{"id":3317,"date":"2007-02-09T22:12:00","date_gmt":"2007-02-09T22:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/standingonmyhead\/2007\/02\/incorruptible-thats-what-you-are\/"},"modified":"2014-12-23T20:05:54","modified_gmt":"2014-12-24T01:05:54","slug":"incorruptible-thats-what-you-are","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/standingonmyhead\/2007\/02\/incorruptible-thats-what-you-are.html","title":{"rendered":"Incorruptible…that’s what you are…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Strong Woman<\/a> has prompted me to tell my St Bernadette story.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This happened the summer of 1987 when (still an Anglican priest) I took three months to make a pilgrimage hitch-hiking from England to Jerusalem\u2026staying in monasteries and convents en route.<\/em><\/div>\n

I arrived in Nevers tired, hot and dusty after a discouraging day. My arrival there was a little miracle in itself, but once I got settled I came down to dinner, and in a moment a very nice lady came and sat next to me and said in the strongest Southern US accent, \u201cWell, hah there! My name is Peggy Sue and the sisters said ah should sit here because ah speak English.\u201d<\/p>\n

It turned out that Peggy Sue was from Alabama and was a convert from the Baptist faith because she had experienced a vision of St Bernadette. Ever since she spent a month in the summer, \u201cSpending tahm with Bernadette \u2018n\u2019 practisin\u2019 mah Frayinch.\u201d She had the keys to the whole place, took me on the grand tour and told me the whole story of Bernadette\u2019s life, death, burial and exhumation. \u201cNow ah know about these things because Daddy back in Alabama is a funeral director\u2026\u201d It turns out that Bernadette\u2019s incorruptibility is just about the best attested miracle around.<\/p>\n

The next morning after breakfast I got my backpack and was about to head down the road to my next stop\u2026the ancient basilica of St Mary Magdalene at Vezelay. Before I left Peggy Sue hurried out and said, \u201cBefore you leave you must spend a few moments with Bernadette.\u201d So I went into the chapel and knelt before the glass casket where her incorrupt body in on display.<\/p>\n

As an Anglican I wasn\u2019t too sure about such weird Catholic piety, but not wanting to miss a blessing I knelt and said, \u201cLord, bless my journey today, and Bernadette, if you\u2019re there, maybe you can say a prayer for me too.\u201d As I knelt there in silence there was a wonderful light fragrance of flowers. The only thing was\u2026there weren\u2019t any flowers anywhere.<\/p>\n

As I shrugged on my backpack Peggy Sue smiled and said, \u201cWell, how was it?\u201d I told here about the fragrance and she beamed that sort of Holy Ghost grin that holy people have, \u201cYou\u2019ve experienced the odor of sanctity!\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s a special blessing from Bernadette!\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, there it is. True story. Make of it what you will.<\/p>\n

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