PART 1: PADRE PIOS MYSTICAL WAY The spiritual life divides itself somewhat artificially into three periods of development although no neat demarcation separates one from the other. St. Bonaventures spiritual classic - On the Threefold Way - describes these three stages of the soul from the purgative through the illuminative way to the unitive way, culminating in the state of ecstasy. All three periods are found in the spiritual development of Padre Pio. In the experience of the mystic these purgative states are unbelievably intensified and words are inadequate vehicles to describe the fires of purification into which he is plunged. Purgative Period The purgative period of Padre Pios life may tentatively be assigned to the outset of his religious life when he received the novices habit in 1903. Externally, of course, this is a testing time during which the religious community determines the fitness and aptitude of the novice who, in his turn, makes serious trial of the life to which be believes himself called. On another level the purgative way calls forth to the utmost the generosity of the novice and in the case of the saints it is not uncommon during this time for such generosity to exceed the bounds of moderation. It is the time of detachment from all sin, a breaking with creatures to live for God alone. We know that such practices as fasting, vigils, solitude and various other mortifications played an important part in Padre Pios spiritual development at this time, strengthening him in virtue and liberating his spirit from all selfishness. The Franciscan ideal makes severe demands upon a man who would attain to union with God: natural desires, even their first movements must be suppressed. One incident highlights the generosity of Padre Pio at this time showing the spirit of abandon with which he entered upon his new life. Never very robust at any time it appears that the young novices health was undermined from the severe mortifications to which he subjected himself. So much so that his parents on visiting him at the end of this same novitiate year were visibly shocked by his emaciated appearance and thinking him to be very ill wished to take him home. Another incident a few years later at Venafro gives some indication of the sort of progress he was making. Here it is recorded that he once lived for 21 days with no nourishment save that of the Eucharist. It is highly interesting to observe that in later years Padre Pio was never to depart from the severe ascesis of these early days. If anything, he greatly increased his austerities for it was regarded as miraculous that a man could live as he lived on so little nourishment and sleep.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 05:18:41 +0000
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