Gianna Beretta Molla A HYMN TO GOD, TO LIFE, TO THE FAMILY
by VIRGINIA CODA NUNZIANTE
Pietro,if youmustchoosebetweenmeandthe tobeoneof themostezectivemeans - of apos child,don’thesitate:choosethechild.Idemand tolate.” it–savehim.” Itwastheprofessionwhich,betterthananyother, Gianna addressed these words to her husband a brought her face to face with her suzering neigh fewdaysbeforeherdeath.Toconsiderher bour, choice inwhomshesawJesusHimself.Itwasduring a spontaneous act of heroism, brought on bythese the years that she wrote: forebodingof inevitabledeath,wouldbeamistake. “Let - con Itistheresultof awholelifeanchoredinGod andussanctifythepresentmoment.Letus fidethepasttothemercyof God,thefutureto devoted to others. Gianna would have given her divine lifeforanyone,intheimageof herRedeemerandprovidence,ourtaskistoliveholilyinthe presentmoment,tolivethewillof Godateach SaviourWhogaveHislifeforher. instant and to live it with joy. If I do my duty GiannaBerettawasbornnearMilan,onOc 4 tober 1922, to profoundly Christian parents. She nowthenGodwillhelpme.” receivedherFirstHolyCommunionattheage In951 she ,4 ofwentonpilgrimagetoLourdes,accom five-and-a-half and, from then on, made the Eu panyingthesick.Atthefeetof theHolyVirgin,she charist the sustenance and the centre of her whole prayed to know the will of God. That same year, existence.Hersister,Virginia,wholaterbecame a herfuturehusband,PietroMolla,forthe shemet religiousmissionary,rememberedherasfirst follows: time.Recallingthisday,hewouldlaterwrite, “Godcouldnothavegivenmeagreatergift.” “God had given her a special beauty, charac In the first letter which Gianna wrote to him, terised by a gentle and profound look which she adirectly expressed her whole conception of revealed a balanced spirit, a pure soul and marriage: generousheart,opentoallgood.So,asachild shewasnaïve,pureandsimple;shewasthesame “DearPietro,I… trulywishtomakeyouhappy asanadolescent.” andtobewhatyoudesire:good,understanding andreadyforthesacrificeswhichlifewillaskof Despite the hardships of the war and the loss of us… Now,youmustalreadyknowthatIloveyou bothherparents,oneaftertheotherin - 1942,Gi and that I have the intention of giving myself annafinishedhereducation;goingonto- studymed to you to make a truly Christian family. Dear icine at the University of Milan and, later, at the Pietro,excusemyconfidence,butIammadefor Universityof Pavia.Herbrother,FrAlberto,said: this.Seeyouagain.Withlove,Gianna.” “Giannaalwaysfeltverystronglyinherself the OnSeptember, 01 justbeforetheirwedding,which ideal of doing good to others and she chose the would take place on 24 September in St Martin’s medical profession because she considered it
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