WHO DO PEOPLE SAY WE ARE?

Memorial of St. Pio De Pietrelcina, Priest and Stigmatist


Lk 9:18-22

Born on 25 May 1887, Francesco Forgione was born to a family of hardworking farmers in Pietrelcina, Italy. Even in his childhood, he already revealed a great love for God, always praying rather than playing. As young as 15 years old, he joined the Capuchin Friars and took the name “Pio”.

Though frail of health, Fray Pio was able to complete his priestly studies with the help of God’s grace and was ordained in 1910. He was known for his priestly zeal and holiness, spending long hours in prayer and in hearing the confession of countless penitents. On 20 September 1918, the five wounds of Jesus appeared on Padre Pio’s body, making him the first stigmatist priest.

Even during his lifetime, many miracles and conversions are attributed to Padre Pio. The sick came to him in droves and great numbers of penitents sought him for absolution and spiritual direction. Among those who had the privilege of confessing to him was the young Karol Wotyla who later became Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II beatified and canonized him in 1999 and 2002, respectively.

Padre Pio also had the gift of bilocation and reading the hearts of people. It was said that if you come to him for confession and you intentionally omit mentioning a sin you committed, Padre Pio would tell you!

With the wounds of Jesus in his body, Padre Pio endured a lot of physical and spiritual pain. The gift of the stigmata, which he bore in his body for more than half a century, is a manifestation of his immensely deep communion with the Lord. Padre Pio was a lover of the Holy Eucharist, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of souls.

Padre Pio passed away on 23 September 1968 at the age of 81.

I was one and a half years old when Padre Pio passed away. His life was the first biography of a saint I read. As a young boy, his life inspired me to be devoted to the Holy Eucharist, to love the Blessed Mother, and to offer my life to Jesus for souls. He was one of my inspirations to enter the seminary and become a priest someday. Already a priest, I pray to him before I hear anyone’s confession and before I make my own confession too.

Padre Pio mirrored the love of Jesus to sinners. He gave them Jesus’ forgiveness and love. He was an instrument of hope for hopeless sinners. He was like another Jesus to them, spending his life reconciling countless souls with God.

Recently I received a letter thanking me for mediating between a woman and a senior priest who had a long standing conflict. The letter sender said that she was greatly affected even by the mere knowledge of the unsettled misunderstanding between the priest and the woman. I mediated between my brother priest and the woman. They dialogued and patched things up. Reconciled with each other, both the priest and the woman are now more at peace not only with each other but also with themselves. Without them knowing it perhaps, they made more people happy, including my letter sender and my self.

But the credit goes to Jesus, not to me. I am only His servant, a sign of hope, an instrument of peace. He is the Christ.

When the question “Who do people say that I am?” is raised concerning our identity, what answer will it yield? In the life of Padre Pio, the answer was already very clear even during his lifetime. Is the same true with us?

Who do people say that we are? Peacemakers or peace-breakers? Hope-giver or hope-stealer? Lovers of Jesus or lovers of the world? Christ’s disciples or Christ’s detractors? There is only one way to tell.
Our lifestyle not only has the answer. It is the answer in itself.