The country of France has been the birthplace of many great saints, including the Association’s beloved Saints Catherine Labouré and Vincent de Paul. Saint Bernadette Soubirous, to whom Our Lady of Lourdes appeared, was also French, as was the young Carmelite, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, known throughout the world as “The Little Flower.” This term of endearment was actually a self-applied title found in Thérèse’s own childhood memoirs. She referred to herself as “the little flower” to express her desire for humility and meekness in the sight of the Lord whom she loved above all else.
As members and friends of our Lady’s Association prepare for this year’s spring pilgrimage to France, I want to share with you a quote from Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and invite you to spiritually join me and my fellow pilgrims in a most beautiful and fitting way. After you read the following passage, I encourage you to contemplate God’s immeasurable love for you and then allow our Lord to prompt your response.
“Jesus deigned to teach me this mystery. He set before me the book of nature; I understood how all the flowers He has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness
of the lily do not take away the perfume of the little violet or the delightful simplicity of the
daisy. I understood that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers. And so it is
in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden. He willed to create great souls comparable to lilies and
roses, but He has created smaller ones and these must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God’s glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists
in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.”
- Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Saint Thérèse, like many of the great saints, considered herself to be very simple - a violet or a daisy in a world of roses and lilies. It was in her simplicity and trust that “The Little Flower” softened her heart to do God’s will and receive his great graces!
Beginning May 18, and continuing through May 29, members of our Lady’s Association will make a pilgrimage to France. Highlights of this trip will be the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Basilica of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the Normandy Beaches, Sainte Mere Eglise, Rouen, Caen, Carentan, and Lourdes.
Throughout the pilgrimage, we wish to entrust our prayers to our Blessed Mother, asking her in confidence to help us in this life - in our own journey toward sainthood.
By sending your intentions you can be assured they will be remembered in prayer throughout this powerful pilgrimage through France.
As a way of spiritually supporting our men and women in the service, past and present, I also invite you to pledge the recitation of a rosary on Thursday, May 23, the same date that the pilgrims will be on the beaches of Normandy. Just think how much this will please our Lady to hear us all praying together, for each other!
Thank you so very much for your ongoing prayers and for your support of our Lady’s Association. Your contribution is helping to bring hearts to Jesus through his and our Blessed Mother. May Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal lead you and your loved ones in the simple, yet faithful footsteps of the saints!
Sincerely yours in Jesus and Mary,
Father Kevin McCracken, C.M.
Spiritual Director
P.S. Please remember to send your intentions to be remembered in prayer throughout this pilgrimage through France.
P.P.S. Request one or more of our pilgrimage souvenir gifts. These gifts will be held at our office until we return from our pilgrimage so they can be blessed with water from Lourdes before they are mailed to you.