Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest
Tuesday of week 25 in Ordinary Time
First reading Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20
The people of Israel, after years of exile and struggle, finally celebrated the dedication of the rebuilt Temple with joy. Their joy was not merely about stones and walls but about the presence of God dwelling once again in their midst. The Temple was the visible sign of God’s faithfulness, the assurance that His promises endure even after seasons of suffering. On this day, as we remember Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Padre Pio, we see a living “house of God” in his own person. Through his prayer, his sacrificial love, and his bearing of the stigmata, he showed that holiness is not only celebrated in buildings but lived in hearts entirely open to God. Just as Israel rejoiced in the Temple, so too we are called to rejoice that God makes His dwelling within us. Every act of fidelity, every prayer offered with sincerity, is a dedication of our own lives to Him. Joy is the right response, for God’s presence is not distant, it is alive, close, and transforming us into His living temples. Let’s reflect: Do I rejoice, like Israel at the dedication of the Temple, in God’s presence dwelling within me, and do I live each day as a living temple, offering myself to Him with joy as Padre Pio did?
Don Giorgio