To touch and be touched

The heat and rain did not stop nor discouraged the faithful to queue just to view and touch the sacred and incorrupt heart relic of Saint Padre Pio. Each faithful had a special favor for such a visit. It may be personal, for the loved ones, for others, or for the entire community.

Born on May 25, 1887, Padre Pio is one of the most popular saints in the Catholic Church. In life, he carried the stigmata, the wounds of Christ that miraculously appeared on the saint’s body. And for us in the contemporary period, it suggests the sacrifices Christ has gone through to save the humanity. He died on September 23, 1968 and proclaimed saint on June 16, 2002. Devotion to him is believed to have caused many miracles.

Padre Pio is remembered for having performed bilocation, appearing in different places at one time, which signifies the belief that Christ is ubiquitous. Wherever we are, He is just within our midst. Regardless of place and time, He lives in our hearts.   

The heart symbolizes the source of our feelings or emotions. When one is in love for someone or fascinated by something, it is the heart that typifies it. It is the heart that speaks a thousand words.

The once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the incorrupt heart relic last October 12-14 was indeed a constant reminder for us that God dwells and speaks to us through our hearts.

Heart sees goodness of a person. It feels compassion, humility, and kindness. One wants to touch the encased relic with the hope for healing, or one is heard of his prayers. But we must not forget that there is more to the act of venerating it. It is how we apply the teachings of God through San Padre Pio. I saw in my own eyes people trying to shorten the long queue, inserted themselves as if nothing happened without considering those who patiently sacrificed just to be able to venerate and touch the glass.

Even if others were not able to touch, the intense and pure intension of one’s heart for praying is so much the essence, which counts most.

The incorrupt heart of Padre Pio sends us his undying love for his vocation and our God. Sometimes, when we encounter difficulties in life, the option of quitting is the only easy way out. To continue what we are doing seems a futile preference.

Let Padre Pio’s loving heart assure us that we are not alone in distress. We are united with the sufferings of Christ, which always lead to the Resurrection, our greatest hope and consolation.      

As Christians, we know that the all-powerful God of the universe loves us and wants to talk with us, but it doesn’t always seem that way. When we can’t hear His voice, we begin to ask ourselves why prayer is so hard at times and why some of our prayers go unanswered. Let’s admit that we need Him in our life. The reality is that we can’t do everything on our own, so admitting this shows a sense of humility in your life. There must be an intimate and profound dialogue with Him and so we can begin to experience movement in our lives and know His overwhelming joy, power and peace.

Padre Pio’s heart will remain in the hearts of those who believe in his teachings through his humility, such humbleness that acknowledges our limitations, and submits to His plan. His heart will as well continue to touch the hearts of those still hardened by wickedness.