At Home with the Man of the Beatitudes

Every saint is, in some way, captivating. They are captivating because of their stories, their journeys, the paths which their lives took in the pursuit of something incredible. And each saint's story is as unique as our own: some lived long lives, while others had only a short time to live. Some were blessed with that spirit of holiness from the beginning; others spent decades searching in the wrong places, before finally meeting the One who fulfilled all their hopes and dreams. And yet, for all the differences which these stories carry with them, a few constants remain. These saints, the great men and women who captivate us, were sinners just like you and me. They too struggled in this life, facing pain, weakness, guilt, and loss - all the trials which confront men and women of every time and place. But, in addition to their sharing in the same struggles of life, the saints are also united in the fact that they themselves were captivated by God. In the midst of their own weakness and sinfulness, they found "the pearl of great price," the "treasure hidden in the field," and they decided to sell everything they had to buy it. It is this aspect of sanctity which can truly captivate us: how these men and women, each in their own way and in their own particular situation, have been able to leave everything to follow Christ.

This past weekend, I spent several days with a saintly young man who has captivated many, many young people in our world today. His name is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

So much can, and indeed has been said, about the extraordinary life of this young man, a life which indeed was so extraordinary precisely in the fact that, in many ways, it was quite ordinary too. He was a man of great joy and tremendous energy, a man who loved life and who loved those whom God had put into his life. He loved the outdoors, especially the mountains, and found in them some of the most powerful signs of God's beauty and goodness. But for all this, he found God's beauty most especially in the places where he knew God to be most present: in the Eucharist, and in the hearts of his brothers and sisters whom he encountered every day. When Pope John Paul II beatified Pier Giorgio in 1990, he did so by calling upon him under the title by which he is now so well known: The Man of the Beatitudes. Yes, this young Italian man - a mountaineer, student, son, brother, and friend - this man who had only reached the age of 24 before succumbing to tuberculosis, this man became a living incarnation of Our Lord's words in the Sermon on the Mount:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven."

I had the chance to meditate on this passage from Matthew's Gospel as I sat in the room where Blessed Pier Giorgio died. The room was so full of peace and joy, certainly not the kind of eeriness we might associate with being in the very place from which someone we love has left this world. Rather, this was the place from which Pier Giorgio had gone forth to meet the One whom he loved more than his own life. It was from there that he had gone to be comforted, to obtain mercy, to see God, and to inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Above the bed hangs the crucifix which Pier Giorgio clutched to his breast as he lay there. Nearby stands an altar, which is now used regularly by pilgrimage groups who wish to celebrate the sacred mysteries in this sacred spot. Outside the window, one can see the very hills which Pier Giorgio would climb every morning on his way to Mass in the nearby town. On the bed sits a pile of letters and pictures brought by men and women from around the world - many of them my age - all of whom have been captivated by the extraordinary life of this young man.

The place where my three classmates and I were staying during this blessed weekend was, in fact, the summer home of the Frassati family. It was owned by Pier Giorgio's grandparents, and, according to a custom not too different from our own summer traditions in Minnesota, he and his sister Luciana would spend almost the entirety of their summer vacations there. Nearly the entire house has been preserved as it would have looked like when Pier Giorgio was there, from the family portraits on the wall, to the old piano in the living room, to the furniture which has remained mostly the same since it was put there in 1908. Outside in the yard, the swing which he and his sister would have played on still hangs from its tree.

Outside Pier Giorgio's room stands a case with many of his belongings: his shoes, climbing crampons, outdoor cooking utensils, and wallet. One of my favorites was a transaction recorder in which he wrote down all the money he spent. Without fail, almost every other entry was marked down as "elemosina," that is, alms!

A biography of Saint Catherine of Siena given by Pier Giorgio to his sister in 1923, dedicated with the words, "To my good dear sister, on the day of your graduation, so that she might be your guide in along the way of ascent toward spiritual perfection. With affection, you brother, Pier Giorgio."

During one of the days in the region, we took a "hike" up to one of the local mountain ranges. I say "hike," because we basically drove our rental car to the foot of the mountain, took a cable car to a high point, and walked around from there. What would Pier Giorgio say?! Even still, it was a blessing to enjoy the autumn weather, and to scamper over the rocks which he himself knew!

The four of us stayed in the basement of the house, which is comfortably furnished for guests, and has a kitchen which we used for heat and cooking. In the evenings, we would sit and play cards, enjoying each other's fraternity, and sharing our own joys of being a friend of the young Italian mountaineer who has captivated each of us as well.

We met two young women from France there who loved Frassati too!

It was a truly a blessed weekend, my friends. I prayed for all of you while I was there, and I hope that Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati might be for you a ready guide and steady example of what it means to live the Beatitudes!

"You ask me whether I am in good spirits. How could I not be so? As long as Faith gives me strength I will always be joyful!"