Pray, Hope and Don’t worry – Quote by St Padre Pio
I retrieved this image from this website: http://littleplantofstfrancis.blogspot.ca/2013/05/favorite-quote-of-st-padre-pio.html
On the feast day of St Padre Pio, my church had a special celebration in honor of this great saint, Mass, a talk and healing session. A relic of St. Padre Pio’s Bandages which wrapped his hands was also there 🙂 During the mass, something that really struck me was during the homily(preaching) when we were told that Padre Pio was ordained a priest at the age of 23 instead of the regular 25 and this was because of his ill health and they were not sure if he would make it to the age of 25. And then this his famous quote “Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry” came to my mind. When someone tells me “Don’t worry”, most times, I smile but I feel like saying “What do you know about worry when you aren’t in my shoes?”
(Side Note: I also realized how St Mary’s has no chill. lol. A priest who met Padre Pio was mentioned and my parish priest said that the aforementioned priest would be coming to give the lenten retreat at St Mary’s in 2017!!)
But that evening, I realized that Padre Pio was someone who had the greatest reasons to worry, he experienced the stigmata(the wounds that Christ suffered on the cross) (click here for more explanation on the stigmata). He was always in so much pain, he had always suffered from illnesses and discomfort since he was a child, yet he still said “Pray, Hope and Don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”
Other quotes by St Pio include “Joy, with peace, is the sister of charity. Serve the Lord with laughter. ” – St Pio
(This is someone at some point had to be separated from his religious community because of his mysterious illnesses, despite everything his faith and joy was still so strong ❤ )
“The most beautiful act of faith is the one made in darkness, in sacrifice, and with extreme effort.” – St Pio
Imagine Jesus crucified in your arms and on your chest, and say a hundred times as you kiss His chest, “This is my hope, the living source of my happiness; this is the heart of my soul; nothing will ever separate me from His love.” – St Pio
Anxiety is one of the greatest traitors that real virtue and solid devotion can ever have. . .One must be careful of this on all occasions, particularly at prayer. And to better succeed it would be well to remember that the graces and consolations of prayer are not waters of this earth, but of Heaven. Therefore all our efforts are not sufficient to make them fall, even though it is necessary to prepare oneself with great diligence but always humbly and tranquilly.– St Pio
“You must not be discouraged or let yourself become dejected if your actions have not succeeded as perfectly as you intended. What do you expect? We are made of clay and not every soil yields the fruits expected by the one who tills it. But let us always humble ourselves and acknowledge that we are nothing if we lack the Divine assistance.” – St Pio
Wow, St Pio, you’re amazing ❤ And then Jacqueline Loh gave a talk and some healing prayers. I left at that point because Pauline and I were supposed to catch up after mass and talk about marian consecration which we never got to talking about because I talk too much. LOL. I dont have a picture but Pauline took a picture of me and I will post that
It was a really great evening and I am really happy that I got to hang out with Pauline(She’s so cool!) & attend the St Pio event with St Pio’s relics. I’m a total fan girl for Saints and relics 😉 I am also glad to hear that about 650-700 people showed up that night.
Praise God!
I would like to end this blog post with my favorite St Padre Pio prayer, a copy was given to me by my Parish Priest Fr Pierre and I love it so much. If you want copies too, just send me a message and I will give you one 🙂 May God continue to hear our prayers and May St Pio continue to pray for us. Amen.
Prayer of Padre Pio After Communion
Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget
You. You know how easily I abandon You.
Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not
fall so often.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.
Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your
company.
Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation
for You, a nest of love.
Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life
passes; death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength,
so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and
death approaches, I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the
sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!
Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all it’s dangers. I need You.
Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread, so that
the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness, the force
which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.
Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to
You, if not by communion, at least by grace and love.
Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it,
but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!
Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will,
Your Heart, Your Spirit because I love You and ask no other reward but to love
You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to
love You perfectly during all eternity.
Amen.
