Stephen is stoned to death in today’s
reading from the Acts of the Apostles, dying a martyr’s death with dignity and
respect. He kept his faith, telling the
Lord not to hold this sin against the people.
God’s grace was working within Stephen until the very end.
God works his wonders in so many of his
faithful throughout the ages. St
Bernadette, the saint we celebrate today, was born to a poor family in France
in the middle of the 19th century.
She suffered poor health throughout her life, yet God allowed the Virgin
Mary to appear to her in the small French village of Lourdes to bring a special
message of mercy and repentance to the world.
At the Virgin Mary’s command, Bernadette dug a hole in the ground and
brought the healing water of Lourdes to the surface. Now, more than a century and a half after
that original appearance of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, millions of pilgrims
each year from all over the world still flock to this holy site to encounter
God’s healing presence in their lives. Bernadette eventually became a nun and
died at the young age of 35 after suffering from poor health her entire life.
The stories of Bernadette and Stephen
still inspire us today. May their intercessory
prayers and stories continue to encourage us to live in faith and in
holiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment