A Little More Maria in My Life
My cousin Julia and the saint book- “I don’t want to be a saint…I think it would hurt.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about Maria Goretti- she’s one of the youngest canonized saints in the history of the Church. There is something to be said about this little Martyr for Purity. You may know the story and I think the violent details can dissuade us from coming to close. But I see Christ “renewing His whole mystery” in her—-dying to save a sinner! A witness to truth, goodness and beauty.
I think all of us need a little more Maria in our life- to be radical witnesses in this culture and society.
July 5th, 1902—–The 11 yr. old girl fought off a 20 yr. old boy bent on raping her, crying out, “No, no Alessandro, it’s a sin!” and because of the fight she put up, he stabbed her 14 times, and she died of the wounds the following days saying, “I forgive Alessandro and want him in heaven with me.” 6 yrs. later, she appeared to him in his prison cell and handed him 14 white lilies—a sign of forgiveness. This man’s conversion was so complete and evident- that he was released 3 yrs. early from his 30 yr. sentence, sought out Maria’s Mom for forgiveness and set next to her at Maria’s canonization…. I mean, ONLY GOD COULD DO THIS.
The beauty of her true love for the good of this young man’s soul-whose sexual addiction and lust had blinded him-by first WARNING HIM and later forgiving him. It is so ASTOUNDING.
How often in this culture are we assaulted with impurity, with vulgarity, lewdness and disordered passions? It is easy to get used to it, tolerate it, to shrug it off, even to make excuses for it. Or worse…to welcome it- for pleasure or entertainment.
The pure of heart see God in everything- in themselves, in others…See, our sexual desires are good and holy- they reveal that God made us for union, for life-giving union within marriage.
But they can be clouded over, misused, or twisted.
Purity is so freeing. Chastity is a virtue everyone is called to- it is the right ordering of love and its appropriate expression according to my state in life, it tempers my passions and allows me to choose the good of the other- is not only radiantly attractive, but it is full of reverence, wonder and respect- it is a strength all its own.
I think we need a little more Maria Goretti in our lives- that spirit that is willing to put up a fight to the death if ANYTHING tries to destroy my innocence, or steal what God intends to be a spousal gift, or taint the way that I see myself or others.
Stop watching filth—- so many movies, shows and commercials mock what is holy, make light of promiscuity, glorify drunkenness and try to normalize that which is disordered. It has serious ramifications.
Stop listening to trash—-music penetrates within and has a massive impact on how we feel and think. Try putting on Palestrina’s “Sicut cervus”…or go to our Youtube Channel and listen to the Sisters’ originals. Or write your own!
Stop tolerating pornography— in your own life and in the lives of others—pornography is a scourge that wrecks havoc on hearts, lives, and relationships. With reverence- addiction is real, painful- we need spiritual and human resources to find freedom. I recommend a new book called “Uncompromising Purity”—especially for women struggling with pornography and masturbation. It is filled with stories, practical helps and resources. Excellent.
Stop settling in your dating relationships…make a commitment to save sexual intimacy for marriage and mark it with a nice ring or another reminder. If the person you are dating cannot respect that…they can walk! BYE BYE. For his own sake, to bring about conversion.
Children of God live differently…and should be distinguishable from the rest of the culture.
In this month of July, the Month of the Precious Blood, place yourself beneath the font of Jesus’ pierced heart. Let the torrent of His precious blood flow over your life- your thoughts, your memory, your heart and the desires therein. Jesus LOVES you…deeply, fully, wherever you are, and with whatever you are experiencing. He knows our pain and struggles and longs to give us His mercy, save us and heal us.
As, through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and Model, the Pure One whose intercession is never failing….consecrate yourself to her and wear a scapular or a Miraculous Medal as a sign of it…ask her to intercede as she did in Cana for the COMPLETE RESTORATION OF YOUR INNOCENCE. This is a grace we ask for, and this is a grace Jesus won for us!!! “I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Be assured of our prayers, in Christ, our Life
