Our Lady of Lourdes - Eighth Book - Part 4

  WHILE God thus left His work to be discussed by man, He did not cease to grant visible graces to those humble and believing souls, who repaired to the miraculous Fountain to implore the sovereign power of the Virgin Mother.

  A child at St. Justin, in the department of Gers, Jean-Marie Tambourné, had been for some months entirely disabled in his right leg.  He suffered such excruciating pains in it, that his limbs had been violently twisted out of shape;  and his foot, completely turned outwards by his attacks of suffering, had formed a right angle with the other foot.  His general health had been speedily impaired and disorganized owing to his state of continual suffering, which deprived him of sleep as well as of appetite.  His parents, who were in tolerably easy circumstances, had exhausted, in hopes of effecting his cure, all treatment recommended by the medical men of the place.  Nothing could overcome the poor child’s inveterate infirmity.  Recourse had been had to the waters of Blousson, and to medicinal baths, but almost everything had failed.  Very slight temporary alleviation of his sufferings constantly led to disastrous relapses.

  His parents had lost all confidence in any means recommended by science.  Disgusted with the vain efforts of medical men, they turned their hopes towards the Mother of Mercy who, as it was said, had appeared at the Rocks of Massabielle.  On the twenty-third of September, 1858,  Jean-Marie was taken by his mother to Lourdes in a public conveyance.  The distance was long, being about fifty kilomètres.  On reaching the town, the mother, carrying her unfortunate son in her arms repaired to the Grotto.  She bathed him in the miraculous water, praying at the same time fervently to Her, who has willed to be called in the Rosary, “Health of the weak.”  The child had fallen into a kind of ecstatic state.  His eyes were wide open and his mouth half closed.  He seemed to be contemplating some strange spectacle.

  “What is the matter with you?” enquired his mother.

  “I see God and the Blessed Virgin,” he replied.  The poor woman on hearing these words experienced a profound commotion in her heart of hearts.  A strange perspiration stood in beads on her face.

  The child had come to himself again.

  “Mother,” he exclaimed, “my ailment is gone!  I do not feel any more pain.  I can walk.  I feel as well as I was long ago!”  
  Jean-Marie spoke the truth.  Jean-Marie was cured.  He returned to Lourdes on foot.  He dined and slept there. Simultaneously with the disappearance of his infirmity and pain, his appetite and sleep returned.  The next day, his mother returned to the Grotto to bathe him once more and had a Mass of thanksgiving celebrated in the Parish-Church of Lourdes.  Then, both started on their return homewards, but on foot, and not in any vehicle.

  When, after having slept en route, they reached St. Justin, the child perceived his father, who was on the high-road, looking out, no doubt, for the carriage which was to bring home his pilgrims.  Jean-Marie recognizing him from afar, let go of his mother’s hand and began to run towards him.

  The father almost fainted at the sight.  But his dearly-loved child was already in his arms.  “Father,” he exclaimed, “the Blessed Virgin has cured me!”

  The fame of this event spread like wild-fire in the town, where Jean-Marie was known by every one.  People came to see him in crowds from all quarters.

  In another instance, the sister of a notary at   Tarbes, Mademoiselle Jeanne-Marie Massot-Bordenave, had remained, in consequence of a long and serious illness, almost entirely deprived of the use of her hands and feet.  She could only walk with the greatest difficulty.  Her hands, which were constantly swollen, and of a purple color, caused her such pain that they were left almost entirely useless.  Her fingers, bent and stiff, could not be straightened, and were the victims of complete paralysis.  Having been to see her brother at Tarbes, she was returning to her own residence at Arras, in the Canton of Aucun.  She was alone in the interior of her coach when a flask of wine, given to her by her brother, became uncorked by accident.  Jeanne-Marie could neither pick it up nor replace the cork, owing to the complete weakness of her fingers.

  She was soon to pass near the town of Lourdes and asked the driver to be taken to the Grotto.  As soon as she arrived she plunged her hand into the miraculous water and felt her fingers instantly restored to life.  Her fingers straightened themselves, and suddenly found strength and flexibility.  Delighted, perhaps beyond her fondest hopes, she plunged her feet also into the miraculous water, and they were cured in the same way her hands had been.  She fell on her knees.  What did she say to the Virgin?  How did she thank her?  Such prayers, such bursts of gratitude, may be divined, but they cannot be written.

  After this, she put on again her stockings and shoes, and with a firm step, took the road leading to the town.

  A young girl was walking in the same direction, who was returning from the wood, and carrying on her head an enormous fagot.  The weather was warm, and this poor peasant was bathed with perspiration.  Exhausted with fatigue, she sat down on a large stone at the side of the road, placing at her feet her burden, which was too heavy for her weakness.  At that moment,  Jeanne-Marie Massot passed before her, returning active and radiant with joy from the Divine Fountain.  A good thought descended into her heart.  She drew near to the young peasant-girl.

  “My child,” she said to her, “the Lord has just granted me a most remarkable favor.  He has cured me;  He has removed my burden from me.  In my turn, I should like to assist and relieve you.”

  Saying these words, Marie Massot raised, with her hands so recently restored to life, the heavy fagot thrown on the ground, placed it on her head, and in this manner re-entered Lourdes from which, less than an hour before, she had issued infirm and paralyzed.  The first fruits of her restored strength had been nobly employed―they had been consecrated to charity.  “Freely ye have received―freely give,” is a text to be found somewhere in Holy Writ.

  A woman in the decline of life, Marie Capdevielle of the small town of Livron, in the vicinity of Lourdes, had been also cured of a most severe deafness which was beginning to become inveterate.

  “It appears to me,” she used to say, “as if I were in another world, when I hear the Church bells, which I had not heard for upwards of three years.”

  These cures and many others continued to attest, in a manner not to be gainsaid, the direct intervention of God.  God manifested his power in restoring health to the sick;  and, it was clear that, if He had permitted persecution, it was necessary for the carrying out of his designs.  It depended upon Him to cause its cessation, and for that purpose to incline, as was pleasing to Him, the will of the great ones of earth.