A faint murmur and some sighs are heard in the convent church of Monachil when Friar Javier Hernandez, prior of the community, invites the faithful who have come for the feast of St. Rita to bring to the altar the names of those they have left at home, those who because of illness have not been able to come to Mass, those who are going through difficult times in their families, those who are going through a period of darkness in their life of faith… After a moment of complete silence, he continues with the celebration.
What is it about this saint born at the end of the 14th century that allows so many people, many centuries later, to identify with her life and figure? What is this mysterious force in Saint Rita that explains why her image on the façade of the convent does not pass a day without being visited, why every 22nd of the month there are a handful of people who come to ask for her intercession before God for some particular intention or to thank the Creator for the blessings they experience in their daily lives? And that on May 22nd buses arrive from all over Andalusia full of devotees who do not miss the opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist in the convent, whether it is a weekend or a Wednesday, like this year?
Perhaps it is the fact that St. Rita is a great example of how the love of God can inflame with the same intensity the life of every Christian, regardless of his or her vocation. St. Rita, in her journey of faith, knew how to become aware, in the different moments of her life – and in the diversity of facets she had: daughter, wife, mother, widow, religious – that God loved her, and she decided to live accordingly, she decided to love. That is why her figure, after so many centuries, can continue to speak to different generations as if she were a contemporary; that is why we recognize her as a friend of Jesus, because, as the Gospel chosen for the feast tells us, she remained in the love of Christ, fulfilling his commandments. Only in this way can it be understood that he was able to sow peace in a context of violence and revenge, forgiveness and reconciliation in the midst of a panorama of pain and affliction, patience and understanding even when all seemed lost.
In these times we live in of so many wars, conflicts and misunderstandings, the life of St. Rita reminds us that we can always, always, decide for love, we can choose to love, like Jesus. The last word is not ours, the last word is always God’s, and with our response of love we allow this last word of His to permeate our entire reality: our lives, our families, our communities, our environment, our world.
At the end of the Eucharist, among the roses that were raised to be blessed, there were many photos of loved ones that those present – especially mothers and grandmothers – carried with them, not only in their hearts, but also physically. May we know how to do the same in our lives: to bring before the Lord the lives of all those around us; may we learn to decide for love and, in so doing, be sowers of peace and forgiveness; may we be, like Rita, God’s blessing to all.
Fr. Rodrigo Madrid, OAR