It was time for dinner. It was our second night in Paris and we were looking for something simple. There it was...pizza! We walked into Da Vinci's and grabbed a table at the front. The proprietor was a congenial man in his late twenties or early thirties. Armed with his English, my French phrase book and an English menu, we ordered successfully: Pizza to share and a glass of red wine for me.
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| Our Lady of Lourdes home in Utah |
The decor of the place is basic and modern. There are black tablecloths and touches of red. I glanced around the room. The restaurant was beginning to fill up. I was famished from walking around Paris. The pizza was really good and quite a bargain. As I drank my wine, I noticed something by the cash register. It was an altar to The Blessed Mother. Our hosts were Coptic Christians from Egypt.
Suddenly, I knew that the holy card in my purse, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, was going to find a new home at Da Vinci's. It was fitting. The card was from my Aunt Mary's funeral. She was an avid traveler and a fervent believer. When I paid the bill, I gave the holy card to my waiter. He held it reverently, kissed it and put it right on the altar. I was deeply touched by his reaction.
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| The holy card I left in Paris was similar to this one |
On the way out, I stopped to joke with some Irish ladies that I had met earlier. The waiter came up and gave me a tiny plastic statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. I was delighted. My new friend and I could only speak fragments of each other's language, yet we connected on a deeper level: the heart. God's language is love; Mary embodies that love. As we clear the debris from our hearts, there is no room for the tower of Babel. When I turned in that night, I put Our Lady on my nightstand and turned out the light. The Madonna glowed in the dark, just like the rosary beads of my childhood! I was across the ocean and away from home, but I was able to communicate with another soul on a level that defies words. I fell asleep feeling grateful and blessed. I wish you a season brimming with love and connection. Merry Christmas!
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| She glows in the dark! Here she is in my linen closet. |
