Stay close to Our Lady and you won't get burned...
'The events
took place at the El Goloso military base, located near the Spanish
capital, seat of the nation's armored infantry brigade "Guadarrama."
According to several Spanish news sites, including Infovaticana and
Religión en Libertad, a fire broke out that was impossible to control,
burning most of the surrounding vegetation.
Once the flames were extinguished, to the soldiers’ surprise, in the middle of the charred area, stood
a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes—totally undamaged! What's more, the
soldiers were shocked to see that the grass near the statue had not been
touched by the flames and that it was even still surrounded by vases
filled with flowers, also intact, as if the flames had respected the
space around the statue.
The fire took place on July 30, in the middle of the heat wave which had
descended upon Spain. The soldiers could not explain why the statue had
suffered no damage nor why the flowers had not even been blackened or
withered by the heat. The story quickly spread though social networks,
some suspecting a fraud, but further investigations have dispelled all
possible doubts. In the photographs, one can easily see that the ground
is completely burnt, except near the statue.
Indeed, for the most
part, the soldiers on the base did not know that there was a statue of
the Virgin in their garden. However, some of them who had a special
devotion to Mother Mary had recommended themselves to this
representation of Our Lady of Lourdes. And, the statue had already
participated in official ceremonies at the military base.
The
local authorities’ investigation seems sufficient to clarify the natural
aspects of the event. There are realities that human knowledge cannot
understand but that faith explains. And human science and faith, working
together, offer some explanation.
Still, this story reveals Our
Lady’s special protection of this statue, however simple and
unpretentious. And everyone can learn a lesson from this. Unexpected
events may occur that set fire to a world full of threats and evils. In
the near future, in the midst of disasters that we cannot even imagine,
Our Lady—especially Our Lady of Lourdes–will go through them, fearless
and untouched, with the symbols of the devotion of the faithful. And
those who believe, even if they are a minority discredited by the
atheist or unbelieving majority, will be recognized amid the tragedy as
Heaven’s beloved children.'--
Daily Mass Readings For August 24, 2015
Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle
Lectionary: 629
Reading 1
The angel spoke to me, saying,
“Come here.
I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendor of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.
R. (12)
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
R.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
But Nathanael said to him,
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
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