Here is a remarkable prayer written by Bernadette Soubirous, who at Lourdes, France experienced apparitions of the Virgin Mary eighteen times in 1858. What's so fine about the prayer-thoughts is that Bernadette was an un-educated peasant girl. Her life was little more than the hard work and suffering that comes with terrible poverty. Burdened by ridicule and rejection at home, when she finally made her way to the convent at Nevers, she was put upon by superiors who felt Bernadette should never for a moment think herself to be special. Pretty sad stuff.
Still, so aware of her own resistant inner shadow, Bernadette has left us this lovely Christo-centric prayer, asking only for Jesus to so seize her, that she would grow and grow into the full person God imagined her to be. What a wonderful prayer to pray at the start of a new week.
Prayer of Saint Bernadette
Grow Jesus, grow within me, in my heart, in my spirit, in my imagination, in my senses, through your humility, your zeal, your love. Grow with your grace, your light, your peace. Grow in spite of my resistance, my pride. Grow to the fullness of perfect humanity; grow before God and others, for the glory of your Father, as you did in Nazareth. Amen
