The Sunday Mass in the Lourdes Domaine was offered at the Basilica of Pius X. This Basilica is extraordinary both for its size and its presence in the Domaine. Walking around the grounds you will only notice a low rising grassy knoll on one side of the promenade. That is the Basilica. It was built underground so as not disturb the views of the surrounding hills with the Pyrenees looming on the southern horizon. Sloping pedestrian walkways lead down into a cavernous oblong church. The shape suggests a boat. I’m guessing that since the Basilica was dedicated to Pius X, a successor of St. Peter, then the shape is meant to conjure up the boat of Peter. Perhaps.
Well, this Christian vessel filled up quickly. By the time my team brought down the malade assigned to us, the place was abuzz with the preparation for Mass. The capacity of the Basilica is 25 thousand. The congregation was nearing that number.
The sanctuary is set in the middle with the nave extending out on either side. As is the custom, most of the malades in wheelchairs and stretchers are situated up close to the sanctuary. The altar is raised high on a predella of seven steps so even the congregants at the farthest ends of the Basilica are able to witness the sacramental ritual.
The Mass was a long but well conducted liturgy despite the large assembly. For communion, priests had to patiently and respectfully weave themselves among the wheelchairs, carts, and stretchers to bring communion to all the malades.
The music achieved what good liturgical music should do, the full participation of the faithful, gracefully accommodating an array of languages present. Hymns honored each language with a verse. The refrain was usually a simple verse in Latin. At one point there was a melancholic hymn sung in Arabic by a Christian woman from the Middle East with only the plaintive sound of flute to accompany her.
Awesome as this Eucharistic celebration was in the embrace of so many cultures and languages, the liturgy was also a reminder of the global mission of the Church. The gathering of God’s people from so many places around the world was possible only because Catholic pilgrims came from their local churches to this place in Lourdes, France. Even as we gathered, our liturgy united us with the families and communities that we have left behind. In a particular way, I was reminded of this by a text message from one of my brothers sending a picture of my youngest nephew celebrating his First Communion in Idaho. An already joyous liturgy was made even more delightful knowing that my nephew and I shared the one body of Christ. Though separated by many time zones and miles, we tasted together the goodness of Lord in the one Bread of Life.
This is perhaps one of the unspoken intention of pilgrimages, the many journeys weaves the Church even more tightly with the bonds of charity. Pilgrimages provide this epiphany of catholicity, a universality that is marvelously paradoxical. We gather as many pilgrims in this one particular place where there is a powerful personal witness of faith in the person of St. Bernadette. Her testimony about the young lady, the Virgin Mary, appearing to her resonates across a wide range of cultures and places. Each pilgrim brings a very particular, very personal, very Incarnational story of salvation.
As we all journey to honor Bernadette’s story, the wonderful ministry of Lourdes continues to reverence the personal testimony of faith and trust with which each pilgrim comes. Over and over again, the Word becomes flesh (cf. Jn. 1.14) in a particularly personal way. The one common note in this harmonious polyphony of faith is the song of Mary of Nazareth who gave birth to the Lord Jesus. The Mother of God is also the Mother of the Church. What joy it must give the Blessed Mother of Divine Mercy to see her children from around the world gathered around the saving altar of her Son, Jesus.
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