Disarming letters. Who do not argue to overwhelm, but explain and enhance every possible meeting point with those who think differently. At the same time they make attractive and reasonable the proposals of the Christian faith that spreads by attraction and not by proselytism. There is talk of 40 open letters that John Paul I had written from 1971 to 1975 in the monthly “Il Messaggero di Sant’Antonio” when he was patriarch of Venice.
The volume of John Paul I
The letters of Albino Luciani, who went down in history as the pope of the smile, were collected and published in 1976 in a book entitled “Illustrissimi” with which the author addresses characters from Italian and foreign mythology, history and literature or even to Jesus Christ and the saints to deal with topics of social, political, ethical, cultural, religious interest in the present. “Illustrissimi” as a method of proclaiming the Gospel in our time is back today because on this first Sunday in September Pope Luciani is proclaimed blessed 44 years after his death after only 33 days of pontificate. Death remained in popular belief still unexplained. These writings – observes the vice postulator of the Cause of canonization – highlight the oratory style of the future pope, cultured but at the same time simple and direct.
Spirituality
Luciani’s imaginary letters also highlight his extraordinary culture and his clear and genuine spirituality; a “mountain” spirituality for its essentiality and simplicity, but well rooted in the virtues of faith lived as serene abandonment to God, of hope founded on God’s mercy and providence, of charity which is the true soul of the life of every disciple of Christ. Among the recipients of the imaginary Letters are names such as the Barber of Seville, Chesterton, Dickens, Goethe, Goldoni, Hippocrates, Marlowe, Petrarch, Penelope, Marconi, Peguy, Pinocchio, King David, Saint Luke, Teresa of Avila and Teresa of Lisieux, Trilussa, Twain. “It will agree – reads among other things in the long letter to Figaro, a barber of Seville dedicated to the youth question – that we show ourselves to be very open and understanding towards young people and their mistakes. Mistakes, however, must be called mistakes; and the Gospel, to present it “sine glossa”, without messing with it for the sake of popularity. Certain approvals do not please you: “Woe to you – says the Lord – when all men speak well of you, because this is how your fathers treated false prophets”.
For the young people
Young people, moreover, love being told the truth and intuit the love behind the lovingly frank and admonishing word. We will also have to accept that young people are different from us elderly in the way of judging, behaving, loving and praying. They too have – as you did, Figaro, you – a word worthy of listening and respect to say to the world. It will be convenient to agree to share with them the task of moving society forward. With one caveat: that they press harder on the accelerator and we press harder on the brake; that in any case, the problem of young people must not be detached from the problem of society; their crisis is, in part, a crisis of society ”.
The current strength of letters
On progress, in the Letter to Chesterton Luciani writes: “The monk’s conclusion, which is yours, dear Chesterton, is correct. Take away God, what remains, what do men become? What kind of world are we reduced to living in? – But it is the world of progress, I hear, the world of well-being! – Yup; but this famous progress is not all that was hoped for: it also brings with it missiles, biological and atomic weapons, the current process of pollution, all of which – if not done in time – threaten to carry humanity whole to a catastrophe. In other words, progress with men who love each other, considering themselves brothers and children of the one Father God, can be a magnificent thing. Progress with men who do not recognize God as one Father becomes a continuous danger: without a parallel moral, interior and personal process, it – that progress – develops, in fact, the wildest foundations of man, makes him a machine. possessed by machines, a number manipulator of numbers, a barbarian in delirium – Papini would say – who instead of the club can use the immense forces of nature and mechanics to satisfy his predatory, destructive and orgiastic instincts “. These two samples of Illustrissimi are a small part of the current strength of Luciani’s letters so dear to the people for his humility and from now on even more dear since he can also pray to him.