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Trusting in the Lord:
An Example from St. Gemma Galgani
by Brian
Now that Lent is here I thought it would be appropriate to write a short reflection upon a lay member of the Passionist family, the mystic St. Gemma Galgani (1878-1903).
St. Gemma was an extraordinary saint who not only received the stigmata, but also reached the heights of contemplative prayer and had numerous visions of Our Lord and Lady. Yet having experienced all this is not what makes Gemma attractive, at least not in my opinion. What makes her life so appealing was her ability to trust in the Lord, to accept His Will under the most trying of circumstances.
Gemma suffered a great deal during her short life. She died from tuberculosis, but before contracting the dreadful disease she painfully suffered through meningitis and curvature of the spine. She witnessed the bankruptcy of her family, in which they lost everything, and Gemma had to deal with the untimely deaths of her dear mother and beloved brother Gino.
When everything goes our way it is very easy to trust in the Lord and be confident that He is standing beside us. But when tragedy, loss and suffering come into the picture - doubt, fear and anxiety can at times take hold of our hearts. Through all the physical and emotional suffering she went through, Gemma's trust in the Lord never wavered.
I am not trying to say that Gemma never experienced sadness or ever cried. What I am saying is that the sadness she experienced or the tears that she shed never interfered with her trust in Jesus. She trusted Him completely. Gemma knew within her heart that no matter the pain, sadness or suffering - Jesus was there. He would never leave her side.
During this Lent why not follow the example of St. Gemma Galgani. Let us place all our trust and hope in Jesus and be truly convinced that He is right beside us in both the good times and the bad times.
For more information on the life of St. Gemma Galgani read or visit the following:
Website: St. Gemma.com
Book: The Life of St. Gemma Galgani by Venerable Fr. Germanus, C.P.
--Available through Tan Books. (Description: "St. Gemma Galgani (1878-1903) was a beautiful Italian laywoman who was born near Lucca, lived in obscurity, died at only 25, and yet has become known the world over and is fondly called "The Gem of Christ." A mystic, stigmatist, visionary, ecstatic, victim soul, discerner of spirits, seer of hidden things, prophetess, spouse of Christ, zealot for souls and devotee of the Poor Souls in Purgatory.")