While the sun beats down on us, you can imagine that here in the mountains, February days would be damp and misty. It was here that St Bernadette, who was 14 and so younger than most of us, came down to the river, against her parent’s wishes, to gather firewood. We can see how fast the river flows, especially after the storm of the other night, and of course at that time there were no banks or walls to channel the stream. It was a dangerous place and her family were in a difficult situation. They were living in the one room cachot, a former prison cell, because they had fallen on hard times when her father, once a wealthy miller, had bad debts and they were forced to live in the debtors prison. St Bernadette suffered from asthma and was in poor health wanted to do what she could to help her family, as any child would want.

On February 11th, St Bernadette came down to the river, and as she collected the firewood, Our Lady appeared. Bernadette described the figure as a small, young lady wearing a white dress, a white veil, a blue sash, and a yellow rose on each of her bare feet. She did not speak but in the presence of one she knew to be holy, Bernadette made the sign of the cross and prayed the rosary. She found peace and returned eighteen times to receive further apparitions and messages from the Lady shining in white.

Our Lady gave St Bernadette the treasure she desired in her heart. She gave her the word of God’s love so that she knew she was precious to him. Our Lady met her, spoke with her and called her to make this a place of pilgrimage where people would come and pray, drink the water, sing hymns in procession and worship God. She had found the treasure which Jesus describes as the Kingdom of God. She found Jesus Christ and loved him because he had loved her first. This response of love led Bernadette to the convent, desiring solitude but becoming too famous, and then sent to the convent in Nevers where she would spend the rest of her life as a religious sister. She didn’t know where this life would lead but she knew she had to follow it and live it out. She often lived in the darkness of faith but knew she had to be faithful to the calling she had received. Day by day she learnt how deeply God loved her, how he called her, saved her and walked with her until the day when he would glorify her in heaven. The Church recognises her as a saint and we come in procession and on pilgrimage.

The kingdom which St. Bernadette chose is like a ‘treasure hidden in a field’. She found the treasure, and then gave her life, her all to be faithful to the call she has received. Like the man who sells all to buy the field with the treasure, she will give everything to have this treasure. This is the treasure that Jesus promises to each of us because each one of you is precious to God and loved by God.

Again, Jesus teaches that the kingdom of heaven is like pearl which a merchant finds and then he goes and sells all that he has to buy the pearl. Remember that a pearl is formed when a little bit of grit, a shell or parasite, gets into the oyster. The oyster secretes layers of nacre to surround this intruder and so defend itself from it. The pearl is formed from the grit or dirt. Something beautiful emerges from what something dirty or ugly. The kingdom of God emerges in the midst of everyday circumstances, often difficult and hard, just like St Bernadette’s life. Jesus teaches us that it is worth giving up everything to be close to him and live in relationship with him.

The kingdom of God is associated with wisdom that comes from looking at the life of Jesus and imitating him. The first reading speaks of King Soloman who has been given the gift of ‘an understanding mind to govern God’s people and discern between good and evil’. We receive a wise and discerning mind through the gift of the Holy Spirit at confirmation when we receive the gifts of wisdom, understanding and knowledge. The gifts help you to see the world with the gaze of Jesus and the gaze of love.

St Paul tells us that the kingdom of God is justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spriit. Peace is the gift of the Holy Spirit. We all seek to live in peace. Jesus is the prince of Peace. St. Bernadette found her peace in Christ and following the call to be a religious sister. Although she continued to suffer from illness and at times ill treatment from the other sisters, at a deeper level she knew the peace of God because she remembered the message of Our Lady to her and the call to be close to her. Peace comes when people live together in love and build communion between one another. We know the peace of this pilgrimage where love, service and generosity towards those who are less able are lived out. This is a sign of God’s kingdom. This is the kingdom which we wish to build among us and with others.

Pope Leo has told us to disarm our words and disarm our world. Disarming our words means no more gossip which damages peoples’ reputations and damages attitudes to one another, no more harsh words spoken to those we love which cause hurt and harm; the tongue can be a vicious instrument. Disarming our world means beginning to disarm our nations, becoming bridge-builders of peace, reducing the arms race and living in harmony with one another. This is a sign of the kingdom. Just as St Bernadette found her deep joy in Jesus, so can we if we become peace builders with one another.

Archbishop John Sherrington

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