No saint ever lived who did not have a profound understanding of the human soul, for a saint is rooted in the love of Christ who knows and loves the human heart more than anyone. Blessed Clelia on many occasions knew how to speak words filled with comfort and practical wisdom to her Daughters, offering them true spiritual manna to resist the snares of evil so often fueled by an endless whirlwind of “whys” or, more insidiously, masked by the veil of discouragement: “Do you want a word of advice from your Mother? Here it is: entrust your heart to Mary and have a very special devotion and preference for the holy practice of the holy Rosary as well as for eucharistic Communion. […] Don’t stay there racking your brain with constant reflections and questioning; surrender yourself to God […] and then let Him do the rest. The Heart of Jesus will not let your soul fall into the precipice; […] be patient and absolutely don’t let discouragement penetrate your heart. Remember daughter, that nothing that disturbs come from God. God is peace, gentleness and calm. Become familiar with that beautiful and consoling ejaculation; ‘In you, O Lord, have I hoped.’” We seem to hear in these words an echo of Saint John Paul II’s homily for the inauguration of his pontificate on October 22, 1978. Many people do not go beyond a merely political vision of the Pope limited to the Berlin Wall. They forget that the invitation to “open wide the doors for Christ” was followed by an explanation directed to the wounded and restless soul of contemporary humanity: “Do not be afraid. Christ knows ‘what is in man.’ He alone knows it. So often today man does not know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart. So often he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth. He is assailed by doubt, a doubt which turns into despair. We ask you therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let Christ speak to man. He alone has words of life, yes, of eternal life.”
