Friday 23 September

St Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Ecclesiasticus 3:1-11, Ps 144, Luke 9:18-22

The stigmatists visible and invisible

Christ imprints on the soul his cross, so that the disciple may make a priestly offering of herself in the world. Christ sometimes desires the stigmata to appear in the flesh of the disciple. Not to bring glory to the disciple, but to bring others to Christ. Such saints participate in the priestly office of Christ. These men and women become standards in the desert drawing others to Christ through the ministry of the cross (see readings of 14 September). St Catherine of Sienna, St Teresa of Avila, St Francis of Assisi, and St Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us.