Another dream...
I made a pilgrimage to see a miraculous statue of great legend. When I arrived there to see what appeared to be a life-sized statue of the Virgin Mary done in the traditional blue and white colors. I looked carefully at the statue to see what the miracle was. Did it cry tears of blood? Did miracle waters flow from her tears? Were people healed simply at the site of the statue? Did visions appear here? Waiting, I watched and pondered the possibilities and impossibilities.
When I go to see certain works of art, many people often leave tokens of affection and gifts in the form of requests. Sometimes people place flowers on and around the statue. Often there are pictures and news stories so that people will pray for someone who is ill or those already passed on. I looked around the statue to do my part in praying for their requests. This statue bore one simple gift... a scarf tied loosely about the statues neck that was waving softly in the gentle wind.
"Why would someone wrap a scarf around the neck of this statue?" I wondered. Was it a loving gesture of warmth? Perhaps it was a mother's touch of keeping someone safe, warm and cozy. Was this a symbolic tribute of warmth for the Mother of God? At that point in my thoughts, a man came along with a suitcase removed the scarf from the statue, opened the suitcase and place the scarf securely within it. He then closed the case and left. Shocked, I had much more to wonder about as I watched the man walk off. I had never witnessed a person taking a holy gift before. Perhaps I should have stopped him, but what stopped me is not understanding his need to take the scarf. How can I stop someone when I don't understand why they would need something like this so badly?
Looking back at the statue I found, to my surprise, that the scarf was still around the Mother's neck waving in the same soft breeze. A woman came and as she walked by she pulling on one end of the scarf, unwrapping it as she walked by and then placed it about her own neck. Again when I looked back the same scarf was still on the statue! Over and over people passed by and in some form took the scarf. Every time, the same scarf appeared back on the statue!
Finally, a monk saw me watching the comings and goings of the people. He gestured to the statue. "That is the miracle," he said. "The scarf is forgiveness. It can be passed on over and over again, but it is never truly lost."
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