Luigi Giussani RIP

Feb 23, 2012

Homily preached at Mass celebrated 
to mark the seventh anniversary 
of the death of Fr. Luigi Giussani. 
Holy Name Church
Ashburton
New Zealand
Fr. John O’Connor


Twelve months ago, on this anniversary of the arrival of Fr. Luigi Giussani at the “door of the Father’s house”, we gathered in this chapel to offer Mass for the happy respose of his soul.

We gathered in faith and in friendship. Later we dispersed to our homes and workplaces. Within a few hours everything had changed in Canterbury as the earthquake struck causing tragic loss of life and destruction.

Now, twelve months on, the aftershocks continue in every form.  The circumstances of our lives have changed drastically.  Some of us, and many of our families and friends are still without homes and workplaces.

How appropriate today in marking this seventh anniversary of the death of Fr. Giussani, that we will pray in the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer: “For your faithful people Lord, Life is changed, not ended.”

So often change does look like ending. In these weeks we notice the first hint of autumn as green leaves begin to turn. Are the trees dying? No, our experience of past winters turning to spring has taught us well. We have nothing to fear. Winter is nothing more than the journey to the new life of spring.


The ashes of this Ash Wednesday look like death, but for us who are marked with the ash sign of the cross, life is changed, not ended.
The greater challenge is to know this truth in the pattern of human experience: the stuff of our own lives.

The forward of our text for this year “At the Origin of the Christian Claim”, opens quoting Pope John Paul II: “the basic human drama is the failure to perceive the meaning of life, to live without a meaning.”

And this fact is at the heart of the gift that the memory of Luigi Giussani continues to give to the Church and to humanity: the meaning of human life is not an optional addition to human existence that is found in ‘something other’. 

Instead the purpose of human life is planted in the life-blood, breath and body of every human person. The desire and longing that seems to point to what we lack, instead reveals in reality He whom we already have:  Jesus Christ who is our life.

The charism that is at the heart of the gift of Luigi Giussani for the Church, is the vibrant and vivid challenge of knowing that the Christian faith is not a guide-book or a belief system. Instead faith is a life that is encountered in the living person of Jesus, God-with-us. Christian faith is a lively, all-pervading and passionate relationship with Jesus. In this relationship life has meaning: Again with Pope John Paul: “the basic human drama is the failure to perceive the meaning of life…”

As Cardinal Ratzinger reflected at the funeral of Don Luigi Giussani (two months before his own election as Benedict XVI):  “He [Giussani] always kept the eyes of his life and of his heart fixed on Christ. In this way, he understood that Christianity is not an intellectual system, a packet of dogmas, a moralism, Christianity is rather an encounter, a love story; it is an event.

As Pope Benedict concluded his homily at Fr. Giussani’s funeral:  “Now your dear friend Fr Giussani has reached the other world, and we are convinced that the door of the Father’s house has opened, we are convinced that now this word is fully realized: they rejoiced to see Jesus. He is rejoicing with a joy that no one can take from him. In this moment we wish to thank the Lord for the great gift of this priest, of this faithful servant of the Gospel, of this father. We entrust his soul to the goodness of his Lord and ours.”

+++

Further info:


Youtube video below of Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete 
speaking about Giussani and Communion and Liberation:

At today’s Mass remember Giussani in Milan it was announced that the cause for the canonisation of Luigi Giussani has begun.   Tap this link for more information.








 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

Ascension

Ascension

Most people think of the Ascension of Jesus as being a ‘departure’ moment. Jesus was here and now he is gone. We imagine Jesus going up into the clouds and the disciples waving farewell from below.
This is an unhelpful image.
It is essential that we understand what does happen and what does not happen in the Ascension event.
It would be easy to wrongly think that in his ministry showed us how to build the city of God on earth, and now he has gone and the mission is left to us.

touching the sacred

touching the sacred

A few years ago I was on Rēkohu Chatham Islands for what has become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most sacred days, the ANZAC day of remembrance in gratitude for those who gave their lives, their health, their youth, their service that we may live in peace.
The art above was produced by one of the students at the local Te One school.

every which way

every which way

A good number of Food For Faith readers have discovered one of the more recent FFF initiatives, the weekly Homily Studio.
The recording of this half-hour podcast is one of the highlights of my week.

in the room

in the room

Today’s reflection marks the end of the FFF Lent-to-Easter daily email posts. Thank you for your company on this journey.  While these daily posts (for those who have signed up for the Lent / Advent reflections at this link) will take a break until Advent, those who have signed up to receive every post or regular posts at this link.  You might take a moment now to visit this page now to check your email preferences.

During retreat this week I found myself pondering just how difficult it is to accept that God, in Jesus, is really with me today.

disciplined discipleship

disciplined discipleship

As I write I’m nearing the end of retreat days with a group of fifty priests from across the USA.  As I mentioned a couple of days ago the diversity and youth of the group is remarkable with the majority being aged under 40 and a good number ordained for fewer than five years.