This morning after Holy Mass, our Reading Club met in what everyone now calls the Readers Clubhouse. I like that name very much. Robert fixed up the old garage for me, but now it feels like it belongs to all of us.
The windows were open, and the air smelled fresh and clean. Sister Mary Claire set chocolate chip cookies on the little table, and beside them was a cold jar of Golden Rule Dairy Jersey milk.
After Father opened with a prayer, Father asked me to read my chapter summary. I stood up with my notes. I was a little nervous like I always am, but everyone was smiling, so that helped.
“Today’s chapter is called When Truth Could No Longer Be Denied.
The people who opposed Lourdes had tried for weeks to explain everything away. At first they simply denied the spring and the cures. They did not want to investigate because they had already made up their minds.
But the spring kept flowing, and more people kept being cured. Some who had been called incurable were now walking through town in good health, where everyone could see them.
The author says their mistake was denying the facts too soon. Once the truth became plain, they had to invent new explanations instead of admitting they had been wrong.”
When I finished, Father said pride can make a person shut his eyes even when the truth is right in front of him.
Robert said, “The spring was there, and the healed people were there too. They could not hide either one.”
Sister Mary Claire said God gives enough light for people to believe, but He does not force them.
That stayed with me. I hope I never become so proud that I cannot say, “I was wrong.” It seems much better to follow the truth than to protect my own opinion.
After our discussion, we had cookies and cold milk. Mini sat close to the table and behaved very well, except for watching every crumb.
Before everyone left, Father asked me to read our prayer.
“Dear Jesus, give us humble hearts that welcome truth. Keep us from pride and fear. Help us to follow the light You give us, and to trust You even when we do not understand everything. Amen.”
Father made the Sign of the Cross and blessed us.
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Go in peace.”
When the meeting was over, the sunlight was still shining through the clubhouse windows. I think every chapter is teaching us the same thing in a new way: truth belongs to God, and we should never be afraid of it.
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