Feb-Ibig and Mama Mary’s Love

by Ma. Gisela Galang

While most will associate February with love and everything heart shaped, well,  it is  also the month of our dear Mother, our Lady of Lourdes, whose Immaculate Heart is also brimming with love for all of us.

Why not make Feb-ibig a month of  remembering Mama Mary’s highest expression of love – her readily agreeing to be the mother of our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.  It started our salvation history!

Like our own mothers, we can expect Mama Mary to be there in every season of our lives.  In times of joy, in our triumphs, pain and sorrow.  We can tell her anything.  We can run to her anytime.  Best of all, our Lord can’t say no to her.    She will always intercede for us.  We can take refuge “beneath her mantle blue”.  She is known for many titles, our Lady of Lourdes being one of them, but she is our one and the same mother who so love us.

From her first apparition to Saint Bernadette Soubirous 162 years ago, the devotion to our Lady of Lourdes is far and wide.  We are fortunate that we have the National Shrine of our Lady of Lourdes here in Quezon City.  While it will be a rare  privilege to be able to go to Lourdes in France, we need not spend as much to avail of the many graces afforded by our blessed Mother to all who come and ask for her intercession.

Pilgrims flock to  Lourdes  to be cleansed from sins and be cured of their illnesses, we are blessed that we have the national shrine to go to for these.

Lourdes is associated with the healing of the sick. While the holy water serves a tangible channel for physical healing, as Saint Bernadette said “…one must have faith and pray; the water will have no virtue without faith.”

The call of our Lady of Lourdes is for penance and for the forgiveness of sins.  Mama Mary is calling us to return to God’s love. 

We have a lot of activities lined up culminating on the Feast on February 11.  The 9-day novena masses already started.  There will be masses on the feast day on February 11 from 5:00 am onwards. Do you know that you can gain a Plenary Indulgence for visiting the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes anytime during the feast day?  What a blessing indeed!  Come and celebrate with us. 

Our Lord is waiting, come to our Lord Jesus Christ through Mama Mary.  Not just in this season of love but through all the seasons in our lives.  Mama Mary loves you. 

#NSOLLPH