Blog Post #9 - Marian Apparitions

I chose this picture of people getting water from Lourdes because you can see how many people line up to get a chance to take some of the Holy Water that Mary blessed. The water gives hope to thousands of people affected with life threatening diseases. It is so amazing how this water can cure people with horrible diseases and it can't be explained by science. 

1. The letter writers were people who wrote letters to gentiles and jews with the intention of converting them to christianity. They would write about how God is always with us and that he sent his only son to die for our salvation. They wanted these groups of people to have faith in God and to spread his message of love so that they could live with him in heaven for eternity after they pass away on Earth. Personally I feel like I could also share messages with other people like the letter writers did but the only difference would be the message I’m spreading. I would tell people that we need to stop intentionally trying to hurt people whether its with words or actions. The best way to get people to listen to this message is to post on social media either pictures or stories of people being mistreated. For example there has been screenshots of text messages from students at the high school in Parkland, Florida telling their loved ones that they might not make it out alive. It was heartbreaking having to read a freshman tell their mom they might not live. Reading these had a major effect on people to want to change the world for the better.

2. I learned a lot from going to a private catholic school for nine years. I went to Our Lady of Mount Carmel where I learned about the story of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for nine years. Each year I learned about her story I would learn something new. I also learned about Our Lady of Guadalupe each year and would go to her celebratory mass. But while doing this project I learned a lot about the some of the other stories of Mary appearing to people. I had no idea that there is 17 approved Marian Apparitions. My favorite appearance is when she appeared to Bernadette, a poor girl from France. Mary told Bernadette to dig at the ground and gallons of spring water came gushing out. People make pilgrimages to Lourdes to take a dip in those water and hope to be healed from their life threatening diseases. There has been 69 approved cases of people with terminal illnesses being cured after taking a dip in the waters. This is so amazing and shows just how powerful praying to Mary can be.

3. Mary is known as one of the most resilient people in history. She was given the most important task in history and took on the challenge of being the mother of God. She stayed strong through it all and I aspire to be like her. We see resilience within Mary’s work at Lourdes when she appeared to Bernadette at the grotto. Bernadette was told to come see Mary for fifteen days and was given a task each day that proved to be somewhat of a struggle for Bernadette. She had to convince her priest to build a basilica in the spot where Mary appeared. It is not easy to convince someone that Mary has appeared sending a message but Bernadette stayed resilient and because of that a church was built where thousand of people go a day to pray to Mary.

4. I see myself being most resilient when I’m put under pressure. When I’m playing soccer I have to work under a lot of pressure because if I mess up then the other team scores. Every pass, every save, and every direction I give as a goalie has to be perfect because my team relies on me to give them direction. It become extremely hard at times but it's at those times when I’m most resilient. Some days it becomes so hard with school work on top of all the soccer I have to play that it sounds really good to just give up. But because I love soccer so much I push continue to push myself harder each day.

Work Cited

MailOnline, Peter Allen for. “Scientist Who Made £1million Selling 'Digitally Enhanced Lourdes Holy Water with Healing Powers' Arrested.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 2 July 2010, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1291448/Scientist-1million-selling-digitally-enhanced-Lourdes-holy-water-healing-powers-arrested.html.