Portfolio > JML - PLOGS

2019

Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
Digital Photo, Jean-Marie Lee, 2018

Reflection on The Immaculate Conception, FAITH ND
faith.nd.edu/show_module_fw2.aspx?sid=1…

PLOGS BELOW (JML's Poetic Commentary)

Receiving Grace

My interaction with The Immaculate Conception
has mostly taken part in the Grotto at The
University of Notre Dame. I’ve shared some
links below about the history of the Grotto, the
apparition, and the significance of The Blessed
Mother portrayed as The Immaculate Conception.

As to my personal experiences in The Grotto— it’s
always about forgiveness and penance. I know
that everyone has their own experience with The
Grotto and those experiences take on many different
forms. The peace that I received from The Grotto
was a meditative experience of going down in the
cave to move the candles. I’d say the Chaplet of
Divine Mercy or the Dolors Chaplet while doing
my work. Getting into that mode of meditation
invoked memories of trivial actions that plagued
my conscience. Those memories seemed to
dissipate with an understanding and grace that
everything is okay— as it should be. And as I
would leave The Grotto— The Blessed Mother
seemed to say, “come back and see me.” Ironically,
being in the Grotto at Notre Dame, isn’t the first
time I’ve felt like The Blessed Mother said, “come
back and see me.” It’s not like she’s saying,
“Y’all come back now — ya hear!” And it’s not a
cry out to “see me!” as in “see who I am.”
The “come back and see me” that I hear is an
open invitation with no strings attached to come
receive the grace The Blessed Mother and her
intercession with Jesus has to offer.

There are many ways of praying and meditation
and journeys to enlightenment and religions.
My experience in The Grotto with The Immaculate
Conception makes sense even when I attempt to
make sense out of, “did that just happen?” The
Immaculate Conception was born without sin so
logically she comforts sinners and aids in offering
forgiveness. Lately, I’ve been looking at religion
as— it’s all the same thing— just different vocabulary
or a different muse for interacting. But I also
know that people from many religions come into
The Grotto and receive the grace of The Blessed
Mother. She’s the eternal mother for everyone!

So— Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!
And go visit The Blessed Mother.

XOXO! JML

In honor of The Feast of
The Immaculate Conception,
Monday, December 9, 2019

About The Immaculate Conception
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conc…

Apparition of The Immaculate Conception
Our Lady of Lourdes
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Lou…

The Grotto at Notre Dame
tour.nd.edu/locations/grotto/

ADVENT DAILY REFLECTIONS
www.ptstulsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/201…

The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day
(audiobook) youtu.be/mTtMj9INlnE

THE INTERIOR CASTLE
Saint Theresa of Avila

PDF
www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/03d/1515…

AUDIO
m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL42528F62F…

THE SECOND SEX
Simone de Beauvoir