Advent with Blessed Pier Giorgio

Every Advent season, I find myself with a collection of books containing meditations for each day.  This year, my goal has been to read a few lines of scripture from my Italian Bible after lighting my Advent wreath and before diving into a series of reflections from other authors.  When I was in my 20s, however, this sort of reading was not even on my radar. 

Blessed Frassati was, as usual, way ahead of me in his Advent practices.  In a letter to his good friend Franz Massetti – one of the members of the close-knit Tipi Loschi – Pier Giorgio shared how he had spent Advent 1924.

“… in fact during Advent I prepared for the Holy Year by reading St. Augustine, reading which I haven’t yet finished, but from which I have received immense happiness, a profound joy, which until now unfortunately had not penetrated my soul.”

Not exactly light reading!

Following the Advent season, his practice of reading didn’t end but his choice of material switched to literary studies.

“I’ve been reading “Testimonies” by Papini and then I’ll move on to studies in philosophy, if I find a good translation of the works of St. Thomas Aquinas.  You see that my plans for the Holy Year are grand.  I believe that I have thus found a better way to alternate my boring study of mechanical Technology with delightful readings.”

According to a footnote by his sister Luciana in the book of Pier Giorgio’s letters, Giovanni Papini was an Italian novelist and poet who began his career as a critic of the Church but “began practicing his Catholic faith in earnest in 1921 and became a staunch defender of Christian thought while continuing to challenge society.”  Zealous defenders of the Faith were always at the top of Pier Giorgio’s list! 

More important than his reading choices – and mine and yours, for that matter – is what effect they had on him.  In his letter to Franz he writes, “Upon your return you will find a changed Robespierre…" (Robespierre, you remember, was Pier Giorgio’s nickname among the Tipi Loschi.) That’s really the point of our Advent preparations. Our temporal preparations, the shopping, the card-writing, the baking, etc., will quickly become memories of another Christmas past.  But if we have prepared well, we should be changed, even a little, for the better, by our joyful encounter with the Christ Child on Christmas morning.  

If you haven’t been already, add some spiritual reading to the remaining days of Advent in the spirit of our wonderful guide, Blessed Pier Giorgio.  I’m sure his closing wish to his friend Franz is one he would extend to all of us as we make our Christmas preparations.

“…best wishes above all that you will always possess the True Peace which is the best gift that one can possess on this earth."

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, fervent student of the Scriptures, pray for us!
 
Verso l’alto! ///cmw