Spirit Digest has an interesting link put up which reminds us all of how, in his day Saint Padre Pio was treated as a criminal. http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/com...dern-saint-was-being-treated-like-a-criminal/ One of the comments that made me laugh was the reminder that Padre Pio's Superior , Father Rosario used to put up signs around about the Friary warning folks not to approach Padre Pio! It made me laugh because knowing how things work in religious communities I find it hard to imagine another priest who would not, in similiar circumstances be chasing after Fr Rosario to knock him on the head with something heavy. Yet Padre Pio took it on the chin, remarkable,very very remarkable. Astonishing humility, really astonishing. But then again..it was Padre Pio.... I think you can almost certainly say that the greater the saint the greater the storm Satan will cook up against them (by the permission of God) . In fact it should make us very uneasy if our own life is plain sailing. For myself I have to admit I am having a great life (at the minute) and this does cause me to have misgivings at times. But I console myself that we will, all of us have more than enough to keep our hands full soon enough. When our own times come may we bear it with as much grace and humility as the truly astounding Padre Pio.
It's the grace of humility.... A good reminder for us all to accept our earthly humiliations with the same grace as St. Padre Pio.
Humility is beautiful: it does not bow to dissension but to ascension i.e. Being humble in spirit does not cause discord but looks to heaven and waits submissively. As Jesus, did when he prayed to the Father. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
A local Priest who comes thru the area once a month gave a homily on Padre Pio recently. He made note how Padre was persecuted as gifted as he was, but Padre bared with it. One day the Holy Father told his superiors to lift Padre Pios' restrictions for he passed his test of obedience to superiors....more to the story but thats the main point.
I remember once a man that I use to work with said out of the blue that he had one of Padre Pio mitts and invited me up to take a look. I neither agreed or declined.. a little bemused ...perhaps I might track him down sometime if he is still alive.. very nice man. God Bless!
Well by , 'Accident', I was watching the movie on Padre Pio for about the billionth time last night (I am one of the saint's biggest fans. It came to the part were officials from the Holy Office heading down to San Giovanni to tell Padre Pio he was no longer to say public mass, hear confession of have and dealings with the public.... (this went on for many years. Well padre Pio rebuked, publically, in front of the whole congregation, one for the the Vatican Officials for looking at his watch during Padre Pio's mass (The Monsignore thought three hours was too long). Also when the Vatican bouncers broke the news to Padre Pio he was to be buried alive, his spiritual director removed and placed on special supervision , Padre Pio had a word or two to say to the devils. I like this, I like this warm humanity that stands up for itself. Well I love Italians anyway, the melodrama ect. But I think there is the danger of a kind of censorship of evil here. What the Vatican did was very, wrong; in fact it was quite evil , they were effectively doing just what the devil wanted. When we say it was, 'God's will we must distinguish between the active and passive Will of God. For instance it was the passive Will of God that the Shoah take place and Padre Pio be crucified, but it was never the active Will. When Bishops and Cardinals and others did and do wrong things I honestly cannot see anything wrong with simply saying they did/do wrong. Padre Pio was brutalised. They used him like a football, never stopping kicking him, the wise guys in the Vatican. Let's call a spade a spade. The danger in covering up such evil , of staying quite about it, is that we permit it to flourish. Of course we walk a fine line in all this, but it is a fine line we must have the courage and honesty to walk.
I also been watching this DVD like many times and I just so touch with his story and helped me a lot with humility. I actually purchased a lot dvd's and distributed to my friends because some of them do not even know who he is and I want to help them to have a strong faith in God like Padre Pio. One time, I was in my office and I smelled a very unusual smell, it is really hard to describe, it is a special smell and beautiful perfume smell, I look funny smelling myself and shirt and all the stuff on my table to make sure where that smells came from, I remembered Padre Pio that he does that to different people who's devoted to him. And I really love him very much and I prayed his prayers too everyday before I go to bed. I actually did order online and made a custom prayer cards with his photo on it and at the back I put the history of Padre Pio and I put it in the church so other people can take it and pray for his intercession.
Humility flows from obedience. I think it was Padre Pio who said; Obedience is a mother virtue and all other virtues lie under her wings and follow her, Like a mother hen with her chicks.
That reminds me of St. Therese, when Mother Agnes asked her the reason of her tears she replied: "Did you not see that mother-hen with her chickens? Well, that is exactly what God has done with me all my life. He has entirely hidden me under the shadow of His wings. I am thankful He does not let me see it often as I saw it just now, for I could not bear it." -Humility- James 4:10 Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you. Matthew 11:29 Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Luke 1:52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. Luke 14:11 Because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. Luke 18:14 I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. Romans 12:16 Being of one mind one towards another. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble. Be not wise in your own conceits. 2 Corinthians 7:6 But God, who comforteth the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus. 2 Corinthians 12:21 Lest again, when I come, God humble me among you: and I mourn many of them that sinned before, and have not done penance for the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness, that they have committed. Philippians 2:8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. James 4:6 But he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. James 4:10 Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you. 1 Peter 3:8 And in fine, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble: 1 Peter 5:5 In like manner, ye young men, be subject to the ancients. And do you all insinuate humility one to another, for God resisteth the proud, but to the humble he giveth grace. 1 Peter 5:6 Be you humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation: More: http://www.cathedral.plus.com/therese/humility.pdf God bless!
