The week before the beatification, I had been on a mission trip at Lourdes, serving in the holy baths, assisting North American pilgrims, and attending special Masses, services, and processions devoted to Our Lady of Lourdes. It was one of the most spiritually enriching and life-changing experiences I have ever had. The first night we arrived at Lourdes, I immediately went with a few girls to explore the grotto, where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858, 150 years previous. As we crossed the bridge over the river that night, we beheld a scene that I concluded must be heaven itself: a candlelit procession of thousands of pilgrims around the Rosary Basilica grounds into the grotto as the traditional Marian hymn, "Ave Maria" was sung.
The rest of that week was spent in humble service and prayer, and each of us serving there was touched deeply by the experience. Many of us had the idea that we wanted to attend the beatification in Lisieux on our return trip, but we weren't sure if we would be able to make it so we didn't make any hotel reservations. By the end of the week though, several of us knew that we simply could not pass up the experience, even if it meant sleeping in the train station. So there we found ourselves that Saturday evening, wandering homeless, feeling a little like Mary and Joseph on Christmas Eve. No one had room for us. We even asked if some places would allow us to just rest in their lobbies--no such luck. We were exhausted after a long week and prayed that we would find affordable shelter. Finding nothing, we began our trek back to the train station.
By the time we reached it, we saw that it was closed, but there were several more students from Lourdes who had arrived. One girl (who was fluent in French) was speaking to a priest and another man who we later found out she had met on the train. The man told us that he happened to have beds enough for the 11 of us. He drove us out of the small town into the moonlit French countryside. We knew we were taking a risk going with this stranger, but we trusted that since we had served Our Lady all week, she would find us a place to rest, even if it was a lowly stable! We arrived at an adorable cottage with exactly enough beds for all of us. As the man left, he also arranged for taxis for us the next morning to take us to the Basilica for the beatification. When we tried to offer the man money, he refused saying, "When you come to Lisieux, you
have to learn to accept gifts. Accept this gift as a grace from God."
When we arrived at the Basilica the next morning, the top level was already full, but we found front row seats in the crypt, where we watched the service above us on a screen. I prayed for everyone I knew during our more than two hour wait, especially my Little Flowers household, past, present and future. The Mass itself was in French
so we didn't know exactly what was going on, but we could tell by the cheering and applause from the people around us when the Cardinal pronounced Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin as Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin in the year of their 150th wedding anniversary. It was the most beautiful celebration for a wedding anniversary I have ever witnessed,
and I am so blessed that I was able to be there! I knew that my patron St. Therese had helped guide me there.
Ever since that experience, that whole week culminating in such a beautiful celebration of the holy sacrament of marriage, I have felt a deep desire for something that holy and pure. Whether God calls me to religious life or marriage, I want to live out my vocation and my whole life solely for Him. I know that this period of being single has its purpose, and each day that passes I desire greater holiness for me and my future spouse.
Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, pray for us!
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us!
