ALL WILL BE WELL

   “But there are some things that you cannot be sure of. You must take a chance. If you wait for perfect weather, you will never plant your seeds. If you are afraid that every cloud will bring rain, you will never harvest your crops. You don’t know where the wind blows.” Ecclesiates 11:4

     It’s been three years since my husband, and I went on our pilgrimage to France. 

     My dream was to go to Lisieux to visit the sites of St. Therese, my love, while Jonathan’s was to encounter Normandy Beach. Neither happened. Quite unexpectedly, only twenty-four hours after we landed, my husband experienced a very serious medical issue, which landed him in the hospital for the remaining time of our pilgrimage, minus one day. Although we were both very disappointed, we were just happy to get home alive. I remember kissing the ground when we landed.

Thorns Among the Roses--Part 5

      It was our last day at Lourdes, and we would begin our day with Mass. It was to be celebrated at the Grotto. My heart was singing: another opportunity to stand in the place where Our Lady and St. Bernadette stood. I had gathered all of my prayer intentions, as well as those of family and friends and would place them in the box at the grotto to be lifted up in prayer. 

Thorns Among the Roses--Part 4

     We awoke to the sound of the city of Lourdes beginning to stir. It was early, but people were already starting their day. Our hotel was in the heart of town and from the balcony outside our bedroom, we could gaze upon the activity around us! 

Thorns Among the Roses--Part 3

     A pilgrimage is both exhilarating and exhausting! You want to make sure you get to see all the holy sites but at times, it is difficult to process it all. Therefore, after leaving Loyola, I was pleased to have a long bus ride to ponder our visit to Fatima before we arrived in Lourdes later that day.