Suffering Permits Higher Good Through Heroic Virtue and Mercy – Jul 06 – Homily – Fr Michael

 

Fr. Michael M. Gauvreau, FI gives the homily, on how St. Maria Goretti exemplifies God's profound mercy through her heroic forgiveness of her assailant, Alessandro, and her mother's subsequent forgiveness, leading to Alessandro's conversion and demonstrating God's providence even amidst suffering.

Fr. Michael celebrates St. Maria Goretti as an icon of God's mercy. Born in 1880, Maria endured a hard life, taking on household duties after her father's death. At 12, in 1902, she was attacked by Alessandro, a tenant's son, who was obsessed with her. When she resisted his sinful advances, he stabbed her 14 times. Before succumbing to her injuries, Maria heroically forgave Alessandro, expressing her desire for him to join her in paradise. This act of mercy was a catalyst for grace.

Alessandro, initially unrepentant and violent in prison, eventually converted years later through St. Maria Goretti's intercession, becoming so holy that his cause for beatification is now pending. Furthermore, Maria's mother, Assunta, also displayed incredible mercy. Despite Alessandro murdering her daughter and causing her to lose her other children, Assunta forgave him, attending Midnight Mass and receiving communion with him on Christmas Eve. This profound forgiveness, extending beyond natural human capacity, exemplifies God's undeserved grace. St. Maria Goretti's story illustrates God's providence, showing how even suffering can be permitted for a higher good, offering opportunities for grace and demonstrating God's boundless mercy to the world.

00:00 - Introduction to St. Maria Goretti: Icon of Mercy
00:48 - St. Maria Goretti's Early Life and Responsibilities
02:22 - Alessandro's Obsession and Attack
04:51 - Maria's Heroic Forgiveness on Her Deathbed
05:54 - Alessandro's Conversion and Assunta's Forgiveness
07:22 - The Profound Impact of Assunta's Forgiveness
09:13 - Forgiveness as a Catalyst for Divine Grace
10:06 - God's Providence and the Problem of Evil

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Maria Goretti - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=78
Readings: Monday 14th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/070626.cfm
1st: Hosea 2:16, 17-18, 21-22 - Lord’s Mercy on Israel
Resp: Psalms 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 - Greatness and Goodness of the Lord
Gsp: Matthew 9:18-26 - Official’s Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1103&r=1643

Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzK10TuMcAI