Have Heels Will Travel: Lourdes #5

Monday, September 29

And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that
shines on me ...

Breakfast at 7.40am.

At the grotto.

Priests were walking in.

8.30am English Mass.

Truly I say to you,

we were not expecting this ...

but the reader went

to the podium and read aloud:

"The first reading is taken

from the Prophet Daniel."

O

M

G

I was stunned!

A few seconds later,

a bee happened to buzz by

and flew away.

Bryan saw it too.

My reaction :

"Omg. The bee!"

As Father was reading the Gospel,

the bee buzzed over to us again.

This time, I grabbed

my handphone -

to check the time.

8.48 am

"Look! Look! Look!"

I exclaimed to Bryan ...

like I had won the lottery.

That's like 44 4 44.

Wahhh.

No joke.

The bees in Lourdes ...

they drink grotto water

and attend mass.

During his homily, Father said :

"Angels are always in

our presence."

A reassurance.

Communion.

Closing prayer.

Father said:

"I will thank you, Lord,

with all my heart.

In the presence of the angels,

I will praise you."

Angels again.

Nice.

I like this Priest.

Mass is over.

Go in peace ...

... to serve the Lord.

Check out the sky.

Like cotton balls.

After Mass ...

... we went for confession.

We are leaving tomorrow.

Yup, confession is in the plan.

The last time we were in a

confession box, it was

before Covid. We figured if the

priest choose to tell us off,

this would be the way to do it.

In the sanctuary of

Our Lady of Lourdes.

So anyway ...

fast forward ...

after confession,

we went to spend

some quiet time at the

Adoration Chapel ...

... to do our penance ...

... and just have some

quiet time to reflect.

Turns out, Father was nice

enough to allow himself to be

entertained by my stories.

I see the smile ...

the grin ...

the gentle nod ...

and the twinkle in his eyes ...

He listened patiently and

seemed to be amused with

all my signs.

When he finally spoke,

he said slowly ...

"You have given a very good

confession. You spoke

from your heart."

His words.

He even acknowledged

all my signs.

My penance?

"Say Jesus, I love you.

Jesus, I need you.

as many times as you can."

Huh.

I like the priests in Lourdes.

We are almost done with all

our "things to do"

in Lourdes.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Only one thing left :

The Jubilee Walk

at 3.30pm.

No idea what that walk

entails but ...

we will meet at the ...

Information Center

Meet Point ...

at 3.30 pm.

It was 10.30 am at the field then.

It was therapeutic and relaxing

just chilling at the field.

I believe this place is called

the Garden of Reflection.

Not - the field.

We went out of the

sanctuary to the

souvenir shops ...

... to get our 2 candles.

Today, we would have

lit 8 candles.

After lighting the candles,

we made our way back

to the hotel.

Along the way, we dropped

by this supermache

to get a sandwich for lunch.

Since we arrived in Lourdes,

we have not been to this

snack bar although we pass it

everyday, when walking to

and from the sanctuary.

We have been getting our

ham and cheese at the

grocer beside that snack bar.

Today, for reasons that would

be apparent later,

there was a calling to visit

that particular supermache.

"So do as the voice says."

Bryan walked in.

I followed ...

... not expecting anything,

when suddenly,

I caught sight of it ...

O

M

G

!

You

have

gotta

be

kidding

me!

I nudged Bryan urgently

and pointed it out.

Omg.

Pause.

Seriously.

How in the world does the

name Daniel, appear on ...

whatever that is ...

some kind of meat tool?

On the other side of the counter ...

... this sign was loud.

Make it out what you will,

but I see the word

SON,

in big letters.

Bryan couldn't believe it either.

I honestly could not believe

that moment.

Why would his name be

on this meat tool?

Assuming it is a tool for meat.

Does he know we are on

a meat diet? Hahaha.

I snapped a few photos,

when the guy was not looking.

At the time of blogging,

I checked the time of the

first photo taken in that bar.

It was 12.57 pm.

12 12

21 21

What an awesome feeling

it was to see the angel code.

It was incredible.

What are the chances of

hearing his name ...

Daniel ...

4 times in 3 days?

At chapel mass.

At Bernadette's Walk.

At grotto mass.

and now at the supermache?

Why, Daniel's name is totally ...

... engraved here in Lourdes.

Back at the hotel,

we ate our lunch ...

... in a daze.

We can't find any more words.

All that needs to be said,

has been said.

We munched on our

sandwiches and sipped our

free coffee quietly.

Silence is - powerful.

The Jubilee Walk

at 3.30pm.

After some instructions by

the volunteer Margaret,

we took out our rosaries.

We walked and said the rosary

at the same time.

So basically, the guide took us

all around the sanctuary and

stopped at several important

places to explain the history.

Many groups of pilgrims

were arriving.

Margaret said something

important about this gate.

I can't recall.

Then, about the cross.

Next, the recruitment office.

How to be a volunteer

in Lourdes.

The lady greeted us and

spoke in French.

"Here lies 72 documented

miracle cures."

See the pink building right

at the back?

Shielded by the building

in the front.

That's where the volunteers stay.

Basilica of Our Lady of the

Immaculate Conception.

Constructed in 1862

and consecrated in 1876.

This church seems to emerge

directly from the

rock of Massabielle.

Confession chambers.

Adminstration Headquarters.

Pope John Paul II

was shot 4 times

in 1981

and was given treatment

and care under tight security

on the 2nd floor of

this admin building.

The Pope stunned the world

when he forgave his shooter.

The buildings on the

left and right side

of the admin center

are for pilgrims

who are unwell and

require special care.

This is where Bernadette was ...

collecting wood

with her sister and her friend

when she had the

first apparition on

February 11, 1858.

The left is the basilica

which is above the grotto.

The building on the right ...

... is the residence of 200 priests.

Walking on to ...

... the candle stations.

Directly opposite and

across the stream,

is the bath that

millions of pilgrims

come to each year.

We almost missed that.

Here is where all

personal requests from

people around the world

to light candles on their behalf,

is lit and burned.

These special request candles

are burned at 4pm everyday.

She repeated the 4pm

twice.

Next, we walked through ...

... a path that has the

Stations of the Cross

for pilgrims who might not

be able to climb the steep hill

of the other one.

Easier access for those on

wheelchairs.

This chaplet was our last stop.

After more enlightening

information about Bernadette,

we did the water ritual.

Wash hands.

Drink water.

Wash face.

We have completed the

Jubilee Walk.

It was about 5.30pm.

After the water gesture,

we took this photo and

exclaimed to ourselves:

"It -- is -- finished."

All our

TO DO LIST

is now completed.

There is nothing else to do

except to pack our bags

and prepare to leave

Lourdes tomorrow

at noon.

We stopped by the grotto

on the way back.

Touched the cold rocks

one more time.

See the hole where the water

flows. Bernadette dug at this

very spot with her bare hands.

The spring water is still

flowing today.