Lourdes Water

Lourdes is famous for the water that flows from the spring that St. Bernadette uncovered.  There have been many authenticated miracles of healing that resulted from bathing in the water.  There were about a dozen spigots where pilgrims filled bottles with water to take home.  There were also private baths where pilgrims sat down in the water.  I waited for three and a half hours to go into one of the baths.  The process for actually getting into the bath was not a prayerful experience for me.
The water that did help me to pray was the beautiful River Gave that flows through the city of Lourdes.  It was clear and fast flowing and seemed to carry away all the activity.  I took the picture above in the early morning before too many people were crowding the space between the river wall and the Grotto.  I often went over to the other side of the river and just sat and looked and let the river flood me with peace.  Even in the evening I took a little bit longer way back to the hotel so I could walk along an upper part of the river and find some quiet prayer.