Bl. Mattia Nazarei – Jul 28 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 28, 2023, on the life of Bl. Mattia Nazarei who strived to enter the Poor Clares and eventually was accepted, where she was rapidly raised to high levels of authority and sanctity with many miracles and conversions.

Blessed Mattia was a saintly figure renowned for her humility and piety. She was born the same year St. Clare passed away in 1253. Raised in Matelica in the Marches of Ancona, a region celebrated for its Franciscan sanctity, Mattia, motivated by her spiritual calling, left her home at the age of 17. She requested admittance at the local monastery of St. Mary Magdalene, a significant Poor Clares foundation from the time of St. Clare. Not dissuaded by initial rejection, she demonstrated her dedication by cutting her own hair, a symbol of consecration.

Blessed Mattia's steadfast determination and humble prayer - invoking her desire to renounce worldly pleasures to serve God - eventually led to her acceptance into the monastery. She lived a life of extreme asceticism, consuming only bread and water, supplemented with vegetables on Sundays. Despite being a novice, her exemplary virtue led to her appointment as abbess less than two years into her profession.

As abbess, Blessed Mattia faced numerous challenges, including disputes over the admission of new nuns and the expansion of the monastery due to growing vocations. She navigated these issues with patience and grace, ensuring the welfare of her community. Blessed Mattia was also recognized for her healing abilities, as she was believed to have miraculously cured a young boy and many sinners through prayer.

In her last hours, Blessed Mattia emphasized the importance of chastity, obedience, poverty, and charity to her nuns. Her passing left a significant impact, with many seeking healing from her incorrupt body, believed to emit a sweet perfume. Over the centuries, the body of Blessed Mattia continued to mystify, exhibiting a phenomenon of bloody sweat or humor, believed to be the source of numerous miracles. Despite her beatification in 1765 and the continuous miracles attributed to her, Blessed Mattia's canonization remains pending.

We remember Blessed Mattia today, hoping for her soon-to-be canonization, praying for her guidance in our life's endeavors. Her life serves as a testament to the power of humble faith and the miracles it can achieve.

00:00 – Introduction
00:11 – St. Clair, Blessed Mattia, and the Holy House of Loreto
00:57 – Early life, and the monastery of St. Mary Magdalene
02:31 – Life as a humble nun, austere lifestyle
03:03 – Trials, leadership as an abbess
04:13 – Controversies, and new vocations
04:49 – Expansion of the church and monastery, and miracles
05:58 – Final exhortation, and the miracles following her death
07:20 – Beatification process

Ave Maria!

Mass: Bl. Mattia Nazarei - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattia_de_Nazarei
Readings: Friday 16th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072823.cfm
1st: exo 20:1-17
Resp: psa 19:8-11
Gsp: mat 13:18-23

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=688&r=1454

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