Before Asking For a Miracle, First "Believe"

The Catholic Times spiritual column tells us the  story of a priest who was in France for a number of months and complained of pain in his right knee that was progressively  getting worse.

We are told that he  bumped his knee against  the car door;  he thought it was just a bruise but the pain not only increased, but he began to walk with a limb. Since he was in France and didn't have any insurance, he was not considering going to the hospital. An operation would be out of the question fearing the cost of such treatment without  insurance. Returning to Korea in his situation he didn't think possible, and he was not able to function as he desired with the pain.

Since he was in France and Lourdes was not  far away he decided to make the trip. Grabbing at any possibilities to remedy the situation. Going to Lourdes, he thought, something good could happen. He took the train to Lourdes the next day. In one way, he felt shame and childishness in asking for a miracle.

However, arriving at Lourdes, he convinced himself that he  was not  looking for a miracle but was on a pilgrimage. He went to the place of lodging run by Korean Sisters, left his luggage and hobbled over to the shrine.

It was the beginning of March, and the weather was bad and there were few pilgrims at the site but even that being the case, there were those  from many different countries. He sat outside  the cave and recited the rosary and took a drink of the water, and returned to his  place of lodging. That night  while eating with the sisters one of them said:

"Father, Lourdes is truly a place not easily to figure out. Many who live around the shrine  daily prepare their rice and tea with the water from the shrine, and nothing happens, and you have those who take the  miracle water home to their country in a small bucket, and  give it to those who need it, and just taking a drop of it are blessed with a miracle.

"I without much thought have drunk a great deal of the miracle water." the priest said.

"If you have drunk the water today, tomorrow go and wash in the water" the sister said.

"I plan to do it, the pain is just too much.  I will participate in the ceremony of being submerged in the water tomorrow"

"Father, tomorrow when you go to the shrine and attend the submerging ceremony  don't pray  for a miracle,  but  just thank God that your knee has been cured."