The Lourdes Grotto at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine is a quiet and peaceful place to pray. I did not venture any closer to the shrine so as not to disturb the one individual kneeling in prayer. I can easily see why that person found such solace in this place.
Does our prayer lead to action? How do we reach out and care for those who are hurting due to wars, poverty, injustice, illness, or any other reason? In what ways are we touching suffering humanity?
My time at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine on Divine Mercy Sunday gave me much to appreciate and much to ponder. The question resonating in my mind since leaving there has been a straightforward one. How is my ministry building up the Kingdom of God? That obviously leads to other reflective questions. How is my prayer life? In the call to service as a deacon, how am I personally ministering to the poor and marginalized members of society? Have I grown complacent in my own ministry? These are not questions I can answer in a hurried manner. There needs to be serious thought, prayer, and reflection before arriving at an honest answer.
Looking at the sculpture above certainly has the potential to change a person from a tourist visiting the shrine to a pilgrim on the journey of faith.