Novena to Padre Pio - Day 2

When You Wish Upon a Star

I recently watched Pinocchio with Amelia. I hadn’t seen it in forever, so I didn’t remember it very well. I was surprised when Geppetto knelt down and folded his hands, which isn’t something you see in movies very much nowadays—

It looks like he’s praying, but he’s not. Instead, he recites a nursery rhyme:

Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

It’s like this in a lot of the early Disney cartoons. From Cinderella:

Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true

And the very first animated feature, Snow White:

Make a wish into the well
That's all you have to do
And if you hear it echoing
Your wish will soon come true.

Although Walt Disney himself said he had faith, the characters don’t ever seem to pray, just “wish” and “dream” in a vague sort of way. Cinderella has faith in her dreams; Snow White wishes into a well. Geppetto is directing his wish towards a giant ball of gas, burning billions of miles away, but he has no idea that there’s an actual person hearing him.

In the semi-secular/semi-fantasy world of Disney cartoons, simply wanting something hard enough means you’ll get it. This obviates both the need for hard work and a reliance on the divine.¹

Although we obviously do wish Amelia would be cured of her horrible disease, that’s not enough. We’ve taken her to many doctors and therapists, which is the primary reason for this trip, thanks to all the help we’ve received from friend and family. At this point, we’ve exhausted every possibility in that regard.

We have, of course, been praying all along, but it does seem that prayer really is all that’s left. Maybe that’s the way it always is, and we’re only just seeing it now.

So we ask you, and all the saints, especially St. Padre Pio, to pray with us…

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

O St. Pio, I come to you today knowing that you are truly a miracle worker. As one who is close to Jesus, I ask that you would pray for these my intentions:

Please heal Amelia of her metachromatic leukodystrophy.

I pray with the words of Pope John Paul II as I beg for your prayers on her behalf:

Glorious, humble and beloved Padre Pio. Teach us, we pray, humility of heart, so that we may be counted among the little ones of the Gospel to whom the Father promised to reveal the mysteries of His Kingdom. Help us to pray without ceasing, certain that God knows what we need even before we ask Him.

Obtain for us the eyes of faith that will help us recognize in the poor and suffering, the very face of Jesus.

Sustain us in the hour of trouble and trial and, if we fall, let us experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness. Grant us your tender devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus and our Mother.

Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage toward the blessed Homeland, where we too, hope to arrive to contemplate forever the Glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

In closing, St. Pio, we pray the prayer you composed for Confidence and Trust in God’s Mercy:

O Lord, we ask for a boundless confidence and trust in Your divine mercy, and the courage to accept the crosses and sufferings which bring immense goodness to our souls and that of Your Church.

Help us to love You with a pure and contrite heart, and to humble ourselves beneath Your cross, as we climb the mountain of holiness, carrying our cross that leads to heavenly glory.

May we receive You with great faith and love in Holy Communion, and allow You to act in us as You desire for your greater glory.

O Jesus, most adorable Heart and eternal fountain of Divine Love, may our prayer find favor before the Divine Majesty of Your heavenly Father.

Amen.

All glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

St. Padre Pio, Pray for us!

1. Of course, these movies contradict their own popular songs when the plots generally require brave deeds and/or selfless acts on the part of the protagonists, but that’s more of a question for film studies than theology.