Morning Glory: A God-incidence

*When it is guided by God, it is no longer a coincidence but a God-incidence. 

Today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. I feel particularly privileged I was assigned to write today’s reflection for Didache. As I was preparing my FB post to share it, I wanted to make an e-poster out of one of my flower paintings to highlight the message. I picked a blue flower I painted for one of my friends as a Christmas gift. After I made the post, I was led to write this longer blog to include the one I wrote when we were in Lourdes as part of our Marian Pilgrimage. 

Out of curiosity, I googled the name of the flower that I used as a model for my watercolor. I was awed by the God-incidence (a God-guided coincidence). The name of the blue flower is Dwarf Morning Glory. “Morning Glory” is also part of the title of a book for consecration to Mama Mary which I treasure because it helped me to know Christ more through His mother. 

As explained by the author: “I chose this part of the title because I think it best captures what Marian consecration is all about: A new way of life in Christ. The act of consecrating oneself to Jesus through Mary marks the beginning of a gloriously new day, a new dawn, a brand-new morning in one’s spiritual journey.” – Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, author of 33 Days to Morning Glory

It's another God-incidence that my Didache reflection (which we are required to submit a year prior to publication) dealt with the topic of making yourself better with each new day. Another morning glory!

To mark this special day, I’m sharing my Morning Glory painting, 

the e-poster, 

 my Didache reflection 

and this Facebook blog which I wrote on Nov. 4, 2019, the day I was blessed to visit the Sanctuaires Notre Dame de Lourdes (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes) or the Domain in France. 

Feeling Bernadette 

#SeekingMary Marian Pilgrimage Day 7 

 “The Blessed Virgin used me like a broom. What do you do with a broom when you have finished sweeping? You put it back in its place, behind the door!” - St. Bernadette Soubirous 

She did not feel like a star even if she had the distinct privilege of seeing the vision of Mary. In the movie Song of Bernadette, when asked why she was chosen she, said, “I don’t know. I am just a poor girl. Who am I? I am a nobody.” (non-verbatim) 

Gazing up at Mama Mary’s statue in the same grotto in Massabielle, Lourdes, touching the water trickling down the smooth stones, I felt both humbled and privileged. Who am I that I should be so blessed to kneel where Bernadette knelt? I can only praise and thank God who decided to delight me with this pilgrimage. As I prayed for my petitions and for my family, friends and relatives who sent their petitions, I felt my tears well up like the water from the spring. I prayed not just for physical healing but more of a spiritual one. It was one of the most heartfelt conversations I’ve had with Mama Mary. 

 Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us.

Our Lady of Lourdes Sanctuary