In my previous post, I lamented that I had no central topic and no pictures to share and ended up sharing quite a few pictures. Today I have a central topic, but I have no pictures to share. None. Sorry. I will try to be concise and as interesting as possible.
Today and tomorrow are two big feast days in Kibeho. Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. It goes all the way back to the 4th century when Helena discovered the True Cross of Jesus and it was publicly displayed for the first time on September 14th. I just found out yesterday that today’s feast is also 40 days after the Transfiguration (August 6). I love the symbolism there. I think it is one of those “God winks” where the Feast of the Transfiguration just happened to be forty days before the Exaltation of the Cross, as August 6 was the date of some important battle in Europe in the 1400’s.
Okay, I decided I would add ONE picture since I am about to mention the Shrine. This picture is taken from what seems to be the highest hill in Kibeho, atop which is a tall crucifix. On the way to the top of this hill are the stations of the cross, and toward the bottom of the hill is an adoration chapel. It is beautiful in its own right.
Anyway, I will talk more about the Shrine on a later day when I have had a little more chance to research its history and tell you a little more about it. I have tried to get to the Shrine as often as possible; yesterday afternoon provided me a nice opportunity to visit and pray. Already there were crowds of people gathered around the Shrine with overnight accessories with them–blankets, food, sleeping pads. It was clear they were at the Shrine to celebrate today’s feast and/or tomorrow’s feast.
Tomorrow is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. While the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows dates to the 1400s, the actual date of celebration varied across the world. It wasn’t until 1913 that my man, Pope Pius X, set the date of September 15. Now, you just HAVE to love that we celebrate Our Lady of Sorrows the day after the Exaltation of the Cross. And if that isn’t enough, it creates a sort of “Octave of Mary” that began on September 8 with her Nativity.
When Mary appeared to the three teenage girls in Kibeho in the 1980’s, she re-energized the practice of reciting the Seven Sorrows Rosary. There has emerged here a great devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows. In fact, the Shrine pictured above is technically called the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. Tomorrow’s Mass won’t be quite as big as the Feast of the Assumption on August 15, but there are already plenty of pilgrims seen at the Shrine. Since I have school tomorrow, I will have to go to the early Mass (6:30) and not be able to participate in the High Mass at 11.
You may know a little bit about Immaculee Ilibagiza. She was the first to introduce me to the Seven Sorrows Rosary, and has a nice website that teaches how to pray the rosary along with reflections for each of the seven sorrows. It is very similar to the regular rosary, only with a set of seven Hail Marys for each of the seven sorrows. It is a powerful prayer. I encourage you to find time today or tomorrow (or both) to pray with it. If you don’t have a seven sorrows rosary, just use your fingers!
I want to share one more personal connection to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. When I visited Rwanda in 2010 with Jane, Julie and Fr. Meysenburg, we met a sister from Burundi who was a stigmatist and has had regular visits from Our Lady and Jesus for many years. One of the things she told our group was that Jesus said He desired that the Exaltation of the Cross would be celebrated in the same manner as Christmas and Easter–that the feast would be given its proper recognition. Can you guess what day we met with Sister? Yep, August 6–the Transfiguration!
I am first to say I don’t like suffering and yet these two days remind me that it is often in and through suffering that I am made better. The prayers of the Church today focused less on the pains of the cross and more on the saving power that the cross provides. Tomorrow we will remember Mary’s sorrows not to pity her, but to recall that we have a Mother who understands our suffering and as a human par excellence felt the same kind of pains, fear and worry that we often experience. She is a model to us of peaceful surrender and teaches us to say, “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”
I certainly don’t wish additional suffering on anyone. Rather, I wish for you the grace to unite your suffering to the Holy Cross and draw strength, courage and peace from knowing you have a Mother in heaven who truly understands your pain and is eager to intercede for you with her Son. God bless us all.