The Madonna and the Cafe

     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.

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.

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!

She glows in the dark! Here she is in my linen closet.