6 July 2019
Memorial of St. Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr
God demonstrates His omnipotence in so many ways. Bringing all creation into existence out of nothing is one of the greatest ways. Another is the Lord’s ability to create goodness where human sin would cause destruction. In the first reading, Jacob uses deception to obtain his father Isaac’s special blessing, thus usurping his brother Esau. With the assistance of Rebekah he disguises his skin and culinary abilities to trick his father into thinking he is the older brother. When asked if he is Esau, he tells the boldfaced lie that he is, indeed, Esau. Seeking this blessing, we may well imagine that Jacob simply wants worldly fortune and success, and he considers the divine benediction to be a part in his schemes. Jacob gets far more than he bargained for, however, since God is not content simply to be a part of our plans. Rather, He transforms our plans, makes them part of His own Providential guidance of all things, and uses them to transform us. Rather than becoming another simple agrarian patriarch, with this blessing Jacob becomes a new man. From one who selfishly demands from his father, he becomes one who truly cares for his family and is willing to keep them safe even at risk of harm to himself. Instead of playing the deceiver, Jacob becomes the humble, honest brother who seeks peace and reconciliation with his brother Esau years later. The new blessing is poured into a new Jacob, produces a new Jacob, much to Jacob and everyone else’s surprise.
God calls us to be renewed in Him, to be the new wineskins into which He may pour out His blessings anew. Do we allow the newness of the Lord to transform us into new persons? Or are we clinging to old habits, trying to maintain manners of thinking, speaking, acting which restrain and dull the effects of God’s grace? Do we believe that cooperation with God’s grace will have effects even if we ourselves do not see them? In 1902, Maria Goretti, at the age of twelve, remained steadfast in her desire to follow God’s call to live chastely and refused the sexual advances of Alessandro Serenelli who in turn stabbed her several times causing her death. Before dying she told Alessandro that she forgave him. Maria died only having seen a cold-hearted and unrepentant murderer to whom she offered forgiveness. To the very last moments of life she maintained her fidelity to the divine newness to which we are called. Her truly loving forgiveness was accepted three years later by Alessandro, who after a quarter century of imprisonment for her murder then joined a monastery to lead a life of repentence and service. May St. Maria intercede for us that we, too, may be faithful to the Lord who calls us, trusting that our fidelity to Him will bear fruit even in the most hardened of hearts.