A Thorn in the Flesh Was Given to Me, Says St. Paul, to Beat Me . . . Three Times I Begged
14th Sunday Yr B (Maria Goretti)
“A thorn in the flesh was given to me,” says St. Paul, “to beat me . . . three times I begged to the Lord that it might leave me.”
What was this “thorn in the flesh”? Some say it was a physical malady, perhaps the stigmata (though invisible); others say it was a spiritual form of suffering – those Jews who denied Christ and harassed St. Paul for preaching about Him.But we are not certain because Paul never clarifies for us what exactly it was.
Why did God inflict – or allow an angel of Satan to inflict – this thorn on St. Paul? St. Paul tells us: “to keep me from being too elated” or puffed up with pride; for Paul had been given many revelations and God permitted him to perform many miracles. Paul might be tempted to think “it's me that's doing all of this.”
In response to Paul's plea to remove this thorn from him, God replies in famous words: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”
Why is God’s power perfected in our weakness? Because once we empty ourselves of our pride, of our thoughts of self-sufficiency, and realize it is only God who can work any good in us, through his grace, then God's power is able to shine forth within us, especially the power of his love.
This was true in the case of St. Paul. It was fitting, in a way, that he who once persecuted the Church, and its members, should now suffer for it.
This was true in the case of St. Peter: after he had denied Christ three times in his weakness, Jesus required that he professed his love for Him three times.
This was true of all the Old Testament prophets, like Ezekiel. They were sent by God to Israelites to change their obstinate and hardened hearts.
The same is true of all the saints, especially the martyrs. In their very weakness, the power of God's love was manifested in them.
Today I'd like to single out one saint in whom God's power was manifested in her weakness: St. Maria Goretti, whose feast today we celebrate this coming Monday, July 6.
Maria Goretti was born in 1890 in Italyto a poor family. Her father died when she was young and her mother had to work in the fields.When Mariawas 12 years old her family lived in an upstairs apartment in a building with another family, the Seranelli family, which lived downstairs. Alessandro Seranelli, 18 years of age, took to viewing pornography and began to make immoral advances towards Maria, and Maria always rebuffed him strongly.The parish priest and the nun in the parish had impressed upon Maria the importance of purity of mind and heart, and to never commit a mortal sin, which would separate her from God and the Eucharist.
One day when Maria was home alone Alessandro broke into her apartment brandishing a knife, and demanded that Maria give into his evil desires. Maria told him, “no Alessandro, it is a mortal sin, and you will go to hell.”In a rage, Alessandro plunged the knife 14 times into Maria's chest.Some neighbors heard Maria screaming, and took her to the hospital; but it was clear that she was going to die from the wounds.A priest was called and asked Maria very important question: “Maria, do you forgive Alessandro for what he did to you?” Maria responded, “Oh yes father, I forgive him, because I want him to go to heaven.” Then Maria died. But she continued to pray for Alessandro in heaven.
Alessandro, because he was only 18 years of age, was not given the death penalty but rather was sentenced to many years in prison. For the first couple of years in prison he was a very rough and angry person. But one night in a dream Maria appeared to Alessandro smiling, and holding 14 roses in her hand.Alessandro underwent a complete change of attitude. He became a model prisoner, and was released early.
The first thing Alessandro did when released from prison was to go to visit Maria's mother, Assunta Goretti. She was making dinner when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to see her daughter's murderer standing before her. Alessandro had tears running down his face, and begged forgiveness from Mrs. Goretti for what he had done to Maria.Mrs. Goretti embraced him, told him that she forgave him, and invited him into the house to have dinner with her. How beautiful is forgiveness!Alessandro went on to become a Franciscan brother, and wrote and spoke out against the dangers of pornography.
On April 27, 1947 Maria Goretti was beatified by Pope Pius XII at St. Peter’s Basilica. Present that day were Maria’s mother, her brother and two sisters. The Pope compared Maria with St. Agnes – another young martyr from pagan Romewho shed her blood to preserve her virginity. He said their delicate nature might make some overlook their tremendous courage; yet strength, the virtue of fortitude, is the virtue of virgins and martyrs. And not only young women, but young men as well: the Pope pointed to the example of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, who courageously resisted the licentiousness of the court life of the Renaissance, and preserved his purity.Agnes, Aloysius, and Maria – all of these “were strong,” said the Pope, “with that supernatural strength of which every Christian receives the seed in Baptism, but which must be cultivated by a careful education” that parents, as vigilant guardians of their children, provide.
Pope Pius XII went on to pronounce these forceful words, which I think are all the more apropos today:
“Woe to the world because of scandals! Woe to those who consciously and deliberately corrupt souls by the novel, the newspaper, the periodical, the theater, the film, the immodest fashion! . . . Woe to those fathers and mothers who, through lack of energy and prudence, give into every caprice of their sons and daughters, and renounce that paternal and maternal authority, which is like a reflection of the divine Majesty! But woe also too many Christians in name and appearance, who, if only they wanted, could rise against the evil and would be supported by legions of right minded persons ready to fight scandal with every means!”
The Pope went on to condemn the purveyors of pornography who contributed to Alessandro’s murder of Maria, and who are really responsible for it: “Legal justice punishes the child’s murderer. . . . But those who have armed his hand, who have encouraged him, . . . they are the real guilty ones. On them – deliberate corrupters [and] accomplices – weighs the terrible justice of God.” These words ring true today even more than back in 1947!
Three years later, on June 24, 1950, Maria was canonized a saint by Pope Pius XII at St. Peter’s Square in Rome. Maria's mother, Assunta,and her children were present, along with hundreds of thousands of the faithful.
In his canonization homily, the Pope said that today, “a humble daughter of the people has been supremely exalted.” He said Maria Goretti stands for purity above all, but also “for love of Jesus in the Eucharist” and “for charity in her heroic forgiveness.”
The Pope urged that both adults and children solemnly pledge to resist the modern “conspiracy against morality,” and that all look to Maria as a model of purity: “Parents can learn from her story how to raise their children in virtue, courage and holiness”; they can look to Maria’s mother, Assunta, “who trained [Maria] for martyrdom, and now does not mourn but kneels to pray to her.” And from Maria “children and young people can learn not to be led astray by attractive pleasures which are not only fleeting and empty but also sinful.”Oh, how our youth today need models like St. Maria Goretti to be victorious in the battle for modesty and purity!
Humbly acknowledging our weakness and frailty, let us pray to the Holy Spirit for the strength we need to fight the good fight for purity in our culture, for the fortitude necessary to be good soldiers of Christ in order to courageously resist the “conspiracy against morality” so prevalent in our day, and that God’s power and His merciful love may shine through us as it did in St. Paul and in Maria Goretti!
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