Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Saints: Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin, Martyr (1890-1902); Saint Moninne (c.432-c.518)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 29 Readmission of Brothers Who Leave the Monastery

Mass: Gn 32:23-33; Resp Ps 17; Mt 9:32-38

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God.

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

I am inspired by our saint of the day, Saint Maria Goretti, and her witness to the faith. At the same time, I am inspired by the man who killed her, Alessandro Serenelli. You can read the account of their story from any number of sources. In short, Maria, at the age of 11, yes, 11, refused to give in to the sexual advances of 20 year old Alessandro. Not liking that at all, Alessandro ended up stabbing Maria 14 times. Maria died shortly thereafter but not without forgiving Alessandro first. Maria said this: "I forgive Alessandro, I forgive him with all my heart; and I want him to be with me in heaven." There is more to it though. In prison, Alessandro repented, due largely in part to dreams he had of Maria. Maria's mother was at her daughter's canonization in 1950, and it is said that Alessandro was there too. However, it is certain that Alessandro spent his last years in a Capuchin monastery, where in died in 1970. With God all things are possible. And as Jesus says in today's Gospel: The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest (Mt 9:38). 

The life of this simple girl-I shall concern myself only with highlights-we can see as worthy of heaven. Even today people can look at it with admiration and respect. Parents can learn from her story how to raise their God-given children in virtue, courage and holiness ...

From Maria's story carefree children and young people with their zest for life can learn not to be led astray by attractive pleasures which are not only ephemeral and empty but also sinful. Instead they can fix their sights on achieving Christian moral perfection, however difficult and hazardous that course may prove ...

Not all of us are expected to die a martyr's death, but we are called to the pursuit of Christian virtue. This demands strength of character though it may not match that of this innocent girl ...

So let us all, with God's grace, strive to reach the goal that the example of the virgin martyr, Saint Maria Goretti, sets before us. Through her prayers to the Redeemer may all of us, each in his own way, joyfully try to follow the inspiring example of Maria Goretti who now enjoys eternal happiness in heaven.

(From a homily at the canonization of Saint Maria Goretti by Pope Pius XII, in Office of Readings, July 6)

SAINT MARIA GORETTI,

SAINT MONINNE,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Back with beauty in Windsor, CA.

 

© Gertrude Feick 2021