SIMPLICITY=Saint Bernadette

WITNESS




April 16^th, 2013




SIMPLICITY---Saint Bernadette ( 1844-1879 )










Saint Bernadette was a visionary
And later a nun


She was the daughter of Francois Soubirous-a miller
And the oldest of six children
They lived in extreme poverty


At the age of 14, in 1958,
She experienced 18 visions
Of the Blessed Mother
At the rock of Massabielle, Lourdes


The Virgin-herself-told Bernadette
“I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION”


The Blessed Mother
Also told Bernadette to build a church
And to drink from a spring


At first---NO ONE believed her
Not even the church
But from that time
Until the present day
That spring
Produces 27,000 gallons of water a week


The POWER OF FAITH
The POWER OF SIMPLICITY
T he POWER OF---A BELIEVING HEART


As a child
Bernadette was an undersized youth
Who suffered from asthma


Her intellectual capacity was adequate---
YET SIMPLE
And some believed her to be stupid


Yet her veracity and courage
Were beyond dispute
She stuck to her story
Despite investigation
By both the clergy and state officials


She remained UNSHAKEN


SIMPLICITY-FAITH-BELIEF
The power of a believing heart


Because she was a subject
Of publicity and curiosity
She became a nun
And remained one for the rest of her life


She became cut off from Lourdes
And was NOT present
At the dedication of the Basilica


The only “extraordinary” moments
Of her life
Were those six months
In which she had18 visions
Of the Blessed Mother


We MUST NEVER FORGET
That God works through the ORDINARY
God works through THOSE WITH FAITH


God is NOT found in those
With great great minds
But those
WITH GREAT GREAT HEARTS


Bernadette was canonized in 1933
Not for her visions
But for---HER TOTAL COMMITMENT
And her SIMPLICITY, integrity, and trust
IN GOD and the BLESSED MOTHER


“To those who believe in God
No explanation is necessary
To those who don’t
No explanation is possible”


“I am the Immaculate Conception”


DO YOU BELIEVE?


Robert P. Wallman
2-23-12




WITNESS 4-16-13




Ps April 16^th is the feast day of Saint Bernadette
February 11^th, 1858 is the feast of the first apparition
Of Our Lady of Lourdes




4-16-2019