Homily of H.E. Mons. Claudio Gatti of September 8, 2009

One month after Marisa's departure 

It's nice, it is normal that deep in our hearts there is room completely filled with emotion and it cannot be otherwise.

We live in the light of faith, hope and charity, and what people perceive as detachment we live it as a reunion. Right now, my dear, we are not doing a commemoration, for we commemorate those who are distant from us, or those with whom we have no more relations. This is not a simple "Remember little Marisa", but a lively and vibrant meeting between people who live, though in different ways, their lives.

One month has gone by.

I would like that up to August 2010, on the eight of every month we would gather to meet Marisa, in a familiar and sympathetic way.

While you were singing the Magnificat, there was an explosion of memories, thoughts and also a certain longing for what we think cannot happen again. Certainly we have had and enjoyed many appearances so now we could live on a private income, but things are not as we thought; during the Magnificat, the Paradise, which is not bound by space, moved here in this chapel that Marisa loves. Pay attention, I have not said "loved" but "loves" with a special love. This is her and our chapel to which we are more devoted than what we ostentatiously call the basilica because it was built, adapted and set up little by little. This is the most cherished, loved and desired place by Marisa. As is the case when we exchange visits among friends who are welcome into the most beautiful and important room, so we welcome our sister in this chapel she loves so much.

On the ascending notes of the Magnificat, which will always precede the start of Mass, take my word for it, the Heaven came down to escort Marisa. Hundreds or even thousands of times she saw the Heaven coming down during the apparitions and now the Heaven has come down to escort her and keep us company.

During this month, full of grace, assistance and suffering, it was for me recurrent and natural to ask myself a rhetorical question: "And now, dear little Marisa, dear little sister, what are you doing up there?" Then I figured her surrounded by many souls saved by her huge suffering. Children would be competing for her: those who wanted to climb in her arms, those who tried to hold her hand and those who pulled her tunic, the famous tunic also mentioned by Our Lady. The picture would be completed when Grandmother Iolanda arrived. Suddenly the voice of God would resound in Heaven strong and powerful calling Grandmother Iolanda and Marisa before Him and, as often she had told us about her mother, they would run together before God, would prostrate before Him and recommend each of us.

You must keep in mind that our sister's mission, my sister Marisa, is precisely helping the Bishop so that the rebirth of the Church may really burst and to support and help you all that have loved and love her. Make her known, for such a beautiful soul, probably one of the most beautiful coming forth from the Mind and Heart of God, there are not so many in Heaven. All saints are in Heaven, but you know, my dear, that sainthood has several gradations and Marisa has reached the top!

Now, dear little Marisa, I am addressing you.

The flesh eyes do not see you, but surely the soul eyes do and they see you calm, happy and smiling. To each of us you say again and again: "I went before you, as Jesus said to the apostles, to prepare the place for you and I will help you while living on Earth".

I believe Our Lady has never used the word death, but "departure". The word death is a separation, while "departure" is a journey implying a return. We experience a departure when we go on holiday and even if we are away for a long time, we will come back. Well, little Marisa departed, so she can return to Earth, enter your homes and donate gifts and graces you are waiting for. Now we have two major mediators with God, Grandmother Iolanda and Marisa who are praying, love us and keep us united.

Yes, my dear, they keep us united.

The experiences we have had lately have been strong, distressing and have strained the unity of our community, but little Marisa has taken Jesus' place. Do you remember when He said: "Like a hen I tried to collect the chickens under my wings"? She did the same. Just like a hen she has sought to ensure that there were no parting and estrangement, she has made us feel, in a sensible and lively way, her help and protection so we could be truly united. We also made a big finding: it is thought that only joy unites. Oh no! The world reacts to the experience of pain in a negative way, arriving at the parting and estrangement. How often sick relatives were left alone because they were a burden. Instead we have learned that suffering is uniting, is a bond that makes so many people achieve unity, achieve something beautiful and great.

Little Marisa, this is certainly thanks to you.

Your way of being, at times so rowdy and uncontainable even during apparitions, or during Theophanies, or when meeting God Himself. God the Father has never blamed you for this when you were on Earth and I think it does so even now you are in Heaven, for you are unique in your way, unique in your being. It has been said of another person's "mould" that has been thrown away, but if we talk about mould, my dear, Marisa's mould is really no longer to be found.

We have to try to be like she was. She taught us to live united with God, whatever the situation and the experience we were living. And for all this, dear little Marisa, we are grateful to you.

Her great love for children. Entrust your children to her so that she may protect them from evil and everything that in this corrupt and dirty world may damage them. This is also another of her task. But you must be responsible and follow her example.

During the last months of Marisa's life when, quite late, we went to bed, without fail, we wondered: "Tonight will God send us the rose? Will He let us have a rest?" Had you got in the room where we were having a rest, you would have seen two people running through the Rosary beads to overcome uncertainty and fear by means of a compelling prayer, a pleading and lovingly prayer because the one was praying for the other the other was praying for the first.

Today we are going to give little Marisa a nice gift, we give her the H. Mass, the core of her life.

If she would not have had the Eucharist, if we would not have had the Eucharist, we could not have made it. This is the gift that we give her. I would like, you are aware of it, to show you how in Marisa's heart and mind, there was always the Eucharist: in this last gift she gave me, this pectoral cross, you see the ears of wheat, a bunch of grapes and, at the foot of the Cross, Mary's "M". Up to the eighth of August I used to read there "Mary" only, but since then and beyond Mary, I read Marisa as well. During Mass she is here, near the Bishop. I feel her present, I feel her alive, I feel her close and cannot be otherwise. I remind you that God, when gives a gift, does not withdraw it. Maybe you will feel like missing Our Lady, but when I celebrate the H. Mass, she is near me and we can meet her on her own or, more often, together with St. Joseph, grandmother Iolanda and now with Marisa. Do you see how the Eucharist is uniting? It is during the Bishop's celebration of the Mass that you can meet Our Lady, St. Joseph, grandmother Iolanda and especially little Marisa. There won't be any parting; there will be a diversity of relations and exchange, but no parting, my dear.

The Eucharist was her reason for living, as it is my reason for living. Her teachings lead us to consider the Eucharist as the greatest, unbound and more beautiful gift God gave us. Even when she was very sick, full of pain, and was attending the H. Mass, she was on the cross. At last she is now in Heaven, in joy and happiness, along with Our Lady at the foot of the cross and Jesus is standing out on this cross, her Spouse, who called her to Him for all eternity. We are summoned by God to change our society and the world, but remember, my dear, that our society and the world will change if we start changing ourselves. If each of us becomes holier, becomes better, then surely the world will be better and more beautiful.

We must give back to the world, through the power of the Eucharist, through the intercession of our sister Marisa, the face and features God gave it. God has created it beautiful, just, holy; unfortunately men have ruined and destroyed it. To those who say: "What can we do, so few, weak, small?", I remind you that nothing is impossible to God! Many times God sent Marisa around the world in bilocation to do good. My dear, now try to do the same with prayer, big and small sacrifices. Think how nice it is: a prayer offered here in this chapel will bring its benefits far away, through our sister Marisa, who collects and distributes our prayers as flowers, where they are needed most. Where there are tears, smile may come again, where there is despair, hope may flourish, where there is hatred, especially, love may be born, for we have to surround the world with love and this love must flow from this source, from this thaumaturgic place.

May God help and bless us. On 24th October, God willing, we will have the big celebration of Jesus and Marisa mystical marriage, along with the feast of the Mother of the Eucharist. In addition, on the 8th of every month, we will get together because the bonds of love between us and our sister should not weaken over time, but get stronger and really become a golden chain uniting us, especially uniting us to God, to the Mother of the Eucharist. Since this Mass is a gift we offer to Marisa, in this same Mass ask Marisa what you need, what you care for, and you could feel and experience her powerful intercession, God willing.

God willing, we will see each other on the 14th, another important date that cannot go unnoticed, but it must be remembered, for you know that all started from that famous September 14, 1995.

Years will go by, decades will go by, centuries will go by, but in the Church this will be a living and vibrant memory, kept awake by those who will follow us in order to keep on pursuing a faith testimony, an unwavering love for the Eucharist and for the Mother of the Eucharist.

Praised be Jesus Christ.