Twenty Seconds of Prayer

The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France is closed during this pandemic.  Considered a sacred site by the Catholic Church, it is the place where Mary, the Mother of God, is said to have appeared repeatedly to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Beside the grotto in which the apparitions occurred, is a spring said to have the ability to heal. 

When, in recent memory, have we needed healing more than now?

The pilgrimage site may be closed, but through the voice of Sr. Diane Zerfas of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids, we can experience the healing power of water from the springs of Lourdes to the seemingly infinite waters of Lake Michigan. 

At the core of that power is prayer. 

During this public health crisis when most of us are washing our hands longer and more frequently in water, why not use that time to pray? With so many voices raised in prayer so frequently throughout the day, perhaps we might emerge from this pandemic stronger, more willing to work together to care for each other and for our planet. Perhaps, through our prayers, God will work miracles.