“Do not listen to or believe the enemy when he tells you that God has rejected you or that God is punishing you for some hidden unfaithfulness and is wanting to chastise you to remove it from your soul. That is not the least bit true.” 
—letter to Margherita Tresca, May 17, 1918

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We are surrounded on a daily basis by people who spread gossip and untruths about others. Unfortunately, we often end up taking part in this behavior, even though we know it is wrong. Other times, we may find ourselves on the receiving end. When that happens, it can get in our heads and cause us to question ourselves or start to believe what we’ve heard. Padre Pio underwent a lot of scrutiny during his life, especially regarding his stigmata. But while he admitted despair over it, he offered up the suffering because he knew it was God’s will for him. 
Praying with Padre Pio
St. Pio, let us remember the pain that you suffered because of people’s words. May we be kind and loving in our thoughts and words about others.