b) THE SAINTS

"The saints are the wonders of God's grace"

Just as the works of creation sing the glories of God, author of nature, so also the works of sanctification glorify God, author of grace.  Hence, all the splendor radiating from the virtues of the saints reflects God's glory who performed such great marvels in the saints.  What are the saints if not the miracles of God's grace?  A person who has almost nothing left in himself of our corrupt humanity; who through the practice of Christian self-denial was able to subdue the concupiscence of the flesh, to blunt the impulses of greed, to check the fever of pride; who has given a new course, a new direction, as it were, to his carnal and earthly instincts, so as to live only by spiritual and heavenly instincts; who has remade himself or herself completely and, through a more generous, purer and more perfect charity, lives only of God, for God and with God ‑- this, says St. Augustine, is a much greater miracle than the miracle of bringing the dead back to life.  This miracle cannot be the work of human beings.  It is God's work alone.  Only God who made man can remake him and ‑- on the ruins of the old man, identified with sinful Adam ‑- can build the new man, who becomes completely one with Jesus Christ.¹³

"Let us look at the faith of the saints"

The saints are great in the kingdom of God because of the works they performed in faith and through faith here on earth.  Hence, more than anything else, the saints all proclaim to us the glories of our faith: the faith that is the treasure of family life, the faith that rekindles the love of children for their parents and brings all things to perfection and holiness.  The saints proclaim to us the glories of the faith that gently and delicately binds together all people and things of the world: the faith that keeps us wide-awake for the great day of judgment by reminding us, with their example, that here on earth the life of a Christian is a life of warfare, that here on earth we are soldiers fighting hard battles to win everlasting bliss.  We are presently in the midst of the fire purifying us of our dross.  Pilgrims on our way to the fatherland, we are constantly besieged along the way by powerful and ruthless enemies.  If the fatiguing labor of the battle weakens us, if the

flame of purification is burning us, if the journey is tiring us out, let us fix our eyes on the crown of victory, let us fix our eyes on the faith of the saints.  Better yet, let us fix our eyes on the faith we ourselves profess and our souls will be lifted up.¹⁴

"Miracles and extraordinary gifts do not make saints"

People often have the mistaken idea that to reach sanctity a person must be marked by extraordinary gifts or be distinguished for brilliant deeds.  No, my children, no.  To be saints, you don't have to predict the future like the prophets, nor perform prodigies like the miracle-workers, nor go forth to preach the Gospel to the barbarians like the Apostles, nor shed your blood like the martyrs.  None of this.  When the rich man of the Gospel asked Jesus Christ what he should do to be saved, the divine Master answered at once: If you want to attain eternal life, keep the commandments: serva mandata.  This sums up the whole Christian life.  Faithfully keeping the laws of God and fulfilling the duties of one's state of life: this is the secret.  Many people attained sanctity just by following this path.  Not all the saints have performed dazzling deeds.  Not all of them were geniuses in word or deed.  Not all of them were outstanding for extraordinary learning.  Many saints were unknown to the world and never left the obscurity of their state of life.  They just lived common, ordinary lives.  Mary herself was never known for extraordinary gifts, nor do we read in Scripture that she ever performed a miracle during her earthly life.  But this did not keep people from considering her the holiest of all creatures.  So, miracles and extraordinary gifts do not make saints, not even the greatest saints; virtue does (...).

Many of the saints we venerate today never left the circle of family life.  Nevertheless, within the family they constantly endeavored to carry out the duties of their state of life.  They were always careful to give dignity to the ordinary tasks of their daily life by a right intention and always acted for supernatural reasons.¹⁵

"Why can we not do what they did?"

An almost infinite number of people of every kind have become saints before us.  Why can we not do what they did?  To remove all difficulties, we must often lift our eyes to heaven and remember that all the labors and struggles we might have to bear can never match the greatness of the reward.  "The sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us."  A labor of short duration will gain us an eternity of eternal bliss, "for this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."

So, when we look at the saints whose triumphs we celebrate today, we must take heart at the thought that holiness is not really that hard.  With a God who comforts us, with a God who takes us by the hand and fills us with strength, how can we find it hard to walk the path of our eternal salvation?  And if you are still afraid, think about the saints we are honoring today.  They were once our brothers and sisters here on earth and were bound to us by faith, country, blood, and acquaintanceship.  During their lifetime they were full of vibrant love and ardent zeal for their fellow human beings.  Now that their charity has been brought to perfection and fulfillment in heaven, can they be less interested in the sanctification and well-being of us, their brothers and sisters?  If we could only see how intensely the saints intercede for us before the throne of God today and always, we would understand at once that ordinary sanctity, after all, is not as difficult as most people think; that indeed sanctity is possible and hence obligatory for all people and for each one of us, called as we are to become saints on earth, so as to reign with the saints in heaven.¹⁶

"Let us live like Christians and we will become saints"

A saint is nothing more than a perfect Christian.  So let us live like Christians and we will become saints.  What formed the most illustrious saints, or better, the only saints the Church recognizes as such, is not extraordinary gifts, radiant appearances, spectacular miracles, visions and ecstasies, but the fidelity and exactness with which they constantly fulfilled the duties of their state of life, all for the glory of God.  This is the true, the essential mark of sanctity.  This is

what we ought to focus on if we want to share in the glory of the saints.¹⁷

"The power of the martyrs before God has always been great"

The martyrs were always an object of special veneration in the Church of Jesus Christ.  From the times of the Apostles, she looked upon the mortal remains of the martyrs as permeated with God's life, as something holy and sacred, and on their tombs she was wont to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries.  In fact, what is more honorable, more religious, more fitting than to offer the Blood of Jesus Christ over the body and the mortal remains of his followers who have shed their blood for him?  How pleased Jesus Christ must be to mingle his sacrifice, as it were, with that of his martyrs, who are one and the same victim with him?

Hence, the power of the martyrs before God has always been great.  The bodily members and relics of these marvelous men and women who lived the life of Jesus Christ more than their own, who were incorporated into him by the spirit of sanctification and were one sole body and almost the same existence with him ‑- these bodily members and relics, through their powerful blessing, will protect and help those who confidently have recourse to these martyrs and entrust themselves to their powerful support (...).

Everything is granted through their prayers, everything is bestowed through their merits.  Reigning as they do with Christ, they pour out the choicest blessings upon the whole world.  St. Augustine assures us that, by virtue of the relics of the martyrs, the miracles of the apostolic times are renewed before all the nations.  The martyrs have given witness to God by their blood, and through their intercession God grants the faithful graces and miracles.¹⁸

"The sacred emblems of the holy Church of Piacenza"

On my visits to the churches of this city and diocese, I confess that God filled my heart with consolation and joy whenever I came across those inexhaustible, life-giving springs from

which blessings flow to the Christian people and from which a very pleasing scent emanates.  I refer to the sacred relics of the saints, those illustrious witnesses of faith and love, with whose relics our merciful Lord has deigned to enrich this holy Church of Piacenza (...).

In my report to this illustrious and venerable Congregation, I will confine myself to some remarks on the identification of the mortal remains of the glorious martyr of Christ, Antoninus, of the Theban Legion, principal patron of this holy Church of Piacenza, and of St. Victor, its first bishop.  I carried out the identification on May 30 and 31, 1878, after I had been encouraged to do so by Cardinal Domenico Bartolini, a great authority in this matter ‑- who, on his way back to Rome in October, 1877, was my guest for a while ‑- and following a conversation I had on the subject with our present Holy Father Leo XIII (...).

You can well imagine with what spiritual joy and elation I beheld those sacred pledges, more precious than gold and jewels, which graciously protect and defend this holy Church of Piacenza.

I then began to realize how much we need the intercession of these saints with whom we have a certain familiarity; how important it is that, moved by our special veneration and cult, they implore for me and my beloved children the fortitude in the faith that is so necessary in our times for Christians to be victorious.  My great desire was to stir up in my flock that devotion to these particular saints which had nourished the faith and sanctity of their forefathers and mothers.  How should I bring this about?

I concluded that I had to do just one thing to inflame my children with devotion to their bountiful Patron (Antoninus) and their benevolent Father (Victor).  I had to make known their achievements, their tombs, their relics, and devotion to them through timely and learned studies illustrating in an accurate and scholarly way the monuments and documents regarding them and then to present all this to my sons and daughters for their consideration.  The next thing I had to do was to arrange the bones of Saints Antoninus and Victor in such a way that, on certain solemnities or at the approach of some calamity, they could be publicly displayed to the faithful for their veneration.¹⁹

"I had the privilege of seeing their sacred remains with my very eyes"

Two years ago I had the immense joy of concluding the Sacred Pastoral Visitation in the illustrious Basilica of St. Antoninus.  On that occasion, I directed that the large marble urn under the slab of the main altar of that church be opened for the purpose of identifying the relics of Saints Antoninus and Victor which were allegedly buried there.

For many centuries that urn had not been opened.  And although, on the outside, the urn bore unmistakable signs of the treasures it contained, still, serious doubts had arisen around them.

So you can imagine how overjoyed I was when I had the privilege of seeing their sacred remains with my very eyes.  How moved I was when I was able to kiss the ampulla containing the relics of the precious blood Antoninus had shed to witness to his faith!

It is truly providential that this very precious glass was preserved in one piece in the midst of the devastation to which the Basilica of the holy Patron ‑- situated for many centuries outside the city walls ‑- was often subjected as a result of barbarian invasions, fires and wars, But what is even more providential ‑- something we must be truly thankful for ‑- is that the glorious blood of Antoninus, collected inside this glass, has been preserved after so many centuries in such a condition as to offer, even in our day, absolute proof of its primordial nature, whereas, in similar cases, science could offer only a certain degree of probability.

Let us rejoice, dearly beloved, let us exult!  Piacenza can indeed boast of many famous, precious monuments, which are real art treasures.  But certainly none of them is more precious in the eyes of faith than this glorious blood.  None of them is more illustrious than the mortal remains of Antoninus and Victor.²⁰

"Fathers and teachers in the faith"

These are the glorious mortal remains of those who were our fathers and teachers in the faith, the remains that once shed live blood, the blessed remains in whose shadow so many people desired to live out their lives.  With confidence our ancestors would

run to kneel before these mortal remains, dearly beloved.  Before these mortal remains they would place their gifts, and from them they would come away with the most extraordinary favors.  From them the Gregorys, the Savinos, the Mauros, the Fulcos, the Gerardos, the Albert Prandonis, the Paolo Buralis of Arezzo, the Philip Suzanis, the Opilios, the Gelasios, the Raimondos, the Contardos, the Francas and so many others drew solace in their tribulations and the strength and courage to keep moving forward on the road to heaven.  These sacred remains were the pivot, as it were, around which revolved the private and public life of the citizens, especially in the Middle Ages.  Around  these remains the people gathered when their homeland was in grave danger, and from them they received protection and help.  Every year the representatives of the community, the colleges, and the confraternities would come together in a body to place their gifts before the sacred remains.  Before these mortal remains the people would come to discuss community affairs.  Near these remains they would deposit public documents and in their presence would hang their victory trophies.²¹

"Do not forget the sufferings borne by our forefathers and mothers"

I would say that this venerable Basilica, this illustrious monument of our forefathers' faith is an everlasting memorial of the birth of Christianity among us.  I hope this Basilica reminds you of the faith of the days of old.  Never forget what Antoninus did and what he suffered to beget us to the gospel.  Never forget the sufferings our forefathers and mothers bore and the dangers they faced to acquire and preserve for you the rights and title of children of God (...).

In this faith, which will lead you to salvation, you must stand firm, as you are in fact doing, knowing that God is faithful.  Your faith must not be a sterile faith, a dead faith, but a faith animated by charity; that is to say, a faith followed by the noble entourage of other virtues, a faith that produces good works.  When that happens, St. Antoninus will look down with pride on you; and you, in turn, can rest assured that in him you have a protector who will fulfill your every request.  Under the protection of this Martyr, under the aegis of this powerful advocate, you will walk securely and peacefully in the midst of the

dangers, assaults, difficulties, and sorrows of this wretched life, which is a valley of tears and a bitter warfare, until that most blessed day of final victory and eternal repose will dawn even for us.²²

"I begot you in Christ Jesus through my preaching of the gospel"

I begot you in Christ Jesus through my preaching of the gospel: in Christo Jesu per Evangelium vos genui, the Apostle St. Paul wrote to the faithful of Corinth.  From his venerable tomb, our holy bishop and father Savino addresses these beautiful words to us every day, but especially on this day dedicated to his glories (...). 

He is a saint who belongs wholly to us, one who has the closest bonds with us.  Though he was born in Rome, Divine Providence deigned to give him as a gift to us, as a gift to our land.  It was among us that his sanctity blossomed.  This city of ours was the arena of his glorious achievements, of his heroic virtues (...).

Our Piacenza is indebted to him for the greatest of all gifts, for it was he who brought the light of the gospel to our forefathers and mothers, who, for the most part, were still lying in the shadows of death and in the darkness of paganism.  He was the one who destroyed idolatry still rampant among us.  In a word, he was our father in the faith.  From his venerable tomb he repeats to us today and will repeat to the end of time: People of Piacenza, I begot you in Christ Jesus through my preaching of the gospel.²³