LOURDES AND THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY



The beautiful thing about the true apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the ones that the Church has definitely approved, is ‘the Wisdom factor’, they are totally meaningful, showing that they come from the hand of a Creator who is all-wise. Able writers have pointed out how these resonate with the Bible - Fatima, for instance, having its pattern in the drama of the Book of Esther.

Their ability to satisfy the wise is in stark contrast to the ridiculousness of false ‘Marian’ apparitions, a fool’s gold that bewitches the gullible and which presents a ‘Madonna’ conformed to the world, the Madonna of the Antichrist.

Now, in the following EWTN article (too long to reproduce in full), wondrous comparisons are drawn between the apparitions at Lourdes (and Saint Bernadette) and the New Testament.

LOURDES AND THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY

THE NEARLY UNKNOWN MESSAGE OF LOURDES

http://www.ewtn.com/library/Prayer/ROSLOURD.HTM

In no way could the Blessed Mother appear anywhere on earth without God's permission. The coming of Our Lady at Lourdes is a great gift from God.

Many people know the name Lourdes and the fact that the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in France. If we ask the question: "Why did she come?" "What was her message?" Some suggest ideas like devotion to the rosary, penance and healing. That's about it.

We want to go much farther and we can give thanks to copious notes gathered by Fr. Cros and two French books by Fr. Michel Gasnier, OP, entitled "The Message of Lourdes" and "The Divine Comedy of Lourdes." With these we can go much further in our understanding of the message of Lourdes and be deeply uplifted by all that Mary and Bernadette did, by all that happened from February 11 to July 16, 1858. We need to know the deep meaning of what took place.

As we consider the apparitions, we realize that the first three apparitions were like an introduction.

February 11, 1858 Faith Mary appeared and Bernadette believed

February 14, 1858 With this appariti Bernadette wanted so much to see the Lady Hope

February 18, 1858 Charity Bernadette fell deeply in love with Mary

So the first three visits deal with faith, hope and charity. That is our invitation also as we say the first three "Hail Marys" in the rosary.

At the third apparition, a friend convinced Bernadette to bring a pen and paper and to ask the Lady: "Would you be so kind as to write your name and tell me what you want?" Our Lady answered: "What I have to tell is not necessary to put in writing. Would you do me the favor of coming here for fifteen days? In that way you will know who I am."

Mary has something to say. What is it?

But it will not be in writing. How will she do it?

Many historians of Lourdes wondered why Our Lady said so little. The answer could be simply because our human language is very poor to explain heavenly realities. The Bible regularly uses images; Jesus spoke in parables or with common every day examples; the Church uses symbolism. All these are excellent ways of giving a message. Mary used the same method. It is as if she says: the joys, the pains, the glory on the face of Christ are like what you see in Bernadette's face.

In Lourdes, Our Lady uses symbolic action. A picture is worth a thousand words. Mary used a simple way to give a message that can be understood by all. Mary wanted people to witness the apparitions. Thousands followed Bernadette. On March 4th, 20,000 people were there.

Of course symbolic interpretation is not the only way to explain the eighteen apparitions, but this way certainly coordinates all kinds of dimensions, sheds tremendous light unseen otherwise, gives precise meaning to an abundance of details otherwise unimportant, fits with all the other teachings of Lourdes, agrees with all the historical events, and, gives total meaning to all that happened.

This symbolic interpretation is a marvelous confirmation of the key point of the apparitions: the Rosary.

In fact, it is only after Bernadette began the recitation of the Rosary that Mary appeared and she left very soon after the Rosary. Lourdes is the land of the Rosary. The Rosary is its permanent prayer in many languages.

Once you hear this explanation you cannot forget it or brush it aside either.

So then what happened? Mary came for a very definite purpose. She came as a teacher with a teaching plan. All that took place is very supernatural. The mysteries of the Rosary equal the main events in the life of Jesus and Mary which will all be presented, acted out. "Mary will teach Bernadette and everyone for centuries how to say the Rosary, not only with our lips, but with our heart and spirit." (Gasnier)

"Mary chose Bernadette as an actress, a child of fifteen years of age, because of her purity and docility, using her to explain one after the other the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. She would act them out to show us how to meditate."

"To this end, Mary used a simple living tableaux, presentations, a word or gesture to point out the heart of a mystery. At times she may interrupt the recitation of the Rosary. Then a scene of the gospel would be presented to which some spectators were unknowingly drawn to play a role (Finding in the temple, Agony, Resurrection). On other occasions, Mary will condescend to become herself an actress (Finding in the temple and Assumption)."

The hillside, the rock wall, the Grotto with the niche with a double opening to the outside and inside of the Grotto served as a marvelous setting and backdrop for Our Lady to direct Bernadette as she acted out the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary with all the details that help us understand and meditate on the mysteries.

The apparitions took place between February 19 to April 7, 1858 with July 16th as a wonderful epilogue - encore, adieu.



February 19 - 24 the Joyful Mysteries

Bernadette is gracious, smiles, makes wonderful salutations, provokes our admiration - all done in ecstasy.

February 25 - March 1 the Sorrowful Mysteries

Bernadette is in pain, in poignant tragic action to the stupor of the crowd. No ecstasy at all.

March 2 - April 7 the Glorious Mysteries

Bernadette's face is transfigured, glowing. It's the glorification of the Grotto with ideas of procession, chapel to be built, all in midst of ecstasy.

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Clearly Bernadette is under the direction of Mary, like a stage director, who leads Bernadette through the fifteen mysteries. Bernadette acts a lot. At times, after the apparitions she did not remember certain things she did in ecstasy. For example, she did not know why she drank the muddy water or washed in it, except that very docile, she obeyed the Lady. On Bernadette's face can be seen joy, sorrow, jubilant joy, the very ideas of the fifteen mysteries, as she saw them in the face of Mary, like in a clear mirror. All this is revealing one after the other the successive sentiments animating the actors of the Gospel scenes, like an echo reaching deep in our own hearts. The total mystery finds its complete repercussion in Bernadette's soul and body.

She hears, listens, speaks, smiles, all according to what she sees in Mary. Her face, her hands, her gestures tell the story.



"I do like the Lady."

"She greets me, I greet her in the same way."

"Who showed you how to make the sign of the cross? I do like her."

"Why did you cry? ... because she cried."



Sometimes she looked like another person with great nobility.

Even when she did bizarre things, she did not seem crazy because her face was so calm.

On February 26th she made a gesture with great force, seemingly with a sense of irritation as under divine inspiration.

The Grotto reminds us of the Grotto in Bethlehem.

Her parents are poor like Mary and Joseph.

The blind Louis Bourriette recovers his sight at the Spring like the man at Siloam.

The sufferings of Bernadette are like the sufferings of Jesus in agony.

When she drinks and washes in muddy water people are scandalized as they were with Jesus.

Not only did Bernadette act at the Grotto, sometimes the mysteries were lived out during the day and even into the evening. Many people unknowingly were brought into the action as characters in the Bible, for example, Rosine Casenave, the aunts, uncles, parents, police commissioner, Mayor, forester, etc.

A very important note: If you switch the many details from one day to the next, they are meaningless, but on the day they happened, these details show different facets of that particular mystery. The recitation of the Rosary takes place in front of the Grotto. Mary, from the niche outside, or from the one inside the Grotto (there is a passage way from one to the other) directs the entire drama performed by Bernadette and others.

....

Such is the reasonableness and genuine satisfaction of a true Marian apparition. The false ones promise, as in the case of Naaman, healing from spiritual leprosy through the waters of Damascus, when only the Jordan (obedience to God’s will) can effect the cure. We highly recommend that you read the full article.