The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you."He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it."
REFLECTION
R. (1) Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me, "We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R.Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
My sister has a devotion to Padre Pio. She heard about him from her Italian mother-in-law who had a book about his life. My sister and her husband's mother were praying for my brother-in-law because of his poor health and bad habits.
In the following years, my brother-in-law had to have heart surgery, then a leg amputated. He was amazing. He didn't let his health get in the way of doing things like driving a truck with one leg or being generous and helping others by "lending" money even though he knew they wouldn't pay him back. The one thing he was reluctant to do was to go to confession.
My sister asked me to pray with her to Padre Pio for her husband to go to confession.
In 2008, my brother-in-law was hospitalized and the doctors told my sister that he was dying. She told me she asked her husband if she could call a priest to hear his confession and annoint him. He refused. She went to get some coffee in the hospital and she saw a priest in line in the cafeteria. My sister talked to him and told him about her husband. He said he'd pop into his room and talk with him. She decided to let the priest go to visit him while she waited. The priest came back to tell my sister that he heard her husband's confession and annointed him. Shortly after my sister returned to see her husband. She said he seemed different and at peace. He died an hour later.
My sister and I both agreed that our prayers were answered. We found out that the priest was not even suppose to be in the hospital that day.
Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, fondly known as Padre Pio, lived his priesthood in conformity with Jesus Christ. Padre Pio was devoted to hearing confessions. He would hear confessions for long hours. Many people traveled to confess to Padre Pio. There are many accounts of how he could "read souls."
In thanksgiving for his intercession let us pray for all priests to be devoted to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us pray our PAPA Prayer for priests.
Comments