Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr

Fidelity and Forgiveness
Today is the feast day of Saint Maria Goretti. She was born in 1890 in Corinaldi, Italy. Pope John Paul II often commented on the virtues and example of Saint Maria Goretti. In a Homily commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the virgin martyr's birth, he emphasized her importance for our own troubled times. She did not flee from the voice of the Holy Spirit, from the voice of her conscience. Through the gift of fortitude, the Holy Spirit helped her to judge and to choose with her young spirit. She chose death when there was no other way to defend her virginal purity.

Maria Goretti's blood was shed in a sacrifice of total fidelity to God. She reminds us that we are also called to offer ourselves to the Father. We are called to seek the Divine Will and to be holy and pleasing in His sight. Our call to holiness, which is the vocation of every baptized person, is encouraged by the example of this young martyr. She is a special model for adolescents and young people, defending purity of heart and body and being committed to the struggle against evil and sin. Her life shows us not to be afraid to take a counter-cultural stance, to reject the things of the world and to be courageous witnesses by love, purity and virginity.

In her silent heroism, Maria Goretti is a teacher of truth and true love. She teaches us to see in Christ the value of the truth which frees us from slavery "to the world" by seeking good which always overcomes evil. Before she died at the age of twelve, Maria forgave her attacker, Allesandro. He was sent to prison for her death. After six years of prison, he was near the brink of despair. Then one night, Maria appeared to him in his cell. She smiled at Alessandro and she was surrounded by lilies, the flower symbolic of purity. From that moment, peace invaded Alessandro's heart, and he began to live a constructive life. After serving his sentence, Alessandro lived at a Capuchin monastery, working in the garden as a tertiary. He asked pardon of Maria's mother and accompanied her to Christmas Mass in the parish church where he spoke before the hushed congregation, acknowledging his sin and asking God's forgiveness and the pardon of the community. Forty years later, on June 24, 1950, Maria was canonized at St. Peter's basilica in Rome, with Alessandro's heart now firmly converted to the Lord. A miraculous fruit of Maria's life of forgiveness!

"Oh Saint Maria Goretti who, strengthened by God's grace, did not hesitate even at the age of twelve to shed your blood and sacrifice life itself to defend your virginal purity, look graciously on the unhappy human race which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation. Teach us all, and especially youth, with what courage and promptitude we should flee for the love of Jesus anything that could offend Him or stain our souls with sin. Obtain for us from our Lord victory in temptation, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly beg of thee (here insert intention), and may we one day enjoy with thee the imperishable glory of Heaven. Amen."

My Jesus, as you gave Saint Maria Goretti the crown of martyrdom, help us keep faithful to your teachings with her courage.