Expect a Miracle

In his book, PADRE PIO, OUR GOOD SAMARITAN, Father Alessio Parente, OFM, Capuchin, with whom I corresponded, and who was one of the dearest friends and "bodyguards" of Saint Padre Pio while our Saint was still living on this earth, related this personal testimony given to Fr. Alessio by a man who thought God had given up on him:

"Through the intercession of Padre Pio my whole life changed, bringing me closer to God and Our Blessed Mother. I was baptized into the Catholic Church and attended Catholic schools, but if anything went wrong, I'd be sure to blame God. It seemed like everything was going wrong in my home, and my health had deteriorated. I continued to go to church, but seldom went to confession or received the Precious Body and Blood of Our Savior. Finally, the last Sunday I went to Mass I sat in the last seat and told God, 'I don't belong here; You hate me and only help Your favorites.'

"Everything continued going downhill, including my health, and I told God how much I hated Him. . . . I threw away holy pictures, medals, and rosaries. This continued for more than seven years. Almost a year before Padre Pio died, a lady mentioned to me about him, and she said she was going to write him and ask for help. She told me to write too. I said I would, just to prove Padre Pio was like God--he only helped his favorites. In my letter to Padre Pio, I asked for financial help for myself and for the return to God of my family, who had also fallen away.

"An answer came back with a blessing that Padre Pio was sending, and to tell me to have complete faith in God. I threw the letter away. During this time I was heading for a complete nervous breakdown. Nothing changed; my problems were too big and too many to carry any longer. I continued to tell God I hated Him, and with only a few hours of sleep each night, I had plenty of time to tell God I hated Him!

"The letter I sent to Padre Pio was mailed out the last of March. In April, around the ninth, I was watching a TV program about a man who was murdered. This was a true story, and since I had the hate of hell in me, I said, 'Good! I hope a lot more get murdered because God doesn't care.' Then I smelled a strong, sweet, pleasant odor, but looking around I couldn't find a source for it. I looked out the windows to see who was around, but no one was. In fact, a thunderstorm was going on outside. I was cold, and all my windows and doors were closed. Then I said, 'Padre Pio!' You see, I remembered people telling me that when Padre Pio heard people's prayers and interceded with Jesus for them, Padre Pio might then give them a special sign by allowing them to smell a pleasant sweet odor. 'Padre Pio!' I exclaimed, and I started to cry. But these were happy tears. Sunday I wanted to go to Mass. I called some of my family and told them what had happened. They just thought I was finally having a breakdown.

"I went to Confession that Saturday and the priest spent half an hour with me, giving me a complete overhaul, and I walked out of confession and went to the front of the church and cried until I had no more tears left.

"One more thing was missing before I could feel right. That was to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion, which I did. I also sent for all the books I could get on the life of Padre Pio. He died five months after I returned to God, but I learned to pray to Padre Pio, asking him to continue to intercede for me with Jesus. I worried that with Padre Pio dead, I'd fall away from God again, but in one book I read it said that Padre Pio said he does not do a half-job, so I knew he wouldn't let me fall back into my old ways.

"Now, throughout the day and even when I wake during the night, I praise God and thank Him. I now live for God and with God, and always in my daily life I thank God and Saint Padre Pio. I thank God for His sufferings; I thank Padre Pio for bringing me closer to God and my precious Mother Mary. I never want any other kind of life, only a life with my Savior Jesus Christ." (Fr. Alessio Parente's book, pages 93-96)

Saint Padre Pio said that he could do more for you, too, my dear friend, after he died. So if you, (or someone you know), are like the man in the true story above, just call on Saint Padre Pio and ask him to help you. He will take your concerns to Jesus. Now, expect a miracle!