Find what you’re looking for
During this season of Lent, we can draw strength from the example of Christ and Padre Pio who fought back against anxiety over what they were called to do.
Some of the hardest teachings of Jesus to follow are centered around forgiveness. Forgive 70 x 7 times. Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful. Turn the other cheek.
Padre Pio is revered by many, but there were—and still are—people who doubted his experiences.
My third-grade granddaughter’s science essay delighted me: a picture of her pointing to her head and words that explained why her brain is the most important part of her body.
It must have been frightening for Padre Pio to experience some of the things that occurred to him. But he faced it all with unshakable faith.
Who hasn’t felt as if they are on the outside looking in? Who among us hasn’t felt dejected or neglected? May this prayer be your reminder today that you are loved no matter how far you’ve strayed.
We are flawed. We know that, Padre Pio knew that, Christ knows that. There is no getting around it. So there is no use throwing our hands up in the air over what we cannot do.
For St. Francis, this search for himself began and ended by asking the only one whose opinion mattered: Jesus.
Regardless of the details, the habit of keeping a gratitude journal makes us more alert and sensitive. The more we seek things and people to record, the more grateful we become.
The reality for most people is a very different one from that of Padre Pio. He spent most of his life at the monastery where he prayed, heard confessions, and celebrated Mass.
