Peace and Joy in This Life and the Next

Today you might be interested in hearing about Saint Padre Pio’s gift of prophecy. God gave him the ability to sometimes foresee future events. For example, Padre Pio would often tell a couple what the sex of their unborn child would be or when a certain individual was going to be healed of a specific affliction. Sometimes, if a person really wanted to know when he was going to die, Saint Padre Pio—with his usual calm and faith and clarity—would share the day or week of death with that individual. One day after Mass at his mountain monastery in Southern Italy, Padre Pio turned to one of the policeman who had been assigned as a bodyguard for him and said, smiling as usual, “I’d like to see you in my cell after I finish here and after I make my thanksgiving.”
Happy that the famous stigmatist-priest wanted to see him personally, the policeman smiled and waited with joyful expectation outside St. Padre Pio’s cell.
Soon Padre Pio arrived and invited the policeman into his cell where he gently informed him, “Within a week you will go home to visit your parents and there you shall die.”
Imagine the policeman’s shock at Padre Pio’s words. “But I’m well and never felt better,” said the policeman.
“My son,” said Padre Pio to him, “don’t worry. What is this life? A pilgrimage. We’re all on a pilgrimage, my son. Ask for a leave of absence and go home to take care of your affairs. Tomorrow you’re going to die. Your parents love you and need to know.”
After Padre Pio spoke to the policeman’s superiors for him, the young policeman received a leave of absence. When the policeman arrived home, he told his parents, “Padre Pio told me I’m going to die, so I came to say goodbye to you and tell you how much I love you.” A week later he died.
Why did I share such a sad event with you today? I wanted you to know that if you have recently experienced the loss of a close friend or relative, do not fear. That person is with the Lord. And to prove to you that what I say is true, let me please quote Saint Padre Pio’s Letters, Volume 3, pages 729-30:
“Live tranquilly, always…. This present life is given to us in order to acquire the eternal, and due to a lack of reflection, we base our affections on that which pertains to this world through which we are passing, so that when we have to leave it we are frightened and agitated. Believe me, in order to live happily while on pilgrimage, we must keep before our eyes the hope of arriving at our Homeland where we will stay for eternity. And in the meantime we should believe this firmly, because given that it is God who calls us to Himself, He watches how we make our way to Him, and He will never permit anything to happen to us that is not for our greater good. He knows what we are, and He will extend His paternal hand to us while we are going through rough stretches, so that nothing will prevent us from running quickly to Him. … He has defended you up to now. Simply hold on tightly to the hand of His divine Providence, and He will help you in all events….”
May Saint Padre Pio, the miracle worker and stigmatist, intercede with Jesus to obtain for you, my dear friend, the peace and healing and joy you need in this life. And may Padre Pio intercede with Jesus also to obtain for you joy and peace and health in the next life where you will be forever with those you love who have gone before you. Amen!