Notes of the author - page 2
Why Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows? Not so much for the heartfelt pain of a mother seeing her son crucified as a criminal, no matter how dramatic, but more for the pain of helplessness and betrayal in love by those around us, almost a foretelling of that of future mankind. In this figure, Gabriel found not only comfort, but clear practical answers. Death was a frequent visitor in his life; first his mother, then his brother, his sister … early and disturbing deaths. Then there was the accidental gunshot that could have killed him, the horse kicking him in the chest, a recurrent throat illness – all of which made him reflect at length. Yet he was a strong, open and happy person. He was a leader, he knew how to involve and inspire people, he took part in theatre, he knew how to express his talent, he was called the Dancer, but still, deep down maybe he felt his life moving quickly towards death, an early death; hence everything seemed vain. This was the reason for his strong drive for salvation, the search for perfection. The perfection to present to God, in whom he firmly believed, a perfection despite his youth, therefore obedience, respect and humility without protesting. All this to maintain an internal cleanliness.
These qualities were foremost in Gabriel’s heart where only Jesus, Mary and the Father reigned. The Father as the only true Lord who never betrays and is not vanity. He fell in love with the constant search for perfection, which became spontaneous, normal and a joy for each sacrifice, which brought him closer to perfection. He lived a life distant from this world, in order not to be caught up in its material currents. However, his life was not free from struggle, as he tried to achieve pure perfection. This was not just a formality, as it involved the renouncing of all comforts which block spiritual development. Moreover, he fell in love with the Virgin Mary, the mother who had lived as he wished to live: immaculate, untouched by sin. For those who believe, Jesus is the model offered to us by the Father. The model pleasing to Him. In our fragile state we sometimes need not only the Jesus-Father bridge, but also bridges to Jesus. The Lord in his mercy permits and supports this need, this weakness; often we are looking for a model that will act as a bridge to Jesus, a model of which we can say, “they succeeded in becoming like Jesus, therefore so can I!” A model close to our life, our culture; someone who has lived close to us, in our town, our country. Even if Jesus lives close to us, he still seems far away. Here is the mystery of St Gabriel. For many years after his death, Gabriel remained in the memories of his father Sante, of his spiritual director, Padre Norberto, his confraternity brothers and his friends. This was because of his unforgettable charisma, his lovableness, grace and beauty, but he was unknown to most people. Then, through divine intervention (no matter how much one wants to rationalise the fact, it always remains supernatural) when his body was exhumed, by force of a superior will, seven miracles, seven healings in the same day, after thirty years in the tomb, followed by others until it was not possible to keep count of them ….
Sure, maybe the people of Isola “wanted” their saint, hoped in their own saint, but not to the extent of obtaining wonders that are inexplicable, if not by a faith in the mercy of God.
And so Gabriel literally came out of the tomb because the Lord wanted to indicate his virtues as an example to follow in the search for a life of value and not vanity, so that everyone could follow his example and apply his virtues to their own life, their own vocation.
In the show on Gabriel’s life, therefore, there is a succession of his moods and feelings on life and death, which are typical for a young man who refuses to be dictated to by fashion and trends, as many do in order to avoid discomfort. This discomfort comes not so much from inner questions but rather from their answers, prompted by so many false gods which seek to hide that which doesn’t glitter, but which in fact has true value. This is what the show recounts. There are no extraordinary events or heroic actions. It’s about a man declared a saint after a very short life in anonymity and silence, but noted by God, who searches for, looks after and accepts our smallest longing for truth.
Carlo Tedeschi