Today is the feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina who was canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002. I would like to share one of his writings, found in Padre Pio of Pietrelcina - Letters III. The letter to Francesca of Foggia was dated October 30th, 1915.Blessed be the Lord who comforts us in all our afflictions, exclaimed the apostle, Saint Paul. Well, my daughter, may Jesus console your spirit also, tossed about in the stormy sea. But do not be afraid because the storm that surrounds your spirit will calm down and you will not be submerged. The little ship of your spirit always has the strong anchor of trust in divine goodness.Padre Pio - Pray for us!
Have trust, dear daughter, because the Lord is always with you, as he was in the past. How could you believe it to be otherwise? IF this were the case, as your imagination would have you believe, there would be reason to despair.
Who sustained you up to now in time of spiritual and physical suffering? It was Jesus. Therefore he was with you and he loved you. He will still always be with you and he continues to love you. He will have to perfect the work he began in you.
Be humble and let Jesus work freely within you. And you prepare a pure, contrite, heart, free from all uneasiness since this is a great impediment to the Lord's freely working within you.
You tell me you went astray along the path to perfection during the first years of devout life. I don't want to establish what truth there is in this free assertion of yours. I merely insist on telling you, in the Lord, to cast aside this conviction of yours once and for all; a conviction which, for that matter is a pure temptation. So when you are assailed by fears for the past, think of it as lost in the ocean of heavenly goodness, then turn your mind to the present in which Jesus is with you and loves you; think of the future, when Jesus will reward your faithfulness and resignation, or rather think of all the graces he has poured out on you and which you certainly have not deliberately abused. Hence, I would ask you in the sweet Lord to cast aside all fears as far as possible - for nobody is asked to do what is impossible - and always have faith and love.
My good daughter, trust int he Lord, in his forgiveness and protection. Oh yes! You can even rest tranquilly on the bosom of divine mercy, as a tender little child rets in the arms of it's mother.
Once again, therefore, I assure you that Jesus is with you. Is it possible that Jesus is far from you while you call on him, pray to him, and seek him with ardent desire? How is it possible for the spring of living water flowing from the Heart of God to be far from a soul that runs to it like a thirsty deer?
But will you retort that you are not satistfied because you feel devoured by an unquenchable thirst, and precisely for this reason you wish to doubt that Jesus is close to you.
No, it is not as you would have it. The unquenchable thirst that devouts you arises because it has not yet reached the end of it's journey; it is not yet totally immersed in the eternal fountain, which can not take place while we are in a pilgrim state. Woe to the soul when it considers itself satisfied here on earth, because it would be the beginning of its downfall and it would be deceived.
Be calm, revive your faith, your trust in God. Be humble and submissive to the divine will and thus nothing will be able to harm your spirit.
I would like to provide you with information on how to get the three volume set of letters by Padre Pio, but they come from Italy and are difficult to find here. Interestingly, they are available in English, which is what I have. The Assumption Grotto gift shop has the books. Call (313) 332-4432 and leave a message if no one answers.
Here is some useful information you might be able to use:
There is a sticker on the inside of the first book:
National Centre for Padre Pio, Inc - Phone: 610-845-3000
English Office Telephone: (0882) 417214
The book is the 2nd Edition (English version)
ISBN's for all three volumes are as follows:
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina - Letters I: 88-499-0000-7
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina - Letters II: 88-499-0001-5
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina - Letters III: 88-499-0002-3
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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!