TRANSFORMED THROUGH MARY'S REQUEST – 02/11/22 (Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes)

John 2:3,5-6

3When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."

5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." 6 Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 

For the full readings, click here: 

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings

For more information on the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, click here:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/february-11---our-lady-of-lourdes/

Blessed Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes! Today, we remember the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette at Lourdes. Through the powerful intercession of our Mother Mary, many people experience miraculous cures and conversions in this place of pilgrimage. In the same way, it was through Mary's request that the miracle of transforming water into the wine occurred. She saw the needs of the people, and she brought this up to our Lord Jesus. The six stone jars that contained gallons of water used for Jewish rite of purification signified that it's also through the intercession of Mary that we can be purified from our sins and transformed into new persons. 

The apparition of Mary and the gospel reading today has the same message, and it is the message of conversion. It is important to note that conversion is an ongoing process, and through our prayers and acts of love towards God and our neighbors, we grow in our virtues. Mary told the people in the gospel to do everything that Jesus told them. Unfortunately, our hearts become hardened when we do not listen to the voice of Christ and when we just want to hold onto our personal opinions and desires. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are also called to be intercessors. God reveals to us in our experiences the needs of many people, their problems and the sins we see around the world for us to come to Christ and beg for His mercy, not just for us, but for other people as well.

Jesus Christ, our Savior, loves His mother. He listens to her requests out of love, and it's because Mary is always united to God's will. As we pray for the needs of other people, may we strengthen our devotion to our Dear Mother Mary. When Mary first appeared in Lourdes, St. Bernadette prayed the rosary. Let's pray the holy rosary and offer it for our intentions and for the whole world. Just as how conversion is an ongoing process, may we always seek the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary continuously in our daily lives. In this way, our Lord Jesus will transform our hearts, and He will strengthen us to do whatever He tells us to do. 

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic