Before You, my Trine God, I bow and reverently worship You. I recognize You as my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Sanctifier and You certainly recognize each one of us here, as your children; children who, despite the fragility and weakness caused by so many troubles strive to love You and to be faithful.
After bowing before You, my God, I turn to the One You have given us as Mother. Before our eyes there is a beautiful floral composition that reminds me of the famous 33rd Paradise Canto. Bernard, unable to rise directly to God, seeks a go-between and the go-between is you, Mother of the Eucharist. The Holy man turns to you so you may plead with God for us. True, we have been fortunate enough to have with God a really filial relationship, for He allowed us to call Him Dad, Brother, Friend, the sweetest names we have with people with whom we engage in the most sympathetic and affectionate human relationships. If we are not turning directly to you, my God, it is not out of fear but because we know that the prayers of the Mother of the Eucharist are immensely stronger, more powerful than ours. These flowers symbolize our prayers rising to you, oh Mother of the Eucharist. We ask that you place them in that chalice you hold with love and submit them to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit on our behalf.
Oh Mother, you are so close to us, sharing with us the many sufferings and the meager joys, supporting us day by day, for we are not able to walk, crying on our tribulations and always pleading with God to shorten them, spread your mantle over us and protect us from all evil. Do continue, especially now, to carry on with your sweet maternal task. When children are tired, sick, weak, the activity of our Mummy is increasing to bring them back to the previous situation when they were strong and vigorous. Yes, none of us can be said to be physically strong and vigorous at this time. Our soul is moaning and it is still shuddering while drinking the bitter cup, and the body, my God, is tired and exhausted. That's why only she, the Mother, who is also the spiritual doctor, can be for us help, support and bring us even closer to You, My God. Many times we feel You are far away, we cry out your name, we are heartbroken by suffering and pain; at times, let me say that, You allow us to share the moment of forsaking of Your Son. Yes, just as Jesus in Gethsemane did not feel loved by You and this was the greatest suffering He endured during his passion, we too, little creatures of yours, at times we feel the pain of being forsaken by You. You know, Jesus, this suffering, it is terrible, it is paralyzing, it is suffocating, this is why, my brother Jesus, we beseech you to show the Father your suffering of that time in order to soothe and, if possible, to gradually remove all our suffering.
You promised us joy, victory, triumph and none of us doubts that everything will be done, but it is "when" that is haunting us. Oh yes, our Mother taught us not to ask so many whys, but she knows very well that at the very moment she is advising that to us, for we are humans, endowed with intelligence and will, it will keep on bursting in our hearts, especially at certain times, the word "Why". And since we're talking about words, that "enough", this word means nothing for the others, but for us it means everything, when it will be uttered? Jesus, surely You remember that on June 29 following my request to say a word to be placed next to enough, You said to me: "Did you want a word to put next to 'enough'? Here it is: 'soon'." I know that we have a different thinking on this term: for us soon is a moment very close, to You soon is sometimes an instant far away. Is it possible, my God, that we can get to use words that have the same meaning? Is it possible that your soon, would mean what we think and expect? You do not fail to help us, even if sometimes we get it in extremis, at the last moment. I ask You: do not come at the last moment, my God, come earlier because in this way we can keep those energies that would be burned otherwise. Dear Jesus, today I have brought You in procession, but it was not me sustaining You, it was You sustaining me. You know what I'm saying and you know why I'm saying it. I do not like to mention any men, for me it is more than enough to quote the Gospel and your Word, but today I make an exception and I quote Blessed Antonio Rosmini. He uttered and repeated on his deathbed to his great friend Alessandro Manzoni, three words: "Worship, be silent, enjoy." My God, to worship you, the Trine God, doesn't cost much, to be silent it costs us a little, to enjoy we do not succeed. I opened my heart and You open yours because we need to feel the warmth of Your love, the freshness of Your affection, the power of Your grace and the strength of Your help. Thank you, my God, for having listened. May go to You, for all eternity, the praise and glory of every creature You created with a gesture of love.

Rome, 26th October 2008
Feast of the Mother of the Eucharist

+ Claudio Gatti
Bishop ordained by God
Bishop of the Eucharist