Heart to Heart: Faith Seasons Podcast

Known the world over as one of the most famous marble statues, listen and learn about how this masterpiece almost never materialized.

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Today's final Ornament of Grace for Sunday of the Octave of Christmas is Mary, Mother of God.

Luke 2:16-21
The Shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger; once they saw, they understood what had been told them concerning this child. All who heard of it were astonished at the report given them by the shepherds. Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart. …

Mary, of all the saints, is the most important, so it is ideal that we honor her first in the New Year.  She is the Mother of Jesus and, through Him, our mother as well.  Those who celebrate this feast realize the loving care Mary has for us and how powerful her intercession is for us.  We know she wants to be involved in our lives every single day, and we can ask her to help us give ourselves completely to whatever God calls us to be and to do, just as she did.

Mary understood, from the beginning, the importance of not just jumping into anything we think is a call from God.  She reflected, as today’s Gospel says, on all that was happening. Growing up as a faithful Jew, Mary would have been familiar with the words of the Old Testament prophesying the coming of the Messiah.  So, when the Angel Gabriel came to her, she understood the Angel’s words in the context of the Old Testament. They resonated with truth. Also, Mary was unafraid to ask for specifics on how this could happen, and she listened to the Angel’s explanation. Of course, she said to let everything happen to her in accordance with God’s will.  Finally, the Angel told her about her cousin Elizabeth being with child.  So, Mary set off to help Elizabeth, and Elizabeth confirmed what the Angel had told Mary.  

These are good lessons for us, too.  Let us listen to the voice of God as He speaks in our hearts, but let us not be afraid to ask the Lord to confirm what we believe we have heard.  Is what we heard in keeping with Scripture?  It is important to check. Is there someone holy and truthful who can pray with us to help confirm what we think God is asking?  Is it really of God?  Do we feel the peace of Jesus and Mary within us as we accept our call?  Do we continue to reflect on the Spirit’s actions in our lives and on how those around us are benefiting from our choices?  The shepherds certainly rejoiced because of Mary’s acceptance of God’s call, and we find joy that Mary helped to bring us God’s salvation in Jesus.

Since Mary has the most successful experience in discerning and accepting the will of God, let us ask her for help.  Mary treasured her child’s life from the beginning all the way to the end.  She treasures, as our mother, all that happens in our lives as well; so, we would be wise to turn to her with whatever needs we have.  She will nurture us along our journey; she will rejoice with us when we are happy, and she will hold us close in times of sorrow. She will never desert us.

At the Annunciation, she said, “Let it be done to me according to your will.”  At Cana, she directed, “Do whatever he tells you.”  She reinforced with words what she had already shown by example.  She accepted her call to be our mother as Jesus was dying on the Cross and said, “Behold your mother.”  As her children, we are brothers and sisters of all.  Embracing our brothers and sisters everywhere is the only path to peace.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

How can you show that you are a true child of Mary by embracing a brother or sister who is different than you in some way, perhaps racially, socially, religiously, or politically?

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John 1:1-18
…Any who did accept him, he empowered to become children of God.  These are they who believe in his name – who were begotten not by blood nor by carnal desire, not by man’s willing it, but by God.  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love…

Today we are blessed with a Gospel that will make us want to rejoice, celebrate, make joyful noise, dance, and welcome in the New Year with happiness.  God lives with us, right here and now.  He sent His Son to bring us the fullness of love!

Tonight is New Year’s Eve, so what kind of resolutions do you have on your list?  Maybe you can take some ideas from the saints you have studied this season before making resolutions.

St. Francis of Assisi: “Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

St. Andrew, the Apostle: “We have found the Messiah.”

St. Angela Merici: “Reflect that in reality you have a greater need to serve (the poor) than they have of your service.”

St. Francis Xavier: “The better friends you are, the straighter you can talk, but while you are on only nodding terms, be slow to scold.”

St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

St. Sebastian: “The devil strains every nerve to secure the souls who belong to Christ.”

St. Nicholas: “The giver of every good and perfect gift has called upon us to mimic His giving, by grace, through faith.”

St. Monica: “This only I ask, that you remember me at the Lord’s altar, wherever you be.”

St. Vincent Ferrer: “If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire.”

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne: “He will never let the trial surpass the strength He gives you, and at the very moment you think yourself overwhelmed by sorrow, He will lift you up and give you peace.”

St. Paul of the Cross: “Meditation on Jesus Christ crucified is a precious balm which sweetens all our pains.”

St. Angela of Foligno: “Humility exists only in those who are poor enough to see that they possess nothing of their own.”

St. Elizabeth Hesselblad: “I understood that I could respond to that love only through sacrifice and a love prepared to suffer for His glory and for the Church.”

St. Gianna Beretta Molla: “Our body is a cenacle, a monstrance: through its crystal the world should see God.”

St. Anthony of Padua: “The breadth of charity widens the narrow heart of the sinner.”

St. Stephen: “Lord Jesus, do not hold this sin against them.”

Mary: “Let it be done to me, according to your word.”

Jesus, the Christ: “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

Let us follow the example of these Ornaments of Grace throughout this whole new year.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

What God-centered resolutions do you have for this new year?

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Today's Ornament of Grace for Friday of the Octave of Christmas is the Holy Family.

Colossians 3:12-17
Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. Over all these virtues, put on love which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. …

St. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading that we are chosen and beloved by God, a God who does not make mistakes. Since we are chosen and loved, we are called to practice mercy, kindness, meekness, patience, and love. We cannot do this alone.  We do this as part of our human family.

God, Who loves us, deigned that we would be born to an earthly mother and father.  We might not know the mother who gave birth to us or the one who fathered us, but someone made sure we survived as babies and children.  From that person or those persons, we learned about life from an early age. Jesus was no exception.  Happily, He had two very holy people as parents: Mary and Joseph.  They taught Him to pray, to read Scriptures, to do household chores and to ply a trade. Best of all, they taught Him, by example, to obey God and to find joy in doing so. 

Jesus did not grow up alone; nor do we grow up alone, even if we have no living parents, no cousins or siblings.  We grow as part of a community, and we can, at any age, choose to grow within a community of faith.  When we embrace our brothers and sisters in a community of faith, we learn to love.  As God’s children, we will find joy in learning to practice the virtues St. Paul outlines in today’s reading.  If we practice these good habits, God will wrap them all together in love, making them perfect.

Jesus needed to practice how to bear with others in His community as He grew.  People are sometimes unkind, cruel, thoughtless or unaware.  Bearing with all kinds of people along His early journey helped Jesus endure His later journey, one filled with difficulties and sorrows.  He had to be patient in teaching His followers and in facing the challenges the Pharisees and Sadducees threw at Him. He had to endure desertion by his good friends when He needed them most.

Horrific suffering followed by a death on the Cross were His lot; yet, He forgave those who put Him to death. Families today need to learn endurance as well, how to bear with one another within community; for no life is without difficulties that try faith and have the power to destroy it.

Joseph and Mary obeyed God and found joy in that obedience.  Look at Joseph’s quick and unquestioning response when the angel told him to flee to Egypt. He did not groan about losing material possessions or worry about what he would do to support his family in a new land. He obeyed immediately, saving Jesus’ life.

Read Mary’s joyful song of praise in the Magnificat. She did not question God’s calling her to be the Mother of the Messiah, even though it might bring public disgrace and an uncertain future.  She simply trusted, finding great joy in humble obedience.

So, while Jesus was blessed with great example from His parents, we might not be.  Nevertheless, God will always supply what we need – teaching us to love.  We are His beloved children, born into a holy family, the whole human family.  Let us find joy in practicing forgiveness, patience, humility, and kindness. That way, we can live together in peace with our whole human family.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

How can you help your family prepare for difficult days ahead by obeying God joyfully?

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1 John 2:3-11
The way we can be sure of our knowledge of him is to keep his commandments. …Dearly Beloved, it is no new commandment that I write to you, but an old one which you had from the start. …The man who claims to be in light, hating his brother all the while, is in darkness even now.  The man who continues in the light is the one who loves his brother… .

Today’s Gospel speaks of a holy old man named Simeon.  He exemplifies John’s words in the first reading since he lived in the light.  Simeon could recognize Jesus as soon as Mary and Joseph brought their Son into the Temple to present Him to the Lord because his sight was not merely human sight.  There is no way he could, with ordinary human vision, have picked out Jesus from all the other little boys being brought to the Temple day in and day out, including the day recorded in the Gospel.  Simeon had waited patiently many years for this moment.  Because he lived a life of faithful, patient prayer, he could see with the eyes of the Holy Spirit Who lived within him. The Spirit is light.

John’s letter today tells us that if we want to live in the light and not be blinded by darkness, then we need to love one another.  This is the command he heard from Jesus; the command he saw Jesus carry out in His earthly life.  Simeon, while born long before Jesus, knew the command.  He prayed, and so he was in relationship with the God of love. He understood how he was loved, and he knew how to love others. He studied scripture and waited patiently for the Messiah to come.  What joy he had when he picked up Jesus and held Him after so many years!  He was so excited that he lifted up this prayer, “Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace; you have fulfilled your word.  For my eyes have witnessed your saving deed displayed for all the peoples to see: a revealing light to the Gentiles, the glory of your people Israel.”

If we want to recognize Jesus in our midst as Simeon did, we need to walk in the light.  Simeon called God His Master and himself, God’s servant.  Simeon was called by God to serve in the Temple, to wait patiently in prayer, to look for the Messiah and to welcome Him.  He did this right up until the end of his life, and his life ended in joy because he had light enough to reach for Jesus.

We are called to serve, but we have been given a vision of Jesus through the Gospels, something Simeon did not have.  We know Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”  We know He went about feeding the hungry, healing the sick, teaching those who wanted to know about God, praying, and forgiving.  At the Last Supper, washing His disciples’ feet, He called us to serve one another in the same way.  Finally, Jesus offered His life for us.

The Old Law required love of neighbor to protect the other’s life, interests, and welfare.  Jesus brought love to a whole new level, asking His followers to love unconditionally.  Sharing in another’s delight, showing compassion to a person in pain, and patiently waiting in prayer, we can begin to have light – not night – vision, the kind of vision Simeon had. 

To really see Jesus and reach out to hold Him this Christmas season and always, we need to see Him among the many who stream into our lives each day. That kind of vision only comes if we live in the light of love.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

How has the light of the Holy Spirit helped you love intensely, making you eager to serve others?

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Today's Oranments of Grace for Wednesday of the Octave of Christmas are the Holy Innocents.

1 John 1:5 – 2:2
Here, then, is the message we have heard from him and announce to you: that God is light; in him there is no darkness.  If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while continuing to walk in darkness, we are liars and do not act in truth.  But if we walk in light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

Today’s first reading is, like that of yesterday, from John.  Today he does not mince words.  He tells Christians to quit pretending that they are good and holy if they continue doing sinful deeds.  Of course, everyone sins, and that is why Jesus came to save us.  But hypocrisy runs rampant in our country and our world, dividing people and causing little children the greatest harm.  We cannot say we are for life if we fail to act in life-giving ways.

Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, a day when we remember those boy babies under the age of two who were slaughtered in and around Bethlehem by order of King Herod.  Herod, thinking Jesus could be the Messiah, wanted to eliminate him for fear he would someday usurp his power.  Herod’s lust for power caused unimaginable suffering. Lust for power still does today.

An average of around 15,000 children under the age of 5 die each day.  Some die because of preterm birth or birth trauma, some from infectious diseases, others from injuries and drowning.  Most die from treatable diseases and other preventable causes.  Poverty, inequality, discrimination, and illness still stalk and kill our children.  War and other conflicts deny children the safety they need to grow in security.  They lack healthcare and intact family life in war-torn regions, so they cannot be properly nurtured. 

Children everywhere, even in our own country, lack proper nutrition.  Many more children are in school than ever before, but more than half the children do not achieve even minimal educational goals.  Often, in some countries, girls are denied education altogether.  Children of all ages often suffer violence or the threat of violence in their own schools and neighborhoods.

Walking in the light means working so that all the children have clean water, clean air and a safe climate.  Obviously, our changing climate is endangering the lives of many – if not all – children.  It contributes to drought, flooding, and the destruction of crops.  Malnutrition and starvation result.  Many children die painful deaths daily.  Others have to flee from their homes due to increasing natural disasters driven by climate change.  Some die in the process of migration; others make it to a new destination, only to live in dire poverty, with little or no healthcare, facing a slow death. 

Nearly 300 million children live in areas with severe toxic outdoor pollution – air, groundwater, toxic waste areas.  Over 600,000 of these are under five and will die.  Those who survive will suffer damage to their bodies and minds. If we do not work against all these evils, then we walk in darkness, not in the light.

Little children are the first victims of war and poverty. How are we working for peace in order to save our Holy Innocents today?

Herod, by other names, still seeks to kill the little children.  God entrusted the care of his children to us.  Let us walk in the Light of Love.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

How will we help to stop Herod’s forces today – forces of environmental degradation, war, poverty, hunger, fear – from killing our little ones? 

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Today's Ornament of Grace for Tuesday of the Octave of Christmas is St. John, Apostle and Evangelist.

1 John 1:1-4
This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have touched – we speak of the word of life. …This fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  Indeed, our purpose in writing you this is that our joy may be complete.

Today’s first reading is from the short letter of John, proclaiming the same idea as the Gospel of John with a slightly different emphasis.  In John’s Gospel, the divine nature of Jesus is prominent.  We hear about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead today.  But, by the time the letter of John is written well after the resurrection, some people based everything on Jesus’ divinity and tended to forget that He was truly human as well.  So, John’s letter reminds us that Jesus, while one with God, became one of us, truly sharing in our humanity.

Having just celebrated Christmas, when Jesus became man, it is a good time to remember that Jesus spent His time on earth loving.  That is John’s message over and over.  God is love, and Jesus is love in the flesh.  Love, for Jesus and in John’s messages, is not an abstract concept.  It is love embodied in human actions.  John says today that Jesus invites us into communion with His Father and with Him.  So, we, too, embody love in the way we speak, in the way we are present to one another, in our actual living in this human community.

John’s emphasis is also on joy.  If we live in right relationship with God and one another, then he says our joy will be complete.  John knew Jesus personally and loved Him as a human walking this earth; he heard Jesus, touched Him, and saw Him reaching out to the poor, the sick, the marginalized.  John knew what Jesus was about and, therefore, what we need to be doing if we want to experience true joy.

John, along with his brother James, was among the first apostles called by Jesus, after Peter and Andrew.  Early in Jesus’ ministry, John witnessed many signs and miracles performed by Jesus.  He was present when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead.  Jesus took him up the mountain at the Transfiguration, where he witnessed Jesus’ glory and heard the voice of the Father.  He heard Jesus prophesy about the last days when they were on the Mount of Olives, and he was nearby when Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus trusted John with the care of his beloved mother when he was dying on the Cross.  John saw the empty tomb after the resurrection, and he was in the upper room when Jesus appeared.  John was present at Jesus’ last appearance at the Sea of Galilee prior to the Ascension. Likely, these are just the highlights, but John knew Jesus extremely well and wants us to know Him, believe in Him and love as Jesus did so that we, too, can know perfect joy.

In establishing the early Christian Community, John worked first in Jerusalem along with Peter.  He was with Peter when he healed a lame man in the Temple.  When Peter went to confer the Holy Spirit upon the Samaritans converted by Philip, John accompanied him.  His mission of preaching never ended during his life, and he tells us today the same message:  God is Love.  We can listen to John, for he knew Jesus intimately.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

What difference has your relationship with Jesus made in your life? 

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Today's Ornament of Grace for Monday of the Octave of Christmas is St. Stephen, the Martyr.

Matthew 10:17-22
Be on your guard with respect to others. They will haul you into court; they will flog you… You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings…  When they hand you over, do not worry about what you will say or how you will say it.  When the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say…The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.  Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will turn against parents and have them put to death. 

As we begin the Octave of Christmas, we continue to celebrate Jesus’ coming.  Yet, the happiness of Christmas seems to stand in stark contrast with the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.  The words of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel today remind us that Jesus’ birth cannot be somehow separate from His death and resurrection.  Neither can our birth by baptism be separated from our death and resurrection in Jesus.

After Jesus’ resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles needed more help to serve the growing early Christian community.  Disputes began to arise between the Greek-speaking Jews and the Hebraic Jews about fair food distribution to their widows.  The Greek-speaking Jews felt their widows were not being treated as well as the others.  Stephen was highly respected as a man of faith and fairness.  An added benefit was that he spoke Greek.  So, the Apostles asked Stephen to be one of seven deacons to distribute food and other necessities to those in need. 

Stephen had many talents, though, and he not only served food, but he preached in the synagogues of the Greek-speaking Jews.  There, he spoke powerfully and worked miracles among the people.  The prominent members of these synagogues argued with him.  Stephen engaged in their debates and showed all the truth of his teachings.

Unfortunately, winning the debates humiliated those who had challenged Stephen.  So, the leaders of the synagogues made up lies, saying Stephen had showed contempt for God and a lack of respect for Moses.  Such blasphemy was considered a serious crime, a crime that would have to go to trial before the supreme court of the Jewish elders, the Sanhedrin.

Angry members of the synagogues dragged Stephen before the Sanhedrin for trial.  There, they accused him of preaching against the Temple and the Law of Moses.  Stephen must have remembered Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel because he did not get upset.  He gave a long speech to the Sanhedrin, carefully outlining his understanding of the history of Israel.  Speaking of Abraham, the patriarchs, and Moses, he explained how the Chosen People disobeyed God and needed the Messiah. He showed how Jesus came to fulfill the Law, not to destroy it.

Stephen bravely told those before him how they were, by falsely accusing him, doing what their ancestors had done by persecuting the prophets.  He warned them that they were not listening to the Holy Spirit, and he reminded them that they even killed the Messiah who came to save them. 

Stephen’s words angered the crowd who began to throw stones at him.  Stephen looked up to heaven and cried out, “Look!  I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God!”  As he died, he asked the Lord to receive his spirit and forgive those who stoned him. 

We will suffer in following Jesus, but Christmas reminds us that He lives among us to give us everything we need to stay faithful in the moments, days, or years ahead.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

Who are some people who have spoken ill of you?  Have you forgiven them? 

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Today's Ornament of Grace for Christmas Day is Jesus, the Christ.

Titus 3:4-7
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us; not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the baptism of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.  This Spirit he lavished on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs, in hope, of eternal life.

Advent is over, and the wonderful celebration of the Christmas Season is here!  St. Paul in his letter to Titus, from the second reading of the Mass at Dawn, calls us to rejoice that Jesus, God among us, is here to save us.  He reminds us that we have not done anything to deserve saving; there is nothing we will ever be able to do to merit such love.  But, God, in his infinite mercy, wants to save us so we can be one with Him.

Today is a good day to give thanks for our Baptism, our new birth in the Holy Spirit.  In Baptism, Jesus renews our birth in His birth so that we can become pure and holy.  We can share Jesus’ birthday in the truest sense, for we – like Christ – have been born through salvation today.  Let us sing, dance, eat, celebrate, and never forget to do good works.

St. Paul tells Titus we are heirs in hope.  I know someone who is totally bored with her life.   She is not particularly depressed, but she is looking for something exciting to do all the time. Do you know anyone like that?

She has eaten at every restaurant within miles, gone to every gallery, taken courses, and shopped at every kind of store.  Still, the boredom returns.  Christmas decorations, gifts, foods, maybe a church service with uplifting music, and some visitors may bring her a little fleeting happiness today.  But, what about tomorrow? What about all of us tomorrow?  Will we hold onto Christmas joy then and throughout the year?

St. Paul’s letter to Titus reminds us that the Holy Spirit has been lavished on us.  Lavished!  The Holy Spirit has given us these gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.  Using these gifts, we bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.  Using the gifts of the Holy Spirit to do good works will help us put down the roots to our life’s tree, and that tree will bear much good fruit.

Throughout Advent, we looked at saintly people’s lives.  We have seen people who prayed (piety), studied God’s Word (knowledge), and used all the Spirit’s gifts.  Their fruits of love, joy, peace and more were evident as well.  So, Jesus, Our Savior, came to bring us the fullness of life in the Spirit. Let us, human like the saints, use our hands and feet, our talents, whatever we have to offer to make the saving love of Jesus real for people around us today.  Deep joy will follow.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI knows this.  He said, “Joy is the true gift of Christmas, not the expensive gifts that call for time and money.  We can communicate this joy simply: with a smile, a kind gesture, a little help, forgiveness.  And the joy we give will certainly come back to us…”.

May we all find joy in the Holy Spirit Who has been lavished on us because Jesus, wanting to be one with us, chose to be born long ago as a helpless child and chose to give His life that we might live – and do the same as He did.

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

What is the best gift you can give a person on Christmas, and how will you present it to that person?

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Today's Ornament of Grace for Saturday of the Fourth Week of Advent is Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Luke 1:67-79
Then Zechariah, …filled with the Holy Spirit, uttered this prophesy: “…He has dealt mercifully with our fathers and remembered the holy covenant he made, the oath he swore to Abraham our father he would grant us: that, rid of fear and delivered from the enemy, we should serve him devoutly and through all our days be holy in his sight…”.

Advent is coming to an end, and today’s Gospel cites Zechariah’s beautiful canticle.  His prophetic song of praise reminds us that God is faithful to His promises, that He calls us to walk the path of peace, and that He brings us eternal salvation.  One person who followed a path of just peace was Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Born in Turin, Italy, in 1901, Pier’s father was a newspaper man who became a senator and then an ambassador to Germany.  His mother was an excellent painter. From an early age, Pier had a desire to help the poor.  Once, when Pier was a child, a mother came with her son to the Frassati’s door, begging.  The little boy had no shoes, so Pier gave his shoes to the boy.

Pier became a lay Dominican, influenced by Dominican Saints Thomas Aquinas and Catherine of Siena.  A deeply prayerful person who attended daily Mass, he dedicated himself to caring for the poor and to changing social systems for the good of all. Well-liked by many because of his kind, humorous ways, he brought a lightness into heavy situations.  Active athletically, he especially enjoyed mountain climbing and swimming.

Pier participated in anti-fascist rallies.  He hated violence and had a calming presence wherever he went, even at the protests. Never afraid, he was often physically attacked by fascists.  Arrested many times for peacefully protesting, he once had to fight back when the police became violent at a Church-backed demonstration. When people lauded his courage, he said, “One ought to go and one does.  It is not they who suffer violence who should fear it, but those who practice it.”

Pier Giorgio studied at a university in Turin to become a mining engineer in order “to serve Christ among the miners.”  In his free time, he served the poor, giving all he had to those in need.  Once he gave his bus fare away and ran the long distance home on foot.  Often, he gave up summer vacations at his family estate outside Turin because he felt that if everyone left the heat of the city, no one would be around to care for the poor.

Frequently spending his nights adoring the Blessed Sacrament, he meditated on St. Paul’s letters, especially 1 Corinthians 13, on the excellence of the gift of love.

Pier contracted polio in the summer of 1925, probably while caring for the sick.  Boating with friends on June 30, he complained of pains in his back and returned home on July 1 with a severe headache and fever, only to find that his grandmother had died that day.  Not wanting to draw attention to himself, he mourned with his family until he became too ill on July 2.  He could not move when the doctor arrived. On the night before he died, his hand was partially paralyzed; yet, he wrote directions so that a friend would take needed medicine to a poor man Pier had served.  His last words before he died on July 4, 1925 at only 24 years of age, were these: “May I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.”

The Turin poor turned out in droves, lining the streets on the day of his funeral.  Pope St. John Paul II beatified Pier Giorgio Frassati in 1990, calling him the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes.”

OBSERVING THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS

How can we, like Pier Giorgio Frassati, serve the Lord faithfully and devoutly without fear?

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