聖伯爾納德（貞女）
聖女伯爾納德於主曆1844年1月7日在露德（法）出生，弟兄姐妹共六人，伯爾納德居長。父親原是經營磨坊的麵粉商，因營業失敗，家道中落，貧困度日。
聖女雖熱心虔誠，但天資比較遲緩，也不懂讀書寫字，且自幼便患上哮喘病。她14歲仍未初領聖體。
1858年2月11日（星期四）聖女與她妹妹及友人到河邊拾柴，得蒙聖母在山洞顯現。（聖母顯現共18次。最後一次是1858年7月16日聖母聖衣瞻禮。聖母呼籲世人洗心革面，為世人回頭多做補贖和唸玫瑰經。聖母自稱是始胎無玷。露德山洞遂成為朝聖地；聖母也顯了不少奇蹟，治癒許多病人。）
及後，聖女不願意成為焦點，遂退居Nevers仁愛修女會，學習讀書寫字。1866年她正式加入Nevers仁愛修女會，終生服侍病人和窮人。她的謙遜和犧牲精神，最為人樂道。她對聖母顯現之事，只說：「聖母揀選我，只因為我是最愚拙的。」
聖人在1879年4月16日安逝，年僅35歲。1933年榮列聖品。
祈禱
天主，你願意居住在純潔的人心中，求你因聖伯爾納德的祈禱和榜樣，及無玷之母聖瑪利亞的轉求，淨化我們的心靈，幫助我們效法聖伯爾納德的誠樸謙遜，常能享見你慈悲的面容。因你的聖子，我們的主耶穌基督，他和你及聖神，是唯一天主，永生永王。亞孟。
Saint Bernadette Soubirous, Virgin
Bernadette Soubirous was born on January 7, 1844. She was the first child of an extremely poor miller in the town of Lourdes in southern France. The family was living in the basement of a dilapidated building.
At 14, Bernadette was known as a virtuous girl though a dull student who had not even made her first Holy Communion. In poor health, she had suffered from asthma from an early age. On Thursday, February 11, 1858, Bernadette was sent with her younger sister and a friend to gather firewood, when Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her above a rose bush in a cave (grotto) above the banks of the Gave River near Lourdes.
There were 18 appearances in all, the final one occurring on the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, July 16. Blessed Virgin Mary invited all people to do penance and pray the Rosary for the conversion of sinners. She also revealed herself: The Immaculate Conception. (The cave thus became a famous pilgrimage destination where Virgin Mary performed different miracles). Bernadette did not like the attention she was getting and went to the hospice school run by the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, where she was taught to read and write. On July 29, 1866, Bernadette took the religious habit of a postulant and joined the Sisters of Charity at their motherhouse at Nevers.
Bernadette spent the rest of her life there working as an infirmary assistant, and later a sacristan. People admired her humility and spirit of sacrifice. Once a nun asked her if she had temptations of pride because she was favored by the Blessed Mother. “How can I?” she answered quickly. “The Blessed Virgin chose me only because I was the most ignorant.”
She died on April 16, 1879, at the age of 35. Bernadette Soubirous was canonized in 1933.
Prayer
God, who dwells among those pure in heart,
through the prayers and example of Saint Bernadette, and
the intercessions of Blessed Virgin Mary the Immaculate Conception,
purify our hearts, help us follow Saint Bernadette’s simplicity and humility,
that we may always contemplate your mercy.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
資料來源 References