SAINT GEMMA GALGANI-
SAINT GERARD MAJELLA-

+
+
+


back

SAINT GEMMA GALGANI-
sigmatic and Willing Sufferer for Christ/1878-1903/
Feast:Apr.11-#82

fr:Dear Saint,your life from the outside seems to have been one long 
period of suffering.
As such it contains important lessons on suffering.
*The existence of evil 
and suffering has plagued human beings for centuries.
It remains a mystery as to why an infinitely loving God allows even most 
faithful followers of Christ to bear such heavy crosses.

St:Saint Augustine,after his conversion,proclaimed that 
"there is only one evil and that is sin." 
Suffering is an evil in the natural order but it can be an occasion for 
good -- for sanctification,for growth in Christlikeness.
*All Christian Saints have learned to appreciate this fact as they meditated 
on what the Divine Savior chose to suffer for sinful human beings.
The Stations of the Cross and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary 
provide ample material for meditating on our Lord's sufferings.

fr:You were born in Lucca,Italy,practically in our day.When you were 
twenty,you suffered a tuberculosis of the spine that doctors declared to 
be incurable.
*However,through many prayers to Saint Gabriel you were completely 
cured,on the First Friday of May 1899.
This date and day are clearly meaningful for us!

St:I was grateful,of course,and sought admittance to the 
Congregation of the Passionist Nuns,but I was not accepted.
The Lord then gave me extraordinary religious experiences.
As the maxim goes,man proposes,but God disposes !

fr:Marks of Christ's Crucifixion appeared repeatedly on your hands and 
feet for over eighteen months,and in 1902 you became ill once more.
The way the Crucified Savior wanted you to suffer in spiritual union 
with Him became known all over the world.
You died a holy death in 1903 and were canonized by plus XII in 1940.

St:I came to see clearly that our Lord used me to show to the world that 
suffering can be a great means for self-sanctification and for 
"completing what is wanting in the Sufferings of Christ" -- which at first 
seems a strange saying,but is what Scripture says.

pr:Dear Jesus,help me for I desire to be good no matter what the cost.
Take away,destroy,and utterly root out whatever You find in me that is 
contrary to Your holy Will.dear Jesus,illumine me so that I may walk in 
Your holy light.

fr:Dear Saint,you know that there is still much suffering in our day.
Unfortunately much of it goes to waste,so to speak,because it is not put 
to use for the sufferers' sanctification.
*Teach us to recognize the supernatural value of sufferings accepted for 
God's glory and the eternal good of souls.
May more and more people come to realize that the real evil is sin,
which is an offense against the all-holy and infinitely loving God.

back




back

SAINT GERARD MAJELLA-
Lay Brother,Mystic,and Wonder-Worker/1726-1755/
Feast:Oct.16-#68

fr:Dear Saint,your wonderful life is an example of the value of manual 
labor when undertaken and carried out solely for God.In you it went 
hand in hand with mystical powers and astounding miracles.
*Born in Muro Lucano in Italy,you lost your father when you were still 
very young.
You suffered much in trying to be an apprentice tailor,but never 
complained.
Your severe penances made you weak and unable to be accepted by 
Religious Orders.
Finally,the Redemptorists accepted you though grudgingly as shown 
by the recruiter's remark:"I am sending you a man who will be a useless 
Brother." How mistaken he was!

St:People,old and young,make mistakes--so it is all-important to 
practice patience with them.Youths are inexperienced and sometimes 
become enthusiastic for foolish causes.Some claim independence as 
a human right and others yield to evil passions.

fr:When we look at your life as a youth,we see with admiration that you 
advanced constantly in Christian virtues.And as a lay Brother,you put 
your hand to any kind of labor --sacristan,porter,gardener,infirmarian,
and tailor.At the same time,you grew in spiritual wisdom to such 
an extent that you became the spiritual director for Nuns.

St:I must admit that God did great things in and through me.
Helped by Him,
I did my best to be obedient and charitable,while taking great care to pray 
well and to practice mortification.
*After my profession,strange things happened.
I was able to discern spirits,performed miracles,and was fortunate 
that once a woman falsely accused me of immorality.
This kept me humble.

fr:We know that you became an inspiration for your Religious brethren 
as well as for all who met you.
When sickness afflicted you and tuberculosis exhausted you,you did not 
complain,nor grow lax in your spiritual exercises.
*You became a follower of the Crucified Master,and joyfully bore your 
cross after Him.
You developed a spirit of self-sacrifice for God's glory and for the 
salvation of souls.

St:Be patient with youths and encourage them.
Make pregnant women realize that abortion is murdering a child of God 
and that giving birth to a new child is cooperating with God,the Author 
of human life.As the patron of women with child,
I will continually pray for them.

pr:Infinite Purity,I trust in You.
Keep me from every impure thought,even the slightest,
which in my wretchedness I might conceive.

fr:Dear Saint,when you died at the age of twenty-nine on the day you 
had foretold,you had already lived a full life for God.
Watch over our youth and guard them from throwing their lives away at 
a young age.
*Pray that the scourge of abortion will pass and all people will share 
your respect for life--both born and unborn.

back


back Following Saint