We are gathered this evening to respond to the request that Our Lady addressed to the priests through Saint Bernadette: “People should come here in procession.”  How moving it is to see the faithful, from one generation to the next, respond with love and trust to the tender invitation of the Virgin Mary.  How consoling it is to hear Christians sing hymns filled with fervor and faith, and to see them walk, with a light in their hands, towards their Mother in Heaven, the Mother whom Jesus gave us from the Cross.  I give thanks to the Lord that I, too, may respond this evening to the call of our Mother, becoming a pilgrim among pilgrims.

The light that guides us and draws us onward is the light of hope, which never abandons us even as we journey through this life — a life often marked by trials, yet already filled with the joy of knowing ourselves to be children of God, loved and saved by Jesus.  Those who are sick are privileged witnesses to this transfiguration of our lives through faith and love of God and neighbor.  It is indeed necessary to come here and take part in this procession with you, dear brothers and sisters who are ill, in order to experience this full reality.  As Pope Pius XII wrote: “No one has ever seen such a procession of suffering in one spot on earth, never such radiance of peace, serenity, and joy” (Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Le Pèlerinage de Lourdes, 2 July 1957).

If such a miracle is possible — the miracle of finding serenity and joy amidst suffering — it is because God grants us the grace to perceive the life-giving presence of the risen Christ among us.  He enables us to look beyond our earthly horizon towards a more distant future, a future of immeasurable happiness in God, which we are assured of attaining if we remain steadfast in faith and charity.  For this reason, Saint Paul encourages us: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18).  Dear brothers and sisters who are ill, keep these precious words constantly in your hearts: The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

We are therefore called always to persevere on our journey, with Mary going before us, for as many days as are granted to us in this life.  We hasten with confidence towards her, whose Immaculate Conception shines like a beacon in the night.  “She is thus the sign of the victory of love, of good and of God, giving our world the hope that it needs.  This evening, let us turn our gaze towards Mary, so glorious and so human, allowing her to lead us towards God who is the victor” (Benedict XVI, Homily during the Torchlight procession at Rosary Square in Lourdes, 13 September 2008).

“I am the Immaculate Conception.”  This is how Mary identified herself here, with the greatest humility, while giving thanks to God for the unique privilege bestowed upon her — a privilege that for us represents the dawn of salvation.  By the merits of his passion and resurrection, Jesus willed to preserve his Mother from every trace of original sin.  He made her a new Eve, over whom the devil would never have any power.  From her, everything begins anew, everything becomes possible once more, both for the world and for each one of us.

This is why her support and intercession are vital for Christians who wish to receive the grace of redemption won for us through Jesus’ blood and to resist evil.  She is the Star of the Sea — Stella Maris — who comes to our aid in times of tribulation.  As Saint Bernard expressed so beautifully: “O you who find yourself tossed about by the storms of life, turn not your eyes from the brightness of this Star, if you would not be overwhelmed by its boisterous waves... Following her, you will never go astray; when you implore her aid, you will never yield to despair; thinking on her, you will not err; under her patronage you will never wander; beneath her protection you will not fear; she being your guide, you will not weary; if she be your propitious Star, you will arrive safely into harbor” (Saint Bernard, On the “Missus Est”, Homily II).

Dear brothers and sisters, pilgrims and all who are ill, you have come from France and throughout the world to take part in this fervent and peaceful procession of light.  Let us bring our dearest and most urgent intentions, and present them to Our Lady.  As we contemplate her in her Immaculate Conception, may joy and invincible hope rise within our hearts.  Clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet and crowned with stars, she is glorious and powerful; yet she is also humble and very close to us.  She is the Mother of Jesus, and she is our Mother.

O Immaculate Virgin, may this light that we hold this evening never be extinguished in our lives, but may it illuminate the future, opening us even today to the promises of eternal life.