FRANCIMARY WRITES TO JESUS | KAIROS GLOBAL | DECEMBER 2022

Author: Jisha John

My Jesus! My Love!

Here I am. Thank you for bringing me back.

I was baffled. I didn’t know what to do. It was an agony. I was overwhelmed with thoughts. People ask me about my vocation. I have no answer to them. I ask it myself. I ask it to you. I’m left with no answer. I thought the crisis would cost me my life. But, no! I was mistaken. You are my mighty Father who has plans and thoughts for me. Thank you Pa!

And thanks a ton to St Rita of Cascia whom you assigned to help me in this turmoil. You brought her life to me. She went through a plethora of trials and struggles. And now I gather that it was for me too. She spoke to me from her life.

Margherita Lotti, our beloved Rita was born in 1381 in Roccaporena, Italy. Something unusual happened on the day after her baptism. The little child was surrounded by a swarm of white bees, which went in and out of her infant mouth without hurting her. Her family was surprised at it. She, at a young age requested her parents for permission to enter a nunnery and become religious. But they made her marry at the age of twelve an immoral, short-tempered man named Paolo Mancini. He manhandled and mistreated her. He was a womaniser and had many enemies. Oh dear Jesus, how much your little pearl suffered those years! She entered holy matrimony out of compulsion. It wasn’t her dream. But she prayed earnestly and ardently for her husband and won his soul. He became a better person. It took years for him to change. But then, Paolo was soon killed. Rita didn’t give up on you, my Lord. She publicly pardoned his murderers.

Dear Pa, you had a different plan which none would ever dream of. So, things happened as you had scripted at the beginning of time. Rita had to enter another vocation, something strange and uncommon. The story took a new turn. Paolo’s brother Bernardo wasn’t ready to forgive the murderers of his brother. He insisted Rita’s sons, Giovanni Antonio and Paulo Maria join the feud. Rita tried to convince her sons but it was in vain. She prayed to you and asked you to take her sons back before they committed any mortal sin. It is quite impossible for a mother to pray so but Rita was sure of eternal life and she knew that the soul was valuable than anything worldly. Give us this wisdom, dear Jesus.

Rita’s sons died after a year because of dysentery. You heard her prayer and answered her. Rita wished to become a nun. She was rejected when she asked permission to join the Monastery of St Mary Magdalene in Cascia. The authorities were sure of her good character but they hesitated because of the family feud which still continued in her husband’s family – their rivalry against the Chiqui family. When Rita continued to request, she was asked to find a solution to end the feud between the Chiquis and Mancinis. And from that moment, Rita sought the intercession of her beloved saints, John the Baptist, Augustine of Hippo and Nicholas of Tolentino. This is something I have always tried. And it works! Thank you for the team of saints. They help a lot. Yes Jesus! I just read your thought. I know it. You wish me to be a saint. You wish me to be holy. Help me my dear. I can’t make it without you. Oh! Let’s come back to the story. Rita’s prayers were answered. It was around then that the bubonic plague hit Italy. Bernardo Mancini was infected and he finally ended the feud with the Chiqui family. 

There happened the moment! St Rita of Cascia entered the monastery at the age of 36. And it was a mass and heroic entry. She levitated into the cloister with the help of her patron saints. Hats off to their assistance! And here are my kisses to the Director of the scene! You are awesome, my Lord.

Rita was very passionate about Your Passion. She implored you to make her suffer like you, our Divine Saviour. A wound appeared on her forehead as if you had allowed a thorn from your crown to pierce her. This was a deep wound and it never healed. She suffered it until her death in 1457. Rita was bedridden for months from tuberculosis. A cousin visited her and asked whether she needed something from her ancestral house. Rita wished for a rose. Her cousin didn’t expect to get any roses for her as it was not the season. But much to her surprise, there was a single rose in bloom. A rose for your rose who had many thorns in life but her little soul survived them by your grace and bloomed in joy. How majestic! And here is the most beautiful part. Her body is found incorrupt. When exhumed, her forehead wound still remained the same. Her body was exhumed three times, with no signs of deterioration. She is declared an incorruptible. Oh! Goosebumps! You kept her unblemished. 

Her story is really unusual. And when I’m perplexed with the thought of my vocation, here I’ve someone to intercede for me, one who pursued more than one vocation. Anyway, I’m going to be holy, as holy as you desire of me. I need you in and around me to achieve it, my Love, my Jesus.

Here I am,

Your little pumpkin.

With lots of love,

Francimary of Forgiving Jesus