The Sign of The Cross

This morning at Mass, Father LeRoy talked about making the Sign of the Cross.

I’ve made the Sign of the Cross ever since I was little, so I guess I never thought much about it. But Father reminded us that it’s actually something very important.

When we make the Sign of the Cross, we’re telling the world that we belong to Jesus Christ. We’re not trying to show off. We’re simply not hiding our faith.

Later on, I was reading about the Mystery of the Cross, and it fit right in with Father’s homily.

The chapter said that when Jesus died on the Cross, many people thought He had been defeated. To them, it looked like everything was over. But God turned the Cross into a sign of victory.

Today the Cross is known all over the world. Saints loved it. Martyrs held onto it, even when it cost them their lives. And regular people, like us, still find comfort and hope in it every day.

Father LeRoy said it’s important for people to know that we’re believers. That doesn’t mean we have to make a big show of it. Sometimes it can be something as simple as making the Sign of the Cross before lunch at a restaurant. Or wearing a crucifix around our neck. Or speaking kindly when everyone else is grumbling and complaining.

Little things can tell people a lot about what’s in our hearts.

I think that’s what Father was trying to teach us. The Cross shouldn’t just hang on a wall. It should be part of the way we live.

Sometimes it’s easy to be a Catholic when you’re sitting in church with everyone else. But it can be a little harder when you’re out in public.

Still, Jesus wasn’t ashamed to carry His Cross for me. So I don’t want to be ashamed to show that I belong to Him.

Mini is never embarrassed to stay close to the people she loves. Maybe I should be more like that too.

So today I want to remember this:

Make the Sign of the Cross slowly.

Mean it.

Jesus carried the Cross for me.

So I’ll make the Sign of the Cross for Him.

Books, Blueberries, and Good Friends

Dear Diary,

This morning after Holy Mass, our Reading Club met beneath the old apple tree behind St. Mary’s Church. The branches were full of green leaves, and little patches of sunshine danced across the grass. Mini came along too and settled herself near my chair, keeping watch over everyone as if she were assistant librarian for the club.

Father LeRoy opened the meeting with a smile.

“Well, Kathy,” he said, “would you read your introduction to today’s chapter for us?”

I stood up with my notes, feeling a little nervous, and read my summary of the chapter from Our Lady of Lourdes. It told about how the events at Lourdes were beginning to attract the attention of important officials far away from the grotto. Some people believed, while others doubted, but the story showed how the truth could not be ignored forever.

When I finished, Father LeRoy nodded thoughtfully.

“That was very well done,” he said. “You helped us understand the chapter clearly.”

Then we talked about it together.

Robert said he was surprised at how much effort some government officials made to explain away the happenings at Lourdes.

“It seems,” he said, “that the more they investigated, the more people became interested.”

Sister Mary Claire agreed.

“Sometimes,” she said, “when people are certain something cannot be true, they stop looking at the evidence with an open mind.”

Father LeRoy added that faith and reason should work together.

“God is not afraid of honest questions,” he said. “The Church has always encouraged careful investigation before declaring a miracle.”

I thought that was one reason the Lourdes story is so interesting. The more the authorities examined it, the more witnesses and facts seemed to appear.

Mini listened quietly through the discussion. At least I think she was listening. She looked very serious, although she may have been hoping someone would drop a snack.

After the chapter discussion, Sister Mary Claire brought out a simple little lunch. She served bowls of creamy yogurt topped with fresh blueberries. Everyone enjoyed them while we sat under the tree talking about books, faith, and the beautiful summer morning.

Before we parted, Father LeRoy stood and folded his hands.

“Kathy,” he said, “would you read our closing prayer?”

So I opened my prayer book and read slowly:

“Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for this happy morning beneath the apple tree. Thank You for good books, faithful friends, and the gift of learning more about Our Lady of Lourdes. Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, and little Mini. Help us always love the truth, seek You with sincere hearts, and grow closer to You each day. Through the prayers of Our Blessed Mother, keep us faithful and joyful. Amen.”

Everyone answered, “Amen.”

Then we gathered our books, gave Mini a few pats, and headed home, already looking forward to our next meeting beneath the apple tree.

Love,

Kathy

Immaculate Conception

Dear Diary,

This morning after Holy Mass, the Readers Club met again under the apple tree behind the Church.  We settled ourselves in the grass and Mini curled up beside me, looking very serious, as if she knew this was an important chapter.

Father LeRoy had me open our Reading Club discussion with my chapter summery.

So I stood with my paper and read.

“Today’s chapter is about the wonderful words Our Lady said to Bernadette: I am the Immaculate Conception.

The book says that Our Lady did not say, ‘I am Mary, the Immaculate.’ She said something even deeper. She said, ‘I am the Immaculate Conception,’ as if purity was not only something she had, but something she was.

The chapter explains it in a way I liked very much. Something white can stop being white, but whiteness itself is always white. In the same way, Mary is not only pure. She is like purity itself, because God made her without any stain of original sin.

Then the chapter tells something very dear about Bernadette. She did not even know what the words Immaculate Conception meant. But because Our Lady had said them, Bernadette wanted to remember them exactly. So all the way back to Lourdes, step after step, she kept repeating, ‘Immaculate Conception, Immaculate Conception,’ so she would not forget before she reached the priest.”

When I finished, the group was quiet for a moment.

Sister Mary Claire folded her hands and said, “That part about Bernadette repeating the words is so dear. She did not understand them, but she was faithful to them. Sometimes obedience begins before understanding.”

Robert nodded. “She didn’t try to improve the message or explain it in her own way. She just carried the words exactly as Our Lady gave them.”

Father LeRoy smiled. “That is a very important point. Bernadette was poor, young, and uneducated, but she became a faithful messenger. The words themselves were far beyond her learning.”

I looked down at my paper and said, “I think Bernadette must have been afraid of forgetting. I can just see her walking quickly and whispering the words over and over.”

Sister Mary Claire said, “And perhaps each step became like a little prayer.”

That made me happy, because I had been thinking almost the same thing.

Then Father explained that the Church had solemnly taught the dogma of the Immaculate Conception only a few years before the apparitions at Lourdes. “So when Our Lady used those very words,” he said, “it was like Heaven itself was confirming what the Church had proclaimed.”

After the discussion, Sister Mary Claire brought out Baked Just Right chocolate chip cookies and served them with cold milk. The cookies were soft and sweet, and the milk was so cold that the glasses had little beads of water on them. Mini watched carefully, but Sister told her that cookies were not for Corgis, even very faithful ones and then slipped her a puppy treat.

Before we ended, Father LeRoy asked me to read the Club prayer. So I unfolded my paper and read:

 

 
Father made the Sign of the Cross, gave the dismissal, and we all gathered our books.

As I walked away from the apple tree, I kept thinking of Bernadette hurrying along the road, repeating the words at every step.

Immaculate Conception. Immaculate Conception.

I hope I can remember holy things that carefully too.

Love,
Kathy

 

She Tells Us Her Name

Dear Diary,

This morning after Holy Mass, our Reading Club met again under the apple tree behind St. Mary’s. It was a beautiful place to read about Lourdes, because the leaves made a soft roof over us, and the light came through in little patches on the grass. Mini settled beside my chair as usual, watching everything as if she were the official club guard.

Father LeRoy asked me to begin with the little introduction I had written for today’s chapter.

So I stood up with my paper and read:

“Today’s chapter tells about March 25th, the Feast of the Annunciation. Since the last day of the Quinzaine, Bernadette had gone back to the Grotto several times, but not in the same way as before. She had not felt that strong inward call that had drawn her there during the Apparitions.

“But on this morning, she heard the call again. She went at once to Massabielle, full of hope, because she felt she was going to see the beautiful Lady once more.

“By this time, everyone in Lourdes watched Bernadette closely. When people saw her walking toward the Grotto, they said, ‘Bernadette is going to the Grotto,’ and soon a crowd hurried after her.

“The snow had melted in the valley, though it still rested on the mountain peaks. The sky was clear, and the morning was bright. It was the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Church remembers the Angel Gabriel coming to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“At the Grotto, Bernadette saw the Apparition again. She asked several times, ‘O Lady, would you have the kindness to tell me who you are and what is your name?’ At first the Lady only smiled and grew more radiant. Then at last she joined her hands, raised her eyes toward Heaven, and said, ‘I am the Immaculate Conception.’

“This was the answer everyone had been waiting for. The beautiful Lady of the Grotto was the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

When I finished, no one spoke right away. It seemed as if the words were still resting under the apple tree with us.

Then Sister Mary Claire said, “What a beautiful thing, that Our Lady gave her name on the Feast of the Annunciation. On that day, Mary first said yes to God. And at Lourdes, she came again to lead souls back to Him.”

Father LeRoy nodded. “And we must remember,” he said, “that Bernadette was only a poor, simple child. She did not invent those words. ‘I am the Immaculate Conception’ was far beyond what she would have understood on her own. That is one reason the words were so powerful.”

Robert said, “It makes me think of how Heaven speaks simply, but deeply. The Lady did not give a long speech. She only said who she was, and that was enough.”

Father smiled. “Yes, Robert. Sometimes the greatest truths come in the fewest words.”

Sister added, “And Bernadette kept asking humbly. She did not demand. She said, ‘Would you have the kindness?’ That is a good lesson for prayer too.”

I liked that very much. Bernadette was brave, but she was never proud. She was little before Heaven, and maybe that is why Heaven could use her.

After the discussion, Father LeRoy suddenly said, “One moment,” and hurried into the rectory. We all looked at one another, wondering what he was doing. A few minutes later he came back carrying a tray with twelve banana splits he had made beforehand.

There were bananas, ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and cherries on top. Mini sat up very straight when she saw them, but Sister Mary Claire told her that banana splits were not part of a Corgi’s vocation.

Father said, “A feast day deserves a feast.”

Everyone laughed, and we ate slowly under the apple tree. I thought it was one of the happiest Reading Club days we have had.

When we were finished, Father asked me to read the Reading Club prayer before he dismissed us. So I unfolded the paper and read:
 

Father made the Sign of the Cross and gave the dismissal. Everyone began gathering books and spoons and empty dishes, but I stayed still for a moment under the apple tree.

Today we had read the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

And somehow, even in our little churchyard in Iowa, it felt as if Lourdes had come very near.

Love, 

Kathy

Watching Lourdes from the Apple Tree

 
Dear Diary,

This morning after Holy Mass, our Reading Club met again beneath the apple tree behind St. Mary’s. The shade was cool, the leaves were rustling, and Mini took her usual place beside me as if she had been appointed guardian of the meeting.

Robert surprised everyone by coming with a box of fresh doughnuts with chocolate frosting.

“These are to make up for the day-olds,” he said.

Father LeRoy laughed and said, “A penance well performed, Robert.”

After we settled down, Father asked me to read my little chapter introduction.

Today’s chapter began with a change in the weather at Lourdes. For many days the Apparitions had been favored with beautiful sunshine, but on March fifth, snow came and fewer people could go to the Grotto. Yet the miracles did not stop. In fact, the cures increased.

I told about Benoîte Cazeaux, who had been sick in bed for three years and was considered incurable. After drinking the water from the Grotto and using it with faith, she was suddenly well. I also told about Blaisette Soupenne, whose eyes had suffered terribly for years. Doctors and remedies had failed her, but after she turned to Our Lady and used the water, she was cured.

When I finished, Sister Mary Claire said softly, “The snow slowed the footsteps of the people, but it could not stop the mercy of God.”

Father LeRoy nodded. “That is the lesson. God’s grace does not depend on sunshine. Sometimes His greatest works appear when everything outwardly looks cold and discouraging.”

Robert said he kept thinking about how the doctors had done all they could. “But what men could not do,” he said, “God did.”

Father answered, “True miracles do not insult reason. They remind reason that God is greater than nature, because He made nature.”

We were all quiet after that. Even Mini seemed thoughtful, though she may have been thinking about the doughnuts.

Before we finished, Father asked me to read the prayer I had written yesterday. So I unfolded my paper and read:

Afterward, Father made the Sign of the Cross and said, “That is a good prayer,  it will be our official Readers Club Prayer.  

I tucked the paper back inside my book. Beneath the apple tree, with the pages of Our Lady of Lourdes open before us, it felt as if the Grotto had come a little nearer.

Love,
Kathy

Truth Beneath the Apple Tree

Dear Diary

This morning after Holy Mass, our Reading Club met in its regular place beneath the big apple tree behind St. Mary’s Church. The morning air was fresh, and the leaves made little moving shadows on the grass. Mini settled beside me as if she had been appointed official club watchdog.

Father LeRoy smiled and said, “Kathy, would you read your chapter summary for us?”

So I stood with my notes and read.

This chapter was about how some of the unbelievers at Lourdes did not want to face the real miracles. The cures were being talked about everywhere, and people kept coming to the Grotto. But instead of honestly looking into what had happened, certain newspaper writers began making up strange stories that nobody at Lourdes had ever claimed.

They ignored the real cures and the real people who had been healed. Instead, they printed silly and frightening tales so they could laugh at them later and pretend they had disproved everything.

When I finished, Robert shook his head. “If the facts were on their side,” he said, “they would not have needed to invent anything.”

Sister Mary Claire said softly, “Truth does not need tricks. But pride often does.”

Father LeRoy nodded. “And the Church is careful with miracles,” he told us. “God performs them. The Church does not make them true. She only investigates and judges carefully.”

That made the chapter easier for me to understand.

After our discussion, Father LeRoy went into the parish hall and came back rolling out his old White Mountain ice cream maker. Everyone smiled because we knew something good was coming.

Then Father brought out several boxes of doughnuts and told us what had happened.

“I stopped by the bakery last night just before closing,” he said. “The doughnuts were marked half price, so I thought I would buy some for the Reading Club.”

Then he grinned.

“But when Sasha heard they were for our Reading Club, he would not let me pay. He said they were on the house.”

Everyone thought that was so kind of him.

The doughnuts had been made the old-fashioned way with beef tallow, and they were wonderful. The outside was lightly crisp and golden, while the inside stayed soft and fluffy. They tasted rich and warm in the way old-fashioned food always seems to taste better.

Soon we were eating Sasha’s doughnuts with homemade vanilla ice cream under the apple tree. Mini sat very still beside me, watching every bite and hoping someone might drop a crumb from breakfast.

Before we left, Father LeRoy handed me a prayer that he wrote and asked me to read it.

Then we gathered our books, said goodbye until tomorrow, and headed home.

It was a lovely morning.

Love,

Kathy

When The Truth Stood

Dear Diary,

Today our Reading Club met again outdoors under the Apple Tree behind St. Mary’s. The branches made a green roof over us, and the little shadows moved all over the grass whenever the breeze came through. Father LeRoy brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts, coffee for the grown-ups, and hot chocolate for the rest of us. Mini sat close by, looking very hopeful every time someone picked up a doughnut.

Before we began, Father LeRoy asked me to read my overview of the chapter. I felt a little shy, but I had written it carefully, so I stood up with my paper and began.

This chapter was about the miracles at Lourdes after the spring began to heal people. At first, the government men and prosecutors had tried very hard to stop people from believing in the Apparition. They did not want anyone saying that Heaven had come so near to earth. But now the matter was different. The miracles were not hidden inside Bernadette’s heart, where only she could see them. They were happening in public, in sick people who were suddenly made well.

Some had been blind and could see again. Some had been lame and could walk. Some had been very near death and were restored. These were not little rumors whispered in corners. Everyone could look at them, ask questions, and investigate.

That is what struck me most. If the officials really believed the miracles were false, then this was their chance. They could have examined everything. They could have questioned the healed people, their families, the doctors, and the witnesses. They could have tried to prove that it was all a mistake.

But they did not.

The chapter says they did nothing because unbelief can be very cautious. It may speak loudly when the truth seems far away, but when the truth stands right in front of it, it becomes afraid. The officials had been bold against Bernadette, a poor little girl. But when the cures became plain and public, they stepped back.

I thought about that for a long time.

It made me think that sometimes people do not disbelieve because there is not enough light. Sometimes they disbelieve because they do not want to open their eyes. The chapter says that even the sun cannot make a person see if he shuts his eyes on purpose. That made me feel quiet inside.

I do not want to be like that. I do not want to turn away from the truth just because it asks something of me. If God gives light, I want to receive it. If He shows His mercy, I want to be grateful. And if He does something wonderful, I do not want to shrug my shoulders and pretend I did not see.

After I finished reading, no one spoke for a moment. Even Mini was still.

Then Father LeRoy said, “That is a very important lesson, Kathy. Faith is not only about seeing. It is also about being willing to see.”

Sister Mary Claire nodded and said that a proud heart can hide from God even in broad daylight, but a humble heart can find Him in a quiet place, even under an apple tree.

Robert said he thought the chapter was almost like a courtroom scene, except that the people who wanted to accuse Lourdes were afraid to bring the case to trial. Father smiled at that and said, “Sometimes silence tells the truth better than an argument.”

Then we had our doughnuts and hot chocolate. The doughnuts were soft and sweet, and I got a little powdered sugar on my paper, but I did not mind. It looked like a tiny white snowflake had fallen right on Lourdes.

When the meeting was over, Father LeRoy stood beneath the Apple Tree and took off his hat. We all grew quiet. The leaves moved softly above us, and the afternoon seemed very still.

Then Father prayed:

“Dear Lord Jesus,
You are the Truth and the Light of the world.
Keep our hearts humble before Your works.
Do not let us close our eyes when You are near.
Teach us to welcome Your grace with faith,
to recognize Your mercy with gratitude,
and to follow You with courage.
Bless our little Reading Club,
bless all who suffer,
and bring every soul closer to Your Sacred Heart.
Amen.”

The Miracle Witnessed

Dear Diary,

Today after Holy Mass, our Reading Club met again under the apple tree behind St. Mary’s Church.

It was such a pretty place to gather. The leaves made a green roof over our heads, and the little apples were beginning to show among the blossoms. Mini settled herself in the grass beside me, looking very serious, as if she planned to listen to every word.

Sister Mary Claire brought a special treat today. She had baked an apple pie and brought heavy cream to spoon over the top. There was just enough for a thin slice for everyone, but that made it feel even more special. Robert said a small slice of Sister’s apple pie was better than a big slice of almost anything else.

After everyone had found a place to sit, Father LeRoy asked me to introduce Part 9 of Our Lady of Lourdes. I felt a little shy, but I stood up with my paper and read the little essay I had written.

“Today we learned that more and more people were being healed at Lourdes. There were so many cures that the author could not tell about every one of them. He said he only wanted to write about the ones that had been carefully checked.

“These healings were not secret stories. They happened to real people from Lourdes. Their neighbors knew them, and anyone who wanted to ask questions could do so. A man’s lump on his wrist disappeared. A woman who had been deaf for many years could hear again. A man who had been lame was able to walk properly.

“To me, this chapter says that truth does not need to hide. If something is really from God, it can stand in the light.”

When I finished, the apple tree was quiet except for the breeze moving through the leaves.

Robert said, “That is what makes it so strong. The people could be questioned. Their neighbors could say whether it was true.”

Sister Mary Claire nodded and said, “Faith is not afraid of honest questions. But sometimes people are afraid of the answers.”

Father LeRoy looked at us kindly.

“That is a very important lesson,” he said. “God gives light, but He does not force anyone to open their eyes. We must ask for humble hearts, so that when truth is placed before us, we will receive it.”

Mini gave one little bark just then, and everyone laughed.

Robert said, “I think Mini has voted.”

Then Sister served the apple pie with a spoonful of heavy cream on each slice. My piece was thin, but it tasted wonderful. We ate slowly, and I think everyone was trying to make it last.

Before everyone headed home for lunch, Father LeRoy folded his hands and prayed.

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of truth and for every sign of Your love. Help us not to be afraid of the light You send. Give us humble hearts, honest minds, and faith that listens. Bless our Reading Club, our parish, and all who are learning about Our Lady of Lourdes. May Mary lead us always closer to her Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

We all answered, “Amen.”

Then we gathered our books and papers. Mini trotted ahead as if she knew the way home better than anyone.

Love,

Kathy

The Child Who Walked

 

Dear Diary,


This morning after Holy Mass, Father LeRoy invited everyone to gather beneath the big apple tree behind St. Mary’s Church for our Reading Club meeting. The weather was beautiful, with a gentle breeze moving through the branches overhead. Sister Mary Claire spread out a blanket, and several folding chairs were placed in the shade. Mini found a comfortable spot beside me and seemed perfectly happy to spend the morning outdoors.

When everyone was settled, Father LeRoy offered a prayer, and then Sister Mary Claire asked if I was ready to read my summary of Part Eight.

I stood up with my paper in hand and told everyone about a little boy named Justin who lived in Lourdes. Justin was only about two years old, but he had been sick nearly his whole life. He was very weak and thin. He had never been able to walk, and his poor parents had watched him grow weaker month after month.

One day Justin became so ill that everyone believed he was dying. His breathing was barely noticeable, and his little body lay completely still. Even his father thought the end had come. A neighbor had already begun preparing a burial cloth for him.

But Justin’s mother, Croisine, refused to give up hope.

She had heard about the Grotto where Our Lady had appeared to Bernadette and about the spring that had begun flowing there. Taking her child into her arms, she hurried to Massabielle, determined to place him under the care of the Blessed Virgin.

When she arrived, she prayed with all her heart. Then she carried Justin to the spring. The water was icy cold. The people gathered there were horrified when they saw her lower her child into it.

Some shouted for her to stop.

Others thought grief had made her lose her senses.

But Croisine kept praying. She believed that God and Our Lady would care for her little boy.

After a long time, she carried Justin home. His body felt cold, and everyone around her believed he was gone. Yet Croisine never stopped trusting.

Then, a short while later, she bent over the cradle and suddenly cried out, “He’s breathing!”

Justin slept peacefully through the night. By morning there was color in his cheeks. Soon afterward, he wanted to leave his cradle and walk.

The next day, when his mother returned home, she found the cradle empty.

Little Justin, who had never walked in his life, was standing and moving around the room.

As I finished reading, the shade beneath the apple tree seemed especially quiet.

Father LeRoy folded his hands and said, “That is a reminder that hope should never be abandoned. God can do what we cannot imagine.”

Sister Mary Claire nodded and said, “What touches me most is the faith of Justin’s mother. She trusted God even when everything seemed lost.”

Robert leaned back in his chair and looked up through the apple branches.

“I suppose,” he said, “that must have been the happiest walk any mother ever saw.”

That made everyone smile.

I said that what stayed with me was how Croisine kept believing when nobody else did. Sometimes faith means holding on when all the evidence says to let go.

Father LeRoy said that many of the miracles at Lourdes begin with simple trust in God’s mercy.

After our discussion ended, Robert surprised everyone by bringing out lunch. Then he carried over a vanilla cake and several cartons of ice cream he had brought along in a cooler.

The cake was soft and delicious, and the ice cream tasted wonderful on a warm day beneath the apple tree. Mini sat politely nearby, watching every plate with great interest and hoping someone might remember her.

Before we went home, Father LeRoy asked if I would close our meeting with a prayer.

Dear Blessed Mother,

Thank You for the story of little Justin and for the faith of his mother.

Help us to trust God when life seems difficult and when answers do not come quickly.

Teach us to pray with confidence, to hope with courage, and to remember that nothing is impossible for God.

Please watch over our families, our parish, and all who are sick or discouraged today.

And may we always walk with Jesus, just as little Justin learned to walk again.

Amen.
Goodnight, Diary.

— Kathy

Click to Read

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

June 13, 1956

Dear Diary,

This morning was the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which made Holy Mass feel extra beautiful. Robert picked us up as usual and right on time, and Mini rode along happily.

After Mass, we gathered in the parish hall for Reading Club. The bagels, cream cheese, butter, and strawberry jam from yesterday were still in the church kitchen refrigerator. Sister Mary Claire toasted the bagels, and they were warm and yummy. Mini watched carefully for crumbs.

Father LeRoy asked me to open the discussion with my summary of Part VII. I said the chapter explained the meaning of Our Lady’s strange request to Bernadette: to go to the rock, drink, wash, and eat of the plant. Bernadette obeyed, even though no one understood. When she dug in the ground, a spring appeared. At first it was muddy, but soon it became clear and plentiful.

The author said the spring was a lesson from Heaven. People often look for happiness in things that do not last, but Our Lady was pointing them to God’s grace. Bernadette’s humble obedience reminded me of Mary’s Immaculate Heart, always ready to say yes to God.

Father LeRoy said Our Lady leads us gently but asks for trust. Sister Mary Claire said humility opens the door to grace. Robert said folks often look for water in dry places when God has already shown them the spring.

Tonight I am thankful for Holy Mass, Our Lady’s loving heart, warm bagels, and the hidden spring at Lourdes.

Dear Blessed Mother, keep me humble and trusting like Bernadette. Amen.

Click to Read

Kathy Reads on the Feast of the Sacred Heart

June 12, 1956

Dear Diary,

This morning was so pretty that Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and I decided to walk to St. Mary’s for Holy Mass. The fields were green and shining in the morning light, and Mini kept trotting ahead like she was the leader of the whole road.

We had not gone too far when we heard Robert’s pickup coming behind us. Sister waved him down, and he stopped with a smile.

“Well now,” he said, “it looks like I found three pilgrims on the way to church.”

We climbed in gladly, especially because Sister was carrying bagels, cream cheese, butter, and strawberry jam for Reading Club. Mini settled right in as if Robert had come especially for her.

After Holy Mass, Father LeRoy invited everyone to gather in the parish hall. Sister unpacked the bagels and spreads, and since the church had a toaster in the kitchen, she toasted them until the whole room smelled warm and delicious. Father poured coffee, and there was hot cocoa too.

Mini sat under the table and watched carefully for crumbs. She looked so serious about it that I think she believed it was her official Reading Club duty.

When everyone was settled, Father LeRoy asked me to open the discussion with my little summary of Part VI of Our Lady of Lourdes.

I told everyone that this chapter was about the last day of the fifteen visits Bernadette had been asked to make to the Grotto. By then, news about the spring and the cures had spread everywhere. People came to Lourdes from all directions—some in wagons and carriages, some on horseback, and many on foot.

There were so many people gathered around the Grotto that the hills, roads, and fields were covered with them. The author said there may have been twenty thousand. Some came with strong faith. Some came with doubts. Some were only curious. But all of them were drawn to the same holy place.

When Bernadette arrived with her mother, the crowd became very excited and called her “the youthful saint.” But Bernadette did not act proud. She hardly seemed to notice the praise at all. Her heart was fixed on seeing the beautiful Lady again.

Then the great crowd became quiet. When Bernadette knelt, everyone knelt. The author said it became so still that the people could hear the river and the little spring bubbling near the Grotto.

That was my favorite part. I could almost see it in my mind—the huge crowd, the quiet morning, the Grotto, the spring, and Bernadette kneeling there with Heaven so near.

After my summary, Father LeRoy led the discussion. He said Our Lady seemed to be calling every kind of person to Lourdes: believers, doubters, the sick, the curious, the poor, and the important. Sister said that sometimes grace begins when a person simply comes close enough to listen.

I liked that very much.

When Reading Club was over, the bagels were nearly gone, and Mini looked very satisfied, though I cannot prove how many crumbs she found.

Robert offered to drive us home, but the day was still so lovely that we decided to walk. Mini approved right away and went trotting down the road ahead of us like a small red-and-white pilgrim.

Tonight I am thankful for Holy Mass, warm bagels, good friends, and the story of Bernadette. Most of all, I am thankful that Our Lady calls people gently, even when they come with questions.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, help me to be humble like Bernadette and quiet enough to hear Your voice. Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, and little Mini. Please keep us close to Your Blessed Mother and safe through the night.

Amen.

Click to Read

Patient Faith at Lourdes

June 11, 1956

Dear Diary,

Robert came early this morning to pick up Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and me. He had been reading ahead in Our Lady of Lourdes and said he could hardly stop. On the way to St. Mary’s, he talked about Bernadette, the spring, the crowds, and what might happen next.

After Holy Mass, Father LeRoy invited everyone downstairs to the parish hall for the Reading Club. He reminded folks that copies of Our Lady of Lourdes were still available at the back of the church.

We met just like the first time, around the tables in the parish hall. Sister Mary Claire counted ten in attendance, counting Mini.

“That is pretty good for a small congregation,” Sister whispered.

Father LeRoy opened with a prayer. Then he looked at me and smiled.

“Kathy, I believe you have today’s summary,” he said.

I stood up with my paper in both hands. My heart beat fast, but Sister Mary Claire gave me a little nod, and Mini sat beside my chair as if she were listening too.

I read:

“Part 5 is about M. Massy, a government official who did not believe the events at Lourdes were from God. Instead of waiting patiently for the Church to investigate, he wanted to stop everything quickly. He had the Grotto watched day and night and arranged for soldiers and police to be ready near Lourdes.

“What struck me most is that the people had been peaceful, but the officials acted as if trouble was already coming. The Bishop waited carefully, but M. Massy rushed ahead. I think this chapter shows the difference between patient faith and fearful control.”

When I finished, Father LeRoy nodded kindly.

“Well done, Kathy,” he said.

Robert started clapping first, and then everyone joined in. Mini looked around as if she thought the applause might be for her.

After that, the discussion began. Robert said the people at the Grotto seemed peaceful. They were praying, filling bottles from the spring, and going home.

“Why send soldiers if nobody is causing trouble?” he asked.

Father LeRoy said large crowds can make officials uneasy, especially when something unexpected is happening.

“Fear often grows when people think they must control everything,” Father said. “The Bishop was willing to wait and learn more. Others wanted answers immediately.”

Sister Mary Claire said the Bishop’s patience impressed her most.

“Patience is often quieter than force,” she said, “but much wiser.”

Then Father LeRoy said, “Truth is never harmed by an honest investigation.”

I liked that very much and wrote it in my notebook.

Afterward Father LeRoy brought out Krispy Kreme doughnuts, coffee, and hot cocoa. Everyone stayed a while longer, talking about Lourdes and what might happen next. Mini made her rounds beneath the tables, collecting smiles and a few crumbs.

On the way home, Robert said he might read just one more chapter tonight.

Sister Mary Claire laughed and said, “Only one?”

I think she knows him pretty well.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You for Holy Mass, for our Reading Club, and for friends who love the story of Lourdes. Help me to be patient when I do not understand something right away. Teach me to seek the truth with a peaceful heart and never to rush to judgment. Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Mini, and everyone who came today. Amen.

Good night, dear Diary.

Love,
Kathy

Resolution: Tomorrow I will try to listen carefully before making up my mind.

Dear Jesus, You know that I love You.

Click to Read

A Good Man’s Doubt

 
Dear Diary,

After Holy Mass this morning, everyone gathered in the parish hall for our Lourdes Reading Club. Father LeRoy had a table waiting with Crispy Creme doughnuts, coffee for the grown-ups, and hot cocoa for the rest of us. Mini sat very politely beside my chair, hoping someone might accidentally drop a crumb. There were six people at the meeting today, and seven if you counted Mini, which I always do.

When everyone had settled in, Father asked if I would read my little review of Part 4 from Our Lady of Lourdes.

I told them that this chapter was mostly about the Prefect, M. Massy, one of the government officials watching the events at Lourdes. He was a good Catholic man who believed the miracles in the Bible, but he had trouble believing God might still be working miracles in his own time. He liked rules, laws, and order, and he thought everything should stay within those boundaries.

What struck me most was that he was not a bad man at all. In fact, he was intelligent, honest, and respected by everyone. The author seemed to be saying that sometimes good people can become so certain of their own understanding that they have difficulty recognizing something new when God places it right before them.

Father LeRoy nodded when I finished and said that humility is important because God often surprises us. Sister Mary Claire said that sometimes faith begins when we admit we do not have all the answers.

I thought that sounded very much like Bishop Laurence, who was carefully listening to all the evidence instead of rushing to a conclusion.

Afterward we enjoyed doughnuts and hot cocoa while everyone talked about what might happen next in the story. Mini received several pats on the head and looked very pleased with herself. She may not understand Lourdes, but she certainly understands doughnuts.

The afternoon was quiet back at Camp Littlemore. I spent some time reading on the porch steps while Mini lay nearby in the shade. The fields looked greener than they did just a few days ago, and the breeze carried the smell of fresh-cut hay from somewhere down the road.

Tonight I am thinking about how easy it must be to miss God’s work when we become too certain of ourselves. I hope I can always keep a little room in my heart for wonder.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Holy Mass, for good friends, and for another chapter of the story of Lourdes. Help me to be humble and willing to listen when You speak. Give me wisdom like the Bishop, faith like Bernadette, and a heart that is open to Your surprises.

Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, and everyone in our reading club. Please watch over Mini while she sleeps tonight.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Amen.

Good night, Dear Diary.

Love,

Kathy

The Reading Clubs First Meeting

Dear Diary,

This morning Robert came early for Mass, but the day was so lovely that Sister Mary Claire said we ought to walk. Robert parked by the chicken house and walked the last half mile with us to St. Mary’s.

The fields looked greener than yesterday, and Mini trotted happily in front of us. After Mass, the Reading Club met for the first time near the back pews. Father LeRoy had his copy of Our Lady of Lourdes and said there were plenty of books at the back of the church for anyone who wanted to read along. Sister Mary Claire sat beside me, Robert stood quietly nearby, and Mini tucked herself close under the pew.

Then Father LeRoy asked me to read the summary I had written out.

My hands felt warm and nervous on the paper, but Sister gave me a small nod.

This is what I read:

Today’s chapter is about the Bishop’s discernment.

Abbé Peyramale went to Bishop Laurence and told him all that had been happening at Lourdes. He explained about Bernadette’s visions, the words spoken by the Apparition, the spring that came forth, the sudden cures, and the great stirring of the whole town.

The Bishop listened carefully, but he did not believe too quickly. He knew that God can do marvelous things, even through a poor little girl, but he also knew that such things must be tested. The chapter says he was like St. Thomas, because he wished to see before he believed.

I think this was wise. If Bishop Laurence had believed at once, people might have said he was carried away by excitement. But because he waited and asked for true proofs, his belief would mean more when the time came.

There were many reports, much confusion, and many excited people in Lourdes. Abbé Peyramale himself had not seen everything with his own eyes. The Bishop understood that sometimes we must stand at a little distance from events before we can see them clearly.

So he did not say yes, and he did not say no. He chose to wait, observe, and gather trustworthy reports. He did not remove the order keeping the clergy from the Grotto, but he arranged to be informed each day about what happened there, especially the cures.

I think Bishop Laurence teaches us that the Church is not afraid to wait. If the events were false, time would uncover the error. But if they were from God, they would grow stronger and prove themselves.

When I finished reading, I folded my paper and looked down for a moment. Then Father LeRoy said, “Very good, Kathy. That is exactly what discernment means. The Bishop was not closing his heart. He was guarding the truth.”

Sister Mary Claire said softly that prudence is not the enemy of faith. It is one of the ways faith stays honest.

Robert said he liked the part about standing at a little distance to see things clearly. He said farmers know that too, because sometimes you cannot see the shape of a field when you are standing right in the middle of it.

That made everyone smile, even Father.

On the way home, I thought about Bernadette and Bishop Laurence at the same time. Bernadette had to be simple and obedient. The Bishop had to be careful and patient. Both had their own duty before God.

I hope I can learn both lessons. I want to believe with a simple heart, but I also want to love the truth enough to wait for it.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, please help me to be faithful like Bernadette and wise like Bishop Laurence. Teach me not to rush ahead of the truth, and not to be afraid when something must be tested. Bless Father LeRoy, Sister Mary Claire, Robert, Mini, and our little Reading Club at St. Mary’s. May every chapter bring us closer to You and to Our Blessed Mother.

Resolution

Tomorrow I will try to listen carefully before I speak, and remember that truth does not need to hurry.

Click to Read this Chapter

The Reading Club

Dear Diary,

This morning Good Neighbor Robert came early to pick us up for Holy Mass, but it was such a gorgeous day that we all decided to walk the half mile to St. Mary’s instead. Mini was the happiest of all and trotted ahead with her big smile, then came running back as if she wanted to hurry the rest of us along.

As we came near the church, I saw a banner stretched across the front lawn. I knew it was a banner right away, but we were still too far off to read what it said. Mini noticed something was different too, and ran ahead as fast as her little legs would go to see what was happening. When we got closer, I could finally see the words: St. Mary’s Reading Club — Our Lady of Lourdes — Our First Book.

I stopped right in the road, because then I knew this was no ordinary morning.

Sister Mary Claire looked at Robert, and Robert looked at the ground, trying not to smile too much. Then I knew they had planned it together and kept it as a surprise. There was even a smaller sign saying the books were available at the back of the church and donated by Robert.

After Mass, Father LeRoy announced it properly. He said St. Mary’s was beginning a reading club, and the first book would be Our Lady of Lourdes. He held up his own copy and said he had one now too, and that there were plenty more available at the back of the church for anyone who wished to read along. I thought Robert might look embarrassed when Father thanked him, but he only stood quietly with his hat in his hands.

Father said it was a fitting book to begin with, because in France in the nineteenth century, when many people had grown cold in their faith, the story of Lourdes helped awaken belief again. Bernadette was poor and little, but Our Lady used her to call many hearts back to God.

Today’s chapter was about Monseigneur Laurence, the Bishop of Tarbes. He had grown up in the diocese and had taught many of the priests before he became their Bishop. The book made it sound as if he and his clergy were one large Christian family, bound together by trust and obedience.

I liked learning that he was warm-hearted but careful. He did not rush after every report from Lourdes. He waited, watched, prayed, and judged with patience. Sister said that made his approval of Lourdes stronger, because everyone knew he was not carried away by excitement. Father LeRoy said the Church is careful with holy things, because truth does not need to hurry.

All day I kept thinking of the banner moving gently in the breeze. It seemed like Our Lady herself had hung out an invitation. Maybe St. Mary’s is very small, but this morning it felt connected to France, to Lourdes, to Bernadette, and to all the people who found their faith again.

Tonight I am thankful for Sister and Robert’s surprise, for Father LeRoy’s joy, and for the first book of our little reading club.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, help me to love the truth with patience, as Monseigneur Laurence did. Help me to listen humbly, as Bernadette did. Bless our reading club at St. Mary’s, and let Our Lady of Lourdes bring our hearts closer to Thee.

Amen.

Resolution: Tomorrow I will try to read slowly and carefully, and let Our Lady teach me one page at a time.

Click to Read

The Cure Believes

Dear Diary,

This evening I read more from Our Lady of Lourdes, and the chapter stayed with me very quietly after I closed the book.

Bernadette went again to the Curé of Lourdes, just as the Lady had asked her. She told him, “She wishes a chapel to be erected, and processions to the Grotto to be organized.”

As I read, I could almost see it in my mind. I felt as if I were standing in the doorway with Mini beside me, watching it happen. Bernadette looked so small before the priest’s desk, with her hands folded and her face lifted up to him. But the message she carried was not small at all. It was from Heaven.

Mini seemed to be watching too, as if she knew we had stepped into something holy. I stayed quiet in my imagining, because it did not feel like a place for whispering or asking questions. It felt like a place where a little girl was obeying Our Lady, and a priest was beginning to understand.

This time the Curé did not ask for more proof. The spring had already come from the ground, and cures had begun, and God had placed His own signs beside Bernadette’s words. The Curé believed her. He still did not know the Lady’s name, but his heart seemed to know. I liked that very much. Sometimes a holy thing is known before it is spoken.

It made me think of Father LeRoy. Once, after Mass, he said that St. Bernadette did not make herself important, even when Heaven had chosen her. He said she only carried the message and left the rest to God.

“That is why she is so safe to follow,” Father LeRoy said. “She points away from herself.”

I thought of that while imagining Bernadette in the Curé’s room. She did not push or argue. She only came because she had been sent. And even when the Curé believed, he was still careful. He told her that what she asked did not depend on him, but on the Bishop. He would go and tell him.

Sister Mary Claire said true faith is not noisy or hurried. It can be very strong and still wait patiently. I thought of Bernadette, the Curé, and Father LeRoy all at once. Each one had to listen, obey, and trust God’s time.

Tonight, I keep thinking of the chapel Our Lady asked for, and of the processions to the Grotto. A little girl brought the message, a priest believed, and Heaven began to gather people there.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus, help me to listen when You speak quietly. Help me to be humble like Bernadette, careful like the Curé, and faithful like Father LeRoy teaches us to be. Let me carry whatever little message You give me without pride, and leave the rest in Your hands.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

Resolution: Tomorrow I will try to obey quietly and not make myself important.

Girls of The Gave

 

Dear Diary,

This evening I sat again on the porch steps with Our Lady of Lourdes open on my knees. The sun was going down behind the trees, and the boards of the porch still held a little warmth from the day. Mini came at once and sat right beside me, as if she had made up her mind that I was not to read even one page without her.

Only I am not so sure she came for me.

She kept looking past the book, with her ears lifted and her eyes full of that soft, wondering look she gets when she sees something I almost think I can see too. I told her softly, “Mini, are you listening to Bernadette?” and then I felt as if the story had stepped right out of the pages and sat down beside us.

Tonight the chapter told how the three children left the town behind them and crossed the bridge to the left bank of the Gave. They passed the mill and went down through the meadow, hunting for little pieces of wood to make a small bundle for the fire at home. Bernadette walked behind the others, frail and small, with her apron still empty while the other girls already had gathered chips and branches.

I could see her so plainly as I read—the worn black dress, the white capulet falling over her shoulders, the coarse sabots on her feet, and that poor little figure walking through the meadow with such quiet grace. The book said she was not beautiful in the proud way people sometimes mean, but there was something sweeter and higher in her. Her eyes were calm and pure, and her whole face showed goodness, pity, and innocence.

The words that stayed with me most were “the Majesty of Innocence.”

I stopped reading there for a minute.

It made me think that God sees beauty so differently from the world. Bernadette had no fine clothes and no important place. She was poor, ignorant of many things, and only gathering wood because her family needed warmth. Yet Heaven must have been looking at her already. Maybe Our Lady saw what others would never notice—a little soul without pride, walking humbly behind the rest.

Mini leaned closer then, looking up with such love that I smiled. Perhaps she knew the best part of the story before I did. Perhaps she was not only keeping me company after all. Perhaps she had found a friend on the porch steps too.

And I thought how strange and lovely it is that Bernadette, who had nothing, is remembered now by so many hearts.

Tonight I will try to remember that innocence is a treasure greater than anything one can hold in the hand.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,
please keep my heart simple and clean.
Teach me to love You in little hidden ways,
and help me never to think small things are unimportant
when they are done for You.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for me.
Saint Bernadette, pray for me.

Amen.

The Story Begins

Dear Diary,
 
This evening I read further in Our Lady of Lourdes, and it seemed the quiet beginning of Bernadette’s great story had opened before me.

It was February 11, 1858, in Lourdes. The day was cold and gray, with only a few drops of rain, and while many people were getting ready for the pleasures before Lent, the Soubirous family had almost nothing. They were so poor that there was not even wood enough to cook their little meal.

Bernadette had only been home with her family about two weeks. She had been living in Bartrès, watching sheep and praying her Rosary in the lonely fields. She was fourteen, but small and weak from asthma, and she still had not made her First Communion. She could not read or write, and she knew very little catechism, except the simple prayers of the Chaplet.

Still, there was something beautiful about her. She was poor and hidden, but pure and gentle, like the smallest lamb she loved best.

When her mother told Bernadette's sister Marie to go gather wood by the Gave, Bernadette begged to go too. Her mother was afraid the cold would make her cough worse, but at last she let her go. Bernadette put on her white capulet, and then she, Marie, and Jeanne Abadie started out to find wood.

That is where the story begins — not with anything grand, but with poor girls going out because there was no firewood at home. I kept thinking how Heaven must have been watching that little walk. Bernadette did not know that this ordinary errand would lead her to the Grotto, and that everything in her life was about to change.

As I read, I almost felt Bernadette beside me on the step. Not frightening, but quiet and kind, like an imaginary friend who understands little prayers, poor places, and the feeling of being small. I felt a kinship with her, as if she were not so far away after all.

Maybe Our Lady loves to come close to the humble, and maybe Jesus sees the hidden children first.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,

please give me a simple heart like Bernadette’s.

Help me to love Our Lady,
to say my prayers faithfully,
and to trust that You are near
even on ordinary days.

Bless Sister Mary Claire, Father LeRoy, Robert, Mini,
and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight.

Amen.

Bernadette's Four Prayers

Bernadette’s Little Prayers

Dear Diary,

Today I read more from Our Lady of Lourdes, and this part made me love Bernadette even more.

The book said she had never really been taught the catechism yet, and that she knew only a few prayers: the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Glory Be, which she prayed in her chaplet. That was nearly all she knew.

At first I felt sorry for her, because I have Sister Mary Claire to explain so many holy things to me. She tells me what Father LeRoy means in his homilies, and she helps me understand the catechism when the words seem too large for my head. But Bernadette did not have all that yet. She was poor, weak, and little, and she had not even made her First Communion.

Then I thought how beautiful it was that Our Lady came to her anyway.

Heaven did not wait until Bernadette knew many lessons. Our Lady did not choose her because she could explain everything. She chose a humble girl who knew how to kneel, how to make the Sign of the Cross, and how to say the little prayers she had been taught.

That made me think a long while.

Sometimes I want to know everything all at once, especially when Sister Mary Claire reads from her old books and the words seem so high and holy. But maybe Jesus is pleased when we give Him the little we have, if we give it with our whole heart.

Bernadette’s family brought her back to Lourdes because they wanted her to learn her catechism and prepare for her First Communion, even though they were very poor. I think that is so touching. They did not have much to give her, but they wanted her to have Jesus.

That is the greatest gift.

Tonight I am thinking of Bernadette saying her Our Father, Hail Mary, I believe in God, and Glory Be. Maybe those prayers sounded very sweet in Heaven because they came from a simple heart.

Bernadette's Four Prayers

The God of the Living

Dear Diary,

This morning the rain had finally let up, and it felt almost like the whole farm had taken a deep breath. Everything was wet and shining, and the fields were turning greener by the minute, as if God had brushed them with fresh paint during the night.

Robert did not pick us up today because the road was still soft in places, so Sister Mary Claire said we would walk to Church again. I was glad, and Mini was gladder than anybody. She trotted ahead with her little Corgi bottom going back and forth, stopping every so often to sniff the wet grass and look back to make sure Sister and I were coming.

The ditches still held little puddles, and the fence posts were dark from the rain. The air smelled like mud, grass, and spring all mixed together. Sister Mary Claire said that after so much rain, the earth seems to wake up all at once. Then she smiled and said, “Next time, Robert will have to join us.” I liked that thought very much, because it would be nice to have Robert walking along with us instead of always being the one to drive us.

At Holy Mass, Father LeRoy read the Gospel about the Sadducees asking Jesus a question about the resurrection. They thought they could trick Him with their story about the woman and the seven brothers. But Jesus showed them that they did not understand the Scriptures or the power of God.

Father LeRoy said the most important part was when Jesus said, “He is not God of the dead but of the living.” I kept thinking about that. It made heaven seem closer somehow, not like a faraway place, but like a real home where the saints are alive with God. Sister Mary Claire whispered afterward that our Lord was teaching them that God’s love does not end at the grave.

On the walk home, the green fields looked even brighter than before. Mini splashed through one puddle before I could stop her, and Sister laughed softly. I thought about the grass coming back after the rain, and how Jesus said the dead will rise. The whole world seemed to be giving a little lesson of its own.

Tonight I am thankful for the rain, the green fields, the walk to Church, and for Jesus teaching us that God is the God of the living. I hope I can remember that when things seem sad or gone forever.

Dear Jesus, please help me believe more deeply in Your power and Your promise of everlasting life. Watch over Father LeRoy, Robert, Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and all of us at Camp Littlemore tonight. Keep our hearts alive with love for You. Amen.

Love,
Kathy


A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”

The Gospel of the Lord.