Sleep waits, I head to the Our Lady's Grotto

While all of us are on a pilgrimage, those here in lourdes, those at home and all people of faith, mine this first night can't fully get underway before I walk down to The Domain, the Sanctuary of the Grotto of our Blessed Mother. It is 11:30pm, a soft rain is failing, it is very quiet with a few pilgrims moving here and there. I breathe in the presence of God and the blessedness of this holy ground. I stand at the statue of Our Lady and look on towards the Rosary Basilica, with the two churches build on top. It is time to center myself here in Lourdes, to press pause on my non stop engines, and get myself ready to serve on this pilgrimage. I follow the gaze of the statue of our Lady to the Rosary Basilica, the house of the people of God, dedicated to gospel of her Son.