Knowing Your Limitations

One of the reasons people often give for their devotion to Blessed Frassati is his relatability.  We find him approachable and can connect with him on many levels.  We think if he can do it, we can do it.

Pope Saint John Paul II summed it up this way: "The life of this "normal" young man shows that we can be holy by living our friendships, studies, sports and service to the poor in a constant relationship with God." It sounds easy. And, even though we know there will be obstacles along the way, we forget about them and are drawn along with him on our spiritual climb to the heights.

This is the same effect he has had on me in the presence of physical mountains.  I never climbed a mountain before I got to know Pier Giorgio Frassati.  Now, for some reason, I am unable to resist the temptation to go to the top when I get near one.  He makes it seem so easy!  Of course, he was an incredible physical specimen tackling seriously challenging peaks.  For days (like today) after one of my adventures, my knees and ankles remind me that "relatability" only goes so far!

That is why it is a comfort to know that even Pier Giorgio had common sports injuries from time to time.  All of the skiing, biking, swimming, climbing, horseback riding, canoeing and his many other physical pursuits weren't done without an occasional setback.

One of his knee injuries caught my attention when reading through his letters a few years ago.  Just before he turned 24, he entered a ski competition and hurt his left knee.  He described it as "nothing serious just a pinched nerve in the area of the goose’s foot." But more than a week later, it was still an issue for him.  Writing to his best friend Marco about his plans for Easter he said, "everything depends on my leg, if the left knee continues to do poorly, then mediocre plans..."

As much as he loved the mountains, he did not take part in a 13,000 foot climb of Breithorn with his friends. 

I’ve accompanied them there in my thoughts as it wasn’t prudent to climb such a height with my knee.

It seems like such a minor thing but it is just one more lesson he gives us: know your physical limitations.  There's a time for climbing and a time for resting.  And a little prudence will go a long way in overcoming both physical setbacks and spiritual trials. 

Blessed Frassati, conqueror of life's mountains, pray for us!

Verso l'alto! ///cmw