“I beseech you wholeheartedly not to waste time in thinking about the past. If it was used well, let us give glory to God; if badly, let us detest it and confide it to the goodness of the heavenly Father.
—letter to a fellow priest called to serve in World War I, February 9, 1916
One of the songs from the popular Disney movie Frozen contains the words, “I’m never going back. The past is in the past.” Padre Pio would probably agree with those lyrics. For him, dwelling on things that we can no longer control or change is not worth our time—especially when we can begin again each time we partake in the Sacrament of Penance.
After all, why would we want to look backward when we can focus on the joys Christ has given us today and the hope of what lies ahead?
In Padre Pio’s Own Words
When the enemy wants to insinuate himself into your heart to conquer it with a fear about the past, consider the past to be swallowed up in the sea of heavenly goodness. Concentrate on the present, in which Jesus is with you and loves you. Think about the future, when Jesus will reward your faithfulness and surrender, or—even better—think about all the graces that he has lavished on you and still bestows on you continually that you have certainly never deliberately misused.
Therefore, insofar as it is possible—because no one is expected to do the impossible—you should pray to put aside every fear and to have confidence, faith, and love at all times. Thérèse of the Child Jesus used to say that we would be judged by our love!
(To Raffaelina Cerase, October 8, 1915)
Prayer
St. Pio, help us keep from looking behind at what has been
and instead turn our gaze toward the future and what is yet to come.
