God is still with us: Weekly Message for 09-21-2021

Dear Friends,

“Even if the world were to capsize, if everything were to become dark, hazy, and tumultuous, God would still be with us”. These are comforting words from a saint for our times, Padre Pio. All one has to do today is turn on the news or scroll through their social media feeds to see the world’s fascination with narrating the darkness and turmoil around us.

The moment we think to ourselves, “It can’t get any worse”. It seems it does. 

Padre Pio grew up the son of peasants in a little village in southern Italy. His parents were illiterate, but when Francisco expressed his desire to enter the Capuchin order, his dad made the sacrifice to travel to America to earn enough money to educate his son so he could enter the order. Padre Pio was plagued by illnesses and suffering his whole life, but God was always with him. 

WW1 Broke out and Pio’s life was capsized. He was drafted into the medical corps and served off and on for nearly three years.  He was eventually discharged completely due to poor health and returned to ministry. 

He was surrounded by political unrest much like we are today. Different factions were arguing over power and money. As the fame of his holy lifestyle and the appearance of the stigmata (wounds of Christ) spread, the Church imposed severe sanctions on him until it finished its investigation. Through all this turbulence, even when the way forward remained veiled from view, Padre Pio remained faithful. He knew God was with him and God never turns his back on his children.  

Our lives are a journey. Every person will face trials, illness, and uncertainty. At this moment in time, we are contemplating our futures in a highly politicized world stage increasingly hostile to Christianity, a global pandemic, a war on the unwanted unborn, degradation of the sacrament of marriage, and the destruction of family life.  We all have a beginning, but we are made for eternity.  Let us not forget, even if the world were to capsize and everything were to seem dark, God is still with us leading us across rough and hostile waters by the light of his love, faithfully reminding us we are never alone. 

Yours in the Heart of Jesus,

Donna