Exiit qui seminat - Let's Get To Work
In October 1958, in response to civil unrest and violence in Eastern Europe, Pope Pius XII wrote a papal letter, an encyclical, to the universal Church asking for prayers for peace and an end to violence. Entitled Luctuosissimi eventus ("most sorrowful events"), Pope Pius XII wrote, "And so, aware of Our Apostolic duties, We cannot but fervently appeal to all of you, Venerable Brethren, and to the flocks entrusted to each of you, that, animated by brotherly love, you raise suppliant prayers with Us to God, in Whose hands lie the destinies of peoples as well as the power and very lives of their rulers. Let us pray that an end may be put to this carnage and that a genuine peace founded on justice, charity, and rightful freedom may some day dawn again." This plea did not go unheeded by our patron, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, who urged the people of San Giovanni Rotundo and his spiritual children to pray: "Let's get to work. Let's roll up our sleeves. Let's be the first to respond to the Pope's appeal." And thus Padre Pio's famous prayer groups were born, of which there are over two thousand official groups in existence today, dedicated to prayer and for peace to our world. We find ourselves in similar times: a world that is filled with unrest and violence that longs for peace. And so our response has to be the same as the urging of a patron saint, "Let's get to work. Let's roll up our sleeves. Let's pray!" We turn to our Lord, to our Blessed Mother with faith and trust. As we celebrate the feast day of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, we are called to embrace more and more the motto of "Pray, Hope and Don't Worry" and strive towards a radical dependence upon our God. That's why we have spent the whole week leading up to today in prayer. That's why the true start of the festival is not when Mass at 11 AM ends, but when it begins! We cannot forget that Mass, our highest form of prayer is the foundation, not just of our Sunday, but of our lives. As Padre Pio knew so well, the Lord is our hope and our salvation. So enjoy the day! Eat well! Enjoy the music! Enjoy each other's company! But first and foremost, pray well for ourselves and for our world so that we can be filled with God's hope and peace. As St. Pio wrote, “May Jesus always be the pilot of the little boat of your spirit. May Mary be the star which lights the path for you and shows you the surest way to reach the Heavenly Father." God bless and have a wonderful festival!
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Fr. Rob Sinatra
