IN DEPTH INFORMATION ON OUR ( PHYSICAL AND LABOURIOUS ) SUSTENANCE – WITHOUT BEING A BURDEN UPON ANYONE...
here then one of the very many stories of how more or less go about without money, with out being a weight upon anybody …
In regards to this : Since in those few days we had little providence of sustenance, I was intensely thinking for some time whether or not to write this numbered Article that would have also spoken of the alms begging; and puffh ! Immediately arrived a lady with her car full of providence for us… and, immediately later she asked me for the code number to reopen the gate from where she’d passed by so to come to me; then, I went up to the Seminary so to place some things down, and I also found behind the door a new pencil that several hours previously I’d thought that maybe someone could give me as a gift, and puffh ! I found also this…; these little things had touched me some what like the wind touches a little cloud, and so going on, I decided to write also this Article on the Alms begging that continues in this way:
The right pack at the right time ! …
One day whilst I was on retreat, an all authoritarian Religious person arrived at the hermitage of Salmeci in Ispica … he told me: “ but listen, doesn’t it seem a little too exaggerated to you that you don’t carry anything for the voyage… not even an extra pair of underwear ? “And I (realizing the Hand of God at work) told him : “ Wait, wait brother… here’s the scientific proof of how we go about in the travels without anything, including underwear : this package that you see, arrived this morning… check out what’s inside. As you see, this be the underwear now sent to us by mail from a family who had once hosted us… they gave us food to eat, they allowed us to wash up, furnishing us also with underwear, and therefore those that we had used, they’ve now sent back to us, even if I’d said to give them to the poor, but the Lord’s wanted it like so, so that also you touch with your hands (as St. Thomas) that nothing is impossible to God ! ” Unsatisfied, he took me up again from another angle, that is saying to me: “But listen, doesn’t it seem a little too exaggerated to you that you have written in your Rule, that one needs to believe with certainty that God exists ?, doesn’t it seem to be exaggerated ? It be enough to write – one needs to hope - this be enough ! ” And I: “ Excuse me, only so to understand… but do you believe in the Word of God ? ” And he: “Yes !,” and I: “ But is not written in the Letter to the Hebrews that: << who approaches God - must believe - that He exists ! >> ? . And immediately later amongst the two of us there were a beautiful smile and the story concluded there.
Worries over the Providence ?, Here then, a truck of 12 meters full !...
Another day though, a few days before I went to live in the hermitage of the Salmeci where our community was born, also I had the temptation of worrying over the lack of providence; but a little as Saint Joseph, the Lord calmed my soul in those days ! - “ He let me see ” that the providence would have arrived with semi trailer of 12 meters in length, so that I would get to the point of no longer worrying, because He would have thought about it all, as in fact happened for me and for my first brothers, who the people seeing us poor and for the Lord without money, when leaving at the end of so many Holy Masses and etc.., had arrived to the point of wanting to buy us a mobile phone, a car, and even houses; these things of which we’ve already renounced, as the Lord has asked us when He says: “ who will have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother or children, (or wife – Cf. Lk 18,29) for my Name, will receive 100 times as much (already in this life, in houses, brothers sisters, mothers, children and land… together with persecutions – Cf. Mk 10, 29 - 30) and will have in inheritance the Eternal Life ” (Mt 19, 27 - 30).
And therefore if the Lord will increase some hundred times and more all of this that we have left, without at the same time any longer possessing anything (Cf. Lk 14, 33), why any more worry over what tomorrow we’ll eat or over how tomorrow we’ll dress, etc.. etc.. ?, Will we want to still tempt God, who has never let His people lack the necessary ?, even in the desert ? (Cf. Sal 94, 8 - 9). We therefore no longer tempt the Lord with these worldly worries, since so says the Lord :
<< Do not give thought for your life, of what you will eat; nor for your body, how you will dress. Life is worth more than food and the body more than cloths. Look at the ravens: they don't sow and they don't reap, they have no storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more you are worth than the birds ! Can any of you, for however much you worry, add a single hour to your life ? If therefore the littlest thing is beyond your power, why do you worry over the rest ? Think of how the lilies grow: they don't spin, they don't weave : yet I tell you that not even Salomon, with all of his glory, dressed like one of them. If therefore God dresses the grass of the field like so, which is there today and tomorrow be thrown into the furnace, how much more will he look after you, people of little faith ? Therefore do not search for what you will eat and you will drink, and do not be with your soul in anxiety: the people of the world worry over all these things ; but your Father knows that you have need. Search rather the Kingdom of God, and these things will be given in addition >>. (Lk 12, 22 - 31)
Yes, - says the Lord - “ search before all the Kingdom of God with its Justice, and all these things will be given in addition ” (Mt 6, 33) !, that is, in abundance, to then be able to also give to whom doesn't have, so to tell them, “even you don’t need to fear, seek rather the will of God and strive to put it into practise, and also you’ll have all these things… and in abundance, including Peace, Eternal Life and the Glorious Immortality; forever and from one eternity to the next (Cf. Sir 39, 20), in Eternity. Amen !
It adds up that we don't burden upon anyone, rather, at the most we relieve some of them… especially to those whom have too much !…
In conclusion, it adds up that we don't burden upon anyone, rather, at the most we relieve some of them, since that when we ask for something, unlike others that force them selves upon people, we don't force anybody, but more or less we say: <<… For Love of Jesus, can you help us…? If you’re able… If you’re not able, the Lord Bless you all the same, and grant you according to your heart, that is, what you deserve (Cf. Sir 35, 22). And if someone would later speak maliciously in our regards (especially if being a man or woman of Christian faith) would happen to say : “ But how can it be that they’ve become poor for the Lord and now come asking us for the things that we have to give to the poor ? “ Then remember that the Apostle says like so : << Brothers, since that we’ve the possibility, let’s help all, especially the brothers in faith >> (Gal 6, 10). << Here he doesn't in fact draw from putting you in narrowness to raise the others, but to make equality ! >> (2 Cor 8, 13).
For this << Christ from rich that was became poor to make many rich through His poverty ! >> ( 2 Cor 8, 9 ).
Therefore if someone later were to still speak maliciously against us, especially if this someone was a brother or sister in faith, then if you want, remember also what the other Apostle says : and that is : << If someone is rich in worldly possessions and in seeing “ his brother ” in need closes his own heart to him, how can the love of God reside in him ? My children, our love must be not just with words or mere talk, but with the facts and in the truth. From this we will know that we are born from the truth ! >> (1 Jn 3, 17 - 19).
But if, after having lovingly explained as such, someone would happen to still speak maliciously against us poor for the Lord, then if you want… pay attention, since, it be written like so : << Who acts maliciously against the poor, offends their Creator ! >> ( Pr 17, 5 ).
Therefore, this our begging in freedom; explained and not forced !, as it has here been eloquently demonstrated. Because we have not become poor to grieve people, but at the most to not make anybody to die; and this at the dear price of our life, stripped of everything, right up onto the tree of the Cross, of Madonna Poverty, and there planted through the three nails or knots of Obedience, of Poverty and of Chastity; that lead without doubts to Eternal Life and the Resurrection of the body, but above all to the “Blessed” and - Glorious “Immortality.” (Cf. ”Lk 11,28”; Rm 8,18; ”Wis 2,29”), in Eternity. For this reason concludes the Apostle :
<< You aught to be those who put the Word into practice and not only listeners deluding yourselves. Who instead fixes their sight on the perfect Law, the Law of liberty, and stays faithful to it, not as a forgetful listener but as one who puts it into practice, these will find their happiness in practising it. ! >> (Jn 1, 22. 25 ). Amen !
She asked the Lord for a little of meat, and then unexpectedly arrived a truck full of chicken !...
Another day, one of our very pleasant little Calabrian sisters, feeling the need of protein in her body, made a powerful little prayer to Jesus, telling him: << I beg You Jesus, I beg you, given that that I feel a little weak, it’s not that by chance you could touch the little heart of someone, so that they could bring us a little meat ? >>, and since the Lord to such request, already had answered to His people Israel, and that is: << Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow and you will eat meat, because you have cried to the ears of the Lord, saying: Who will have us eat meat ? We were so well off in Egypt ! Well then, the Lord will give you meat and you will eat it. You will eat of it not for one day, not for two days, not for five days, not for ten days, not for twenty days, but for one whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes to annoy you ! >> (Nm 11, 18-20), so here then no later than a few days, from this powerful little prayer, we saw all of a sudden fall, a whole truck of frozen chicken… and we, who not having refrigerators had so much, that we had to divide them amongst the refrigerators of the entire town in which we were hosted !, like so, all could see, understand, and “ touch with their hands ”, the providence of God that will never lack His little ones !... for this He says to whom worries more than anything over food or clothing :
<< Do not give thought for your life, of what you will eat; nor for your body, how you will dress. Life is worth more than food and the body more than cloths. Look at the ravens: they don't sow and they don't reap, they have no storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more you are worth than the birds ! Can any of you, for however much you worry, add a single hour to your life ? If therefore the littlest thing is beyond your power, why do you worry over the rest ? Think of how the lilies grow: they don't spin, they don't weave : yet I tell you that not even Salomon, with all of his glory, dressed like one of them. If therefore God dresses the grass of the field like so, which is there today and tomorrow be thrown into the furnace, how much more will he look after you, people of little faith ? Therefore do not search for what you will eat and you will drink, and do not be with your soul in anxiety: the people of the world worry over all these things ; but your Father knows that you have need. Search rather the Kingdom of God, and these things will be given in addition >>. (Lk 12, 22 - 31)
He asked him to use the internet for a shot while, and etc.. and given that the favor was done with all the heart, our little V.V. prophesied to him like so: << I See here a great providence, guaranteed.. >>, and puphf !, like so it was !
And still in regards to Providence, one day our little V.V. like so said to two young people, that had let us use their Internet for the construction of this website, of our groups of Prayer : << I See a great Providence arrive in this house, guaranteed… >> in fact, to my great surprise, two days later, the girl told our little V.V. (without thinking about his prophetical words): <>. At I at that point, capturing as so to say “the ball in mid air” told her: << But don't you remember what you two days ago had told Friar “ so and so ” in regards to this ?, and that is that he saw a great providence arrive in this house with certainty ?, with the key word: “ Guaranteed ! “ ?...
And therefore - I still told her - is this sign, not for you and for you all the proof that what he tells you is true ? >>, << and that is - taking back up friar so and so -, that when one is close to the Lord through His Sacraments, and to the Prayers of His Mother Mary, and to the availability of helping the neighbour in need.. (above all when these be a needy of the Lord – Cf. Gal 6, 10), that He doesn't make us lack anything, and in more He gives us in abundance as promised ? – It’s not for nothing that to such intentions the Lord says again (and always) :
<< Do not give thought for your life, of what you will eat; nor for your body, how you will dress. Life is worth more than food and the body more than cloths. Look at the ravens: they don't sow and they don't reap, they have no storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more you are worth than the birds ! Can any of you, for however much you worry, add a single hour to your life ? If therefore the littlest thing is beyond your power, why do you worry over the rest ? Think of how the lilies grow: they don't spin, they don't weave : yet I tell you that not even Salomon, with all of his glory, dressed like one of them. If therefore God dresses the grass of the field like so, which is there today and tomorrow be thrown into the furnace, how much more will he look after you, people of little faith ? Therefore do not search for what you will eat and you will drink, and do not be with your soul in anxiety: the people of the world worry over all these things ; but your Father knows that you have need. Search rather the Kingdom of God, and these things will be given in addition >>. (Lk 12, 22 - 31)