The letters of Saint Padre Pio are an inexhaustible treasure. Pauline Books and Media published many of the letters written to his spiritual director in Secrets of a Soul: Padre Pio’s Letters to His Spiritual Directors.
Although Padre Pio gives so much uplifting counsel on the importance of trusting God, rejoicing in His Mercy, and not allowing the devil (or our own futile frustrations) to cause anxiety or, worse still, discouragement, to weigh down our spirit, nevertheless Jesus Himself would often come and unburden His own Heart to our saint seeking consolation by revealing to such a faithful friend His sorrows. These divine complaints have a pathos that is deeply rending, even frightening. Lukewarm priests are especially indicted for the wounds they inflict on the Sacred Heart. Jesus seems to be in temple again, even calling them “butchers.” “Behold the Heart” Jesus told Saint Margaret Mary as He opened His chest“ that has so loved men and is loved so little in return.”
Reading the two following excerpts from Padre Pio’s letters one can not only picture (compassionate with) Our Savior’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane but, as Jesus tells His priest and friend, even now (even until the end of time) we must not forget how He suffers for sinners. Agony is a Greek word that means “to wrestle with.” These words of Our Lord to Padre Pio indicate the trial of the God-man, the combat He stills endures in the arena: In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none” (Psalm 68:21).
Here are the stunning words of Our afflicted Lord:
Letter to Father Agostino (April 7, 1913): “On Friday morning (28 March 1913) while I was still in bed, Jesus appeared to me. He was in a sorry state and quite disfigured. He showed me a great multitude of priests, regular and secular, among whom were several high ecclesiastical dignitaries. Some were celebrating Mass, while others were vesting or taking off the sacred vestments. The sight of Jesus in distress was very painful to me, so I asked him why he was suffering so much. There was no reply, but his gaze turned on those priests. Shortly afterwards, as if terrified and weary of looking at them, he withdrew his gaze. Then he raised his eyes and looked at me and to my great horror I observed two tears coursing down his cheeks. He drew back from that crowd of priests with an expression of great disgust on his face and cried out: “Butchers!” Then turning to me he said: “My son, do not think that my agony lasted three hours. No, on account of the souls who have received most from me, I shall be in agony until the end of the world. During my agony, my son, nobody should sleep. My soul goes in search of a drop of human compassion but alas, I am left alone beneath the weight of indifference. The ingratitude and the sleep of my ministers makes my agony all the more grievous.
‘Alas, how little they correspond to my love! What afflicts me most is that they add contempt and unbelief to their indifference. Many times I have been on the point of annihilating them, had I not been held back by the Angels and by souls who are filled with love for me. Write to your (spiritual) father and tell him what you have seen and heard from me this morning. Tell him to show your letter to Father Provincial …’ Jesus continued to talk but I may never reveal what he said…”
Letter to Father Agostino (March 12, 1913): “… my father, listen to our sweet Jesus’ complaints: ‘My love for men is repaid with so much ingratitude! Those people would have offended me less if I had loved them less. My father doesn’t want to tolerate them anymore. I would like to stop loving them, but… (And here Jesus kept silent and, afterward taken aback) but my heart is made for loving! The tired men don’t try to overcome the temptations. Rather these men enjoy their iniquities. The souls I love more than the other’s when they suffer a temptation, when they don’t succeed in withstanding. The weak souls are dismayed and desperate. . . . They leave me alone at night and in the morning in Church. They don’t take care of the sacrament of the altar; they don’t speak of this sacrament of love anymore; also, the people who do speak of the sacrament do it with so much indifference and coldness. My Heart has been forgotten; nobody cares for my love; I am always saddened. My house has become a theatre of plays for a lot of people; even my priests that I have always protected carefully, that I have loved as the apple of my eye; they should comfort my sorrowful heart; they should help me in the redemption of the souls, instead…. Who would believe it? I receive ingratitude from them. I see, my Son, a lot of them that… (Here he stopped, sobs tightened his throat, he wept) that under false semblance they betray me with sacrilegious communions, stamping on the light and the strength that I continually give them…’”
I wrote a biography of Saint Padre Pio for our website here
