. # 1380)
It is no wonder that many of the children of God have obtained physical and spiritual healings in holy places such as Lourdes and Fatima. Kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament in adoration of Jesus, the faithful have humbled themselves and opened their hearts to the mercy of God. Consequently, a Light shined from Heaven and the healing grace of God was bestowed upon many.
For those who are unable to go to the Church in order to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, may it be because of their disabilities or a lack of volunteers, the Church reaches out to them through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. For it is the desire of the Church that no one should be deprived of the Real Presence of the Lord Jesus that is manifested in the Most Holy Eucharist.
Today, let us remember the physical and spiritual needs of those who are sick. Let us remember our spiritual need to adore the Lord before the Blessed Tabernacle. And let us remember that in Lourdes, France, the healing grace of God shines abundantly through the powerful intercession of our heavenly mother, Our Lady of Lourdes. May God always glorify her!
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The readings...
[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]
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First Reading...
"King Solomon assembled before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. All the people of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the festival in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark. So they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles. There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses had placed there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, when they came out of the land of Egypt. And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. Then Solomon said, 'The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.'" [1 Kgs. 8:1-7, 9-13]
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Gospel Reading...
"Jesus and the disciples crossed over the lake and came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard Jesus was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. " [Mk. 6:53-6]
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