When Maria's purity was being threatened, she had the courage to choose death. She was stabbed fourteen times. Before she died, she forgave her attacker, a neighbor, Allesandro.
Maria had a pure heart and she kept her body pure.
Allesandro was sent to prison for her death. One night, Maria appeared to him in his prison cell and smiled at him. She was surrounded by lilies, the flower symbolic of purity. She handed him fourteen lilies, one at a time. From that moment, he was converted and his heart was filled with peace. After serving his sentence, he lived in a Capuchin monastery, working in the garden. He asked forgiveness of Maria's mother and he went with her to Christmas Mass. There, he acknowledged his sin and asked forgiveness from God and the community. Forty years later, on June 24, 1950, Maria was canonized at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Alessandro attended her canonization. His heart was converted, a miraculous fruit of Maria's life of forgiveness!
Have you experienced a deep hurt? Do you find it difficult to forgive?
Jesus gave the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins. Go to confession and talk to the priest, who is Jesus, in Persona Christi. Tell him about the wound in your heart, your deep hurt, tell him you want to forgive and ask him to help you.
Saint Maria Goretti can help you forgive. Pray to her for the person who hurt you. When you pray in this way, God expands your heart with love and peace and He gives you a forgiving heart.
Official Prayer to Saint Maria Goretti
"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."
O my Jesus, You gave Saint Maria Goretti the crown of martyrdom; help us to be unafraid, to be faithful to Your teachings of fidelity and forgiveness with her courageous witness, and give us an increase in the virtues of faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude.
Saint Maria Goretti, Little Mercy Saint, pray for us!
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