Welcome to our daily rosary meditation. Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen. Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

Today, September 23rd, we celebrate the feast of a modern saint, Padre Pio, who died in 1968.

A scripture verse that was very important for the life of Padre Pio was Colosians chapter 1 verse 24 where Paul wrote,

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's

afflictions for the sake of his body that is the Church.

Inspired by this verse, Patry Pio asked God to allow Him to share in the suffering of Jesus

and by this means to console the Sacred Heart and help Jesus save souls.

In 1918, Jesus granted his desire, giving Padre Peel the stigmata.

The five wounds of Jesus appeared in the body of Padre Peel in his feet, hands

inside, and this lasted for 50 years, miraculously healing right before Padre Peir's death in 1968.

Now the wounds of Christ in the body of Peel were very painful.

Still, Padre Peel remained patient in his long suffering, 50 years.

Patience is to endure suffering cheerfully. So Padre Pio retained his sense of

humor throughout his long suffering. And once when a woman asked

Padre Pio if the bloody wounds of this stigma to hurt he asked her with a

smile if she thought the good lord gave him these for a decoration.

Padre Pio said,

Jesus himself once my sufferings.

He needs them for souls. We could say the same thing, but the

question is, do we accept and offer up our sufferings to Jesus to console his sacred heart and to help him save souls?

Or do we waste our suffering by complaining, by becoming more self-absorbed and wishing them away.

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