The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-07-02

of the sky itself was neither go blue nor 81
heavenly-an Image of what should bo th'
heart of Christian which desires to remain
pure in the service Of God. Now, 10 10 prayer
interior recollection, and union with Jesui
which in this world render us thus all heav
emily. "If you wish, you can be . heaven fol
Jesus Christ" said st. Ambrose long ego. And
St. Paul has said, in the name of all the faith
full, " Our life is in heaven" Let rs live in ed
vance, by the aspirations of our soul, where
we are all called to live eternaliy.
Yet more, the girdIe which confines the gar.
ment, and yet leaves liberty In moving, 10 the
emblem of what We should be ~ regards our
eternal sslvation-al ways ready to depart, de.
tsched from earth, mortified, temperate, free
| and active in the wsy of the commandments
of God.
/ The Blessed Virgin appeared with her feet
bare, and on each of them shone o luminous
rose. The bare feet of Mary teach rs evangel-
ical poverty-that beautiful and sublime viz
tue to which the Saviour has promised the
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the poor In
spirit, for they shall possess the kingdom of
heaven" Aud what lie the spirit of poverty, If
not sincere detachment from all earthly things,
humility of mind and of heart, the simplicity
which attaches itself TO God alone, and which
sacrifices to him unbesitatingly all that does
not fully agree with his holy lovef
There is nothing more edifying than this hue
mility-than this simplicity and poverty Of
mind like the roses in the apparitiou, they
shed everywhere the sweet odor of Jesus Christ
the divine perfume of the Gospel.
Finally, the Immaculate Virgin always had
her hands Joined in prayer, and held, either in
her sacred hands or hanging from her wrist,
the beautiful white and gold Rosary which
we have before described from Bernadstte's 40.
count.
By this Our Lady of Lourdes would remind
ne that we must pray always and without
ceasing"; that prayer should be to our soul
what breath is to our body; and that purity,
fervor, holiness are contained in that one
word-prayer.
The apparition did not reoite the Rosary
but abe presents it to ne, in the first place, as
an excellent manner of eficaciouS prayer, then
because the Rosary is the prayer of the simple,
of the humble and the poor. The good Virgin
.thus herself recommended to rs fidelity in re-
citing the Rosary. Has each of rs Rosary
Do we carry it always with usS Do We say IL
every dsyH Do we cay it with devotion and
recollection
CuSA oAO LAO 0LOAb ASboVho "AAON oAO SAdBbS
us by the Immaculate Conception of the the grot-
TO ofLourdes. Let us not forget them.
Mary usually kept her admirable eyes fxed
on little Bernadette. That look of the Queen
of heaven is fixed on each Of Us yes. Mary re-
Rards Ms, ss Jesus regards US. We
must never do anything to Rrieve those mater
nal eyes.
o sweet Virgin guard us amid the dangers
L. D., 81.
Church, guard all thy cbildrenl And grant
that we may initiate thee 90 faithfully on earth
that we may have the happiness OF living and
dying in the love of thy Son, our Lord and &c.
viour, Jesus Christ!
Glory be in heaven and on earth to the I'm
msculste Conception