The Cathedral | Page 6

penetrating
to the very lowest strata of the Catholic methodists; the other, on the
contrary, making himself welcome to a more intelligent and cultivated
public, by those splendid passages where the flaming multitude of
processions moves on, and amid a cyclone of anguish, the triumphant
faith of the white ranks is exultant.
"Oh, yes! She is fond of Her Lourdes, is Our Lady, and pets it. She
seems to have centred all Her powers there, all Her favours; Her other
sanctuaries are perishing that this one may live!
"Why?

"Why, above all, have created La Salette and then sacrificed it, as it
were?
"That She should have appeared there is quite intelligible," thought
Durtal, answering himself. "The Virgin is more highly venerated in
Dauphiné than in any other province; chapels dedicated to Her worship
swarm in those parts, and She meant perhaps to reward their zeal by
Her gracious presence.
"On the other hand, She appeared there with a special and very definite
end in view: to preach repentance to mankind, and especially to priests.
She ratified by certain miracles the evidence of this mission which She
confided to Mélanie, and then, that being accomplished, She could
desert the spot where She had, no doubt, never intended to remain.
"And after all," he went on, after a moment's reflection, "may we not
admit an even simpler solution, namely, this:--
"Mary vouchsafes to appear under various aspects to satisfy the tastes
and cravings of each soul. At La Salette, where She descended in a
distressful spot, all in tears, She revealed Herself no doubt to certain
persons, more especially to the souls in love with sorrow, the mystical
souls that delight in reviving the anguish of the Passion and following
the Mother in Her heart-breaking way to the Cross. She would thus
seem less attractive to the vulgar who do not love woe or weeping; it
may be added that they still less love reproof and threats. The Virgin of
La Salette could not become popular, by reason of Her aspect and
address, while She of Lourdes, who appeared smiling, and prophesied
no catastrophes, was easy of access to the hopes and gladness of the
crowd.
"She was, in short, in that sanctuary, the Virgin of the world at large,
not the Virgin of mystics and artists, the Virgin of the few, as at La
Salette.
"What a mystery is this direct intervention of the Christ's Mother on
earth!" thought Durtal.

And he went on: "It is clear, on reflection, that the churches founded by
Her may be classed in two very distinct groups.
"One group where She has revealed Herself to certain persons, where
waters spring and bodily ills are healed: La Salette and Lourdes.
"The other, where She has never been gazed on by human beings, or
where Her appearance occurred in immemorial times, in forgotten
centuries, the dead ages. In those chapels prayer alone is in force, and
Mary answers it without the help of any waters. Indeed, She effects
more moral than physical cures. Notre Dame de Fourvières at Lyon,
Notre Dame de Sous-Terre at Chartres, Notre Dame des Victoires at
Paris, to mention only three.
"Wherefore this difference? None can understand, and probably none
will ever know. At most may we suppose that in compassion for the
everlasting craving of our hapless souls wearied with prayer without
sight, She would fain confirm our faith and help to gather in the flock
by showing Herself.
"In all this obscurity," Durtal went on, "is it at least possible to discern
some dim landmarks, some vague law?
"As we gaze into the darkness, two spots of light appear," he replied to
himself.
"In the first place, this: She appears to none but the poor and humble;
She addresses the simple souls who have in a way handed down the
primitive occupation, the biblical function of the Patriarchs; She
unveils herself to the children of the soil, to the shepherds, to girls as
they watch the flock. Both at La Salette and at Lourdes She chose little
pastors for Her confidants, and this is intelligible, since, by acting thus,
she confirms the known will of Her Son; the first to behold the infant
Jesus in the manger at Bethlehem were in fact shepherds, and it was
from among men of the lowest class that Christ chose His apostles.
"And is not the water that serves as a medium of cure prefigured in the
Sacred Books--in the Old Testament by the River Jordan, which

cleansed Naaman of his leprosy; and in the New by the probationary
pool stirred by an angel?
"Another law seems no less probable. The Virgin is, as far as possible,
considerate of the temperament and individual character of the persons
She appears to. She places Herself on the level of