In His Own Words by

with your spiritual fervor and ignites them with your apostolic zeal, we want to satisfy your desires, making them integral part of our lives. Anthony Marys Desires The first desire is expressed in this way: My desire has always been to see you grow moment by moment, and when by chance I had felt that you had not responded completely to my desire, it was like a stab to my heart. The Founder, and a man such as Anthony Mary, can afford to use such words and even harder ones, because they flow from his passionate love for each one of his disciples. He, as a wise master and teacher, does not admit for his disciples any ignorance or carelessness, much less any malice; he demands an uninterrupted longing, a sincere desire to advance in the ways of God, to ascend to the summit of perfection. (Sermon III). The second desire of Anthony Mary is like the first: he longed for his disciples to be simple, fervent subjects, lovers of gaining the neighbor, not frightened by the noise of passions or temptations, able to remain unaffected, when you are troubled, like when you are quiet and cherished. If you are found to be so, just think that you are my joy, but doing the opposite, you will cause me death and grief. The third desire of the Founder is in his last letter written to a couple fifteen days before his death: I desire that you do not fall into lukewarmness, but that you grow continuously, because if you were hooked up by lukewarmness you would rather be Pharisees than Christians and spiritual. The fourth and last desire of the Founder is a true spiritual testament as the three previous ones; I would like youand you are able if you wantto become great saints, as long as you want to increase those gifts and graces and return them most beautiful to the Crucified Lord, from whom you have received them.

Bishop Andrea Maria Erba, B.

Two Prayer Initiatives I cannot conclude without mentioning two prayer initiatives which will give meaning and value and fecundity to this Jubilee Year. Five hundred years after the birth of our Founder, we are invited to set sail for a new beginning, or as we like itwe are encouraged to unfurl our flags: it is absolutely necessary to devote more time and greater commitment to prayer, so much loved, practiced and advocated by our Founder. Behold, then, this first invitation: an invisible monastery! I have very much appreciated, and I was pleased that for this centennial the initiative has been launched of a crusade of prayer. Following Jesus command, Be awake and pray always (Lk 22:36) and Pauls teaching: Pray unceasingly (Thes 5:17), the Zaccarian families are committed so that every week they would give to God adoration and praise, and pray to Him for new vocations, for a special vocation of the lay faithful: an invisible monastery! The second invitation is: to go back to our homes, wherever we are, and to our ordinary occupations. Every day we will meet in deep communion through the recitation of the intentions for the 2002 Zaccarian Jubilee Year. At the school of Anthony Mary certainly such a teacher will create disciples like himself. (Constitutions, XII) Amen. Bishop Andrea Maria Erba, B. Bishop Emeritus of Velletri-Segni

In His Own Words by

Bishop Andrea Maria Erba, B.

on

St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

The Clerics Regular of Saint Paul BARNABITES

www.barnabites.com www.stanthonyzaccaria.blogspot.com
4301 Hecktown Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020

Our Founder is here and we are here with him. It is beautiful and just to imagine, five hundred years after his birth, that he is the good shepherd who guards over his vineyard; that he is the one to speak to us and to guide us with the example of his life, with the testimony of his virtues, with the force and the vividness of his writings, with the modernity of his charism.
Bishop Andrea Maria Erba, B. 2002

In His Own Words by

Bishop Andrea Maria Erba, B.

and the vividness of his writings, with the modernity of his charism. Today, we celebrate not only an important date, but also an extraordinary grace, enhanced by the gift of the plenary indulgence that the Holy Church has granted to us. Our families and Congregations are urged to walk together on the path set by our Founder and to live in his light. Look at us from heaven, Father, you who are close to God and to his glory. We need your eyes, your protective wing. To you we confidently address our prayer. You who always wanted the renewal of the original Christian fervor, make us feel your powerful help and the keen desire to be not small, but great saints. May we put our feet on your footsteps, walking, or rather running not only toward God but also toward our neighbor. Let your burning and generous heart inflame our lukewarm hearts, so as to be able to inflame our cities. Draw us to the brightness of your face, transfigured by the vision of Christ. We are small, we are few. We need your continued support, the light of your penetrating eye to keep us up to our calling and to be able to carry on the tasks that you have entrusted to us. Reawaken in us your own spirit. Hold us by the hand and guide us. Come and see this vineyard. With the energy that you infused in it at its very origin, yours and our family has come a long way and, after almost half a millennium, has not yet reached its goal, has not yet completed its mission in the world. A long way remains ahead. During the centuries of our historya lot still to be discoveredwe have experienced your presence, even when your mortal body was hidden and almost impossible to find, and when the veneration of your holiness had been suspended. We never felt or-

on St. Anthony M. Zaccaria

phans, in spite of the evidences, in spite of the persecutions, in spite of the suppression of our Orders. Now, Father, is the moment to rejoice, certain that you look over us, scrutinize us, encourage us, making sure that your institutes did not have their days; indeed, that they have a promising future ahead. We also have a promise, indeed, the promises made by various holy men and women about this blessed renewal that you started and completed: the reform! We also know that, despite your young age, you died willingly comforted by the vision and prophecy of the most glorious father and protector St. Paul. What remains is especially the inexhaustible power of your charism, the unceasing appeal by you and our divine father (Fra Battista da Crema) that resonates within us like a refrain: Ah! Sons and stocks of Paul, open wide yourselves because those who have planted and are planting you are wider than the abyss! (Letter VII). Today, we would say that the vineyard of the world has no boundaries, and we are expected to cultivate it with renewed vigor. It is the vision of the New Evangelization that opens before us. Protect the vineyard that your right hand has planted. We are certain in our hearts that our Congregations come from God through you. Maybe we were not always faithful to your commands, but you did fulfill your program of perfection. Sometimes you have complained about our negligence, Poor me! If all my children have so little care to satisfy me, it would be better that I had not given birth to them... (Letter X). But in your fathers love you almost swore: I am ready to shed my blood for you (Letter XI). And again: Dont you know that I cannot abandon you? (Letter VI). Well, you have planted us in the field of the Holy Church, protect these sprouts of yours who today want nothing more than to grow continuously, as you said, to pass from virtue to virtue, to acquire a stable and holy fervor, to give priority to charity, which is the only thing worthy. At the present time, so meaningful for our history, when the Lord inflames our hearts, permeates them

espice de caelo, Pater, et vide et visita vinean istam, et perfice eam quam plantavit dextera tua. (Look down from heaven, O Father, and see, visit this vine and protect what your right hand has planted.) This prayer to St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria has spontaneously come to my mind. It is, as you know, beyond the biblical exegesis, a paraphrase of verses 15 and 16 of Psalm 80, called the song of the shepherd and of the vineyard. The Lord is implored to come to free and to protect His people with a caring and loving vision from on high, especially in times of distress. In particular the appeal is for Gods visit to bring about a kind judgment of defense and security. A protection that cannot be lacking, because He Himself, with His right hand, has planted this vineyard: it is the free work of His hand. Our Congregations are the vineyard of the Lord; He has raised them in the Church and, along with their history, they have experienced His presence, His visit; still today they feel the need of His help. With the same faith and conviction of the psalmist, we repeat, on this solemn day, this prayer to our Father and Shepherd, Anthony Mary, in this ancient and beloved church of St. Barnabas, in front of his mortal and glorious remains, which are the goal of pilgrimages especially at the beginning of this Jubilee Year, which sees united in love and jubilation Barnabites, Angelics, Laity of St. Paul, friends and devotees who have come here from all over Italy and the world, animated by the same ideals of spirituality, communication and apostolate. Our Founder is here and we are here with him. It is beautiful and just to imagine, five hundred years after his birth, that he is the good shepherd who guards over his vineyard; that he is the one to speak to us and to guide us with the example of his life, with the testimony of his virtues, with the force