St. Padre Pio - "Pray, Hope and Don't Worry"

I had the wonderful privilege of being able to attend mass today at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. Having worked for the university's study abroad program in Austria for two years, it is always a bit like a homecoming for me to return to campus and attending mass at Christ the King Chapel is always a highlight of my visit. Today was even more special as we are celebrating the feast of St. Padre Pio.

I cried through the majority of the mass. It was just so beautiful to be around so many young Catholics on fire for the faith. When we lived in Austria, one of my favorite parts was hearing the students sing at mass, their voices were just so beautiful. Today was no different. Hearing them lift their voices in prayer made me feel so close to heaven...at the "Holy, Holy, Holy" it quite simply a foretaste of heaven for me. While Dave and I continually mourn the lack of physical children in our life, we are blessed to have numerous spiritual children, among them the approximately 800 FUS students that studied abroad during the time we worked together as Resident Directors for the Gaming program. Even though all of those students have graduated and moved on with their lives, being around such a large crowd of other FUS students was a beautiful reminder of the many lives that we were blessed to touch. In the middle of mass, I was given a small glimpse into what heaven must be like...being surrounded by those whose lives we have touched and who have touched our lives, all lifting our hearts and voices to constantly sing the praise of the Lord. It was simply beautiful. The homily was very meaningful to me as the priest reflected upon Padre Pio's life, his sufferings and the way in which he not only carried his cross, but grew from it. The priest started by describing the following comic strip (which I had seen several weeks ago in an email):

These images are so profound. They teach us that we need our crosses in order to reach heaven...that they are our path to holiness. The priest continued on with several reflections:

* Don't pray for a cross to meet your strength, pray for strength to meet your cross.

* Sometimes what we need to carry on is not a smaller cross, but rather an interior change..a change in attitude.

* There is nothing wrong with asking God to remove your suffering (Matthew 26:39), but some sufferings (like Padre Pio's stigmata proves) are not to be taken away. Instead, we must pray that we will learn to face them with love and joy.

* Looking at the life of Padre Pio, we see that the cross can form us (and not deform us) if we allow it to. Padre Pio learned compassion from his cross. He took the burden on himself and grew in compassion and grew more like Christ. He carried on his way of the cross with fidelity and joy and allowed it to shape him.

* As Padre Pio said, "The weight of the cross makes us stagger...the power of the cross gives us relief and joy."

* It takes empty hands to carry the cross. So empty your hands so that you can pick up your cross and follow Him.

* It is the power of the cross that is the provides us the gift and power of the Eucharist. Thus, the power of the cross is waiting for us at each mass. He is waiting for us to open our hearts and our mouths and to ask Him to give us Himself. When we say "Amen", we are saying "Give it to me. Let your power flow through me." We are weak and need His power and His strength...only through the power of the cross, and receiving this power in the Eucharist can we bear any burden with joy and allow it to lead us to eternal life.

It was an incredibly powerful homily for me and has provided me with much to pray about and meditate upon. So did the closing song of the mass. I've heard "Press On" numerous times before, but today more than ever before, it hit me in a new way. Through the intercession of St. Padre Pio, may we too have the grace and strength to press on as we continue to carry our crosses.

Press On

For the man who follows Jesus all the days of his life, who picks up his cross and walks with his God, a glorious inheritance awaits him at the end when he will see and know his true Father. And the pearl of great price is in his hand.

So as for me I will press on in running the race with my eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects my faith. I will fight the good fight with all my heart and soul till the day that I'm with Jesus, the day I'm finally home, the day that I have won the crown.

He will approach the throne of this Father with Jesus at his side. The Father will rise and say, "Welcome home! You're a good and faithful servant come home and take your reward! The battle's done, come and take your rest. Stay with me forevermore!"

So as for me I will press on in running the race with my eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects my faith. I will fight the good fight with all my heart and soul till the day that I'm with Jesus, the day I'm finally home, the day that I have won the crown.

And the heavens will resound with the thunder of praise. The angels and the saints will shout for joy. And the Father will dance for his son has come home, another warrior returns from the fight, another vict'ry for the Lamb of God.

So as for me I will press on in running the race with my eyes fixed on Jesus, who inspires and perfects my faith. I will fight the good fight with all my heart and soul till the day that I'm with Jesus, the day I'm finally home, the day that I have won the crown.

Text and Music: Robert Filoramo, (c) 1997, Koinania Academy Press.