Alessandro Serenelli, testament autographe, 5 mai 1961

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« Je suis âgé de presque 80 ans, et ma journée va bientôt se terminer. Si je jette un regard sur mon passé, je reconnais que dans ma première jeunesse j'ai pris un mauvais chemin : celui du mal qui m'a conduit à la ruine ; j'ai été influencé par la presse, les spectacles et les mauvais exemples que la plupart des jeunes suivent sans réfléchir, mais je ne m'en souciais pas. J'avais auprès de moi des personnes croyantes et pratiquantes, mais je ne faisais pas attention à elles, aveuglé par une force brutale qui me poussait sur une route mauvaise. À vingt ans j'ai commis un crime passionnel, dont le seul souvenir me fait encore frémir aujourd'hui.

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Marie Goretti, qui est aujourd'hui une sainte, a été le bon ange que la Providence avait mis devant mes pas. Dans mon cœur j'ai encore l'impression de ses paroles de reproche et de pardon. Elle a prié pour moi, intercédé pour moi, son assassin.

Trente ans de prison ont suivi. Si je n'avais pas été mineur, j'aurais été condamné à vie. J'ai accepté la sentence méritée ; j'ai expié ma faute avec résignation. Marie a été vraiment ma lumière, ma Protectrice ; avec son aide j'ai acquis un bon comportement et j'ai cherché à vivre de façon honnête lorsque la société m'a accepté à nouveau parmi ses membres. Avec une charité séraphique, les fils de saint François, les frères mineurs capucins des Marches, m'ont accueilli parmi eux non comme un serviteur, mais comme un frère. C'est avec eux que je vis depuis 1936.

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Et maintenant j'attends avec sérénité le moment où je serai admis à la vision de Dieu, où j'embrasserai de nouveau ceux qui me sont chers, où je serai près de mon ange gardien et de sa chère maman, Assunta.

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Puissent ceux qui liront ma lettre en tirer l'heureuse leçon de fuir dès l'enfance le mal et de suivre le bien. Qu'ils pensent que la religion avec ses préceptes n'est pas une chose dont on puisse se passer, mais qu'elle est le vrai réconfort, la seule voie sûre dans toutes les circonstances, même les plus douloureuses de la vie.

Paix et bien ! »

Extrait de : fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alessandro_Serenelli (en français)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alessandro_Serenelli (en anglais)

Other Saints of the Day:
Our Lady of Akita
—
Augustin-Joseph Desgardin
Dominica of Campania
Goar of Aquitaine
Godelieve
Maria Goretti
Maria Theresia Ledóchowska
Monenna
Noyala of Brittany
Petrus Wang Zuolung
catholicsaints.info/6-july/saint-romulus-of-fiesole
Saxburgh of Ely
Sisoes the Great
Suzanne Agathe de Loye
Thomas Alfield
Tranquillinus of Rome
—
Martyrs of Campania
—
Christopher Solino
Giusto di Condat
Nazaria Ignacia March Mesa

Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time

Book of Genesis 28:10-22a.
Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.
When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set, he stopped there for the night. Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep at that spot.
Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground, with its top reaching to the heavens; and God's messengers were going up and down on it.
And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying: "I, the LORD, am the God of your forefather Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you are lying I will give to you and your descendants.
These shall be as plentiful as the dust of the earth, and through them you shall spread out east and west, north and south. In you and your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing.
Know that I am with you; I will protect you wherever you go, and bring you back to this land. I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you."
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed, "Truly, the LORD is in this spot, although I did not know it!"
In solemn wonder he cried out: "How awesome is this shrine! This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven!"
Early the next morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head, set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on top of it.
He called that site Bethel, whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.
Jacob then made this vow: "If God remains with me, to protect me on this journey I am making and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear,
and I come back safe to my father's house, the LORD shall be my God.
This stone that I have set up as a memorial stone shall be God's abode."

Psalms 91(90):1-2.3-4.14-15ab.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.

Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9:18-26.
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live."
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured."
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.

Commentary of the day : Saint Romanos Melodios
“If only I can touch his cloak, I shall get well.”

dailygospel.org/main.php