“When the goal has been set… we must keep our eyes on our goal always.”
-St. Joseph Marello
Preface
We enjoy finding time to gaze deeply at a flower, a tree, at a beach, or a rugged mountain. Some moments enkindle the presence of God within us; the text of Fr. Mario Guinzoni begins by expressing our inner silence and the possibility to be one with God, totally wrapped in the divine presence. He has been a missionary, spending his life in the enormity of Brazil: being with the poor in the Mato Grosso, in São Paulo, and the state of Paraná. He has been very near to the heart and mind of the Brazilian Youth. He has, therefore, something to share with us all.
His Marellian Pathways are a living message. The ten pathways make for a special journey for our soul. The text he offers needs to be reflected upon to find serenity and joy, meaning and life. It is useful for young people who wish to experience joy, as a roadmap to help them have some valuable and profound insights; a satellite guide for adults to reproduce and revise their experiences. Here we meet the spirituality of St. Joseph Marello, which is an ethic of happiness coming from God, He who alone can give it to us, through the little things. That which inspired the author is the words of St. Joseph Marello, found in three sources: his Letters, his Writings and “Brief Memories”, a biography written by Fr. J.B. Cortona. |
A Special Invitationlet us walk in the pathways of the Lord! Paths, as you know, at times can be difficult and tiring. But these are pathways that lead to a special goal: Jesus. You will see that it is worth it, and I guarantee that it is a wonderful adventure for you, if you want to be involved in life and not just an angry or bored spectator, standing on the sidelines of life. There are ten pathways and each one leads to Jesus, but you will see that they all together arrive at the same point though from different points of view.
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Who is invited? This adventure is for you, boys and girls, searching for happiness and for deeper and more certain answers to your questions. It is for you, young men and women of today who would like something clearer and more solid in this “fluid” world in which we are living. But, in the end, all of us can start out on these pathways of faith, be open to God and faithful in prayer.
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The guideA guide is very important, whether one is climbing precipitous mountains or journeying in a forest full of all types of danger. The guide for this fascinating journey is St. Joseph Marello: the restless young Christian, priest, bishop, founder of the Oblates of St. Joseph, explorer of the Spirit, who is a man of God for our time as well. These are the pathways that he laid out for us so that we could reach Christ and holiness.
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Why start this journey?The Christian vocation is a way of holiness for everyone, but often this word seems to us to be both demanding and distant. Here, instead, you will find ten simple and easy routes which are possible to walk even for our feet, which are not used to walking! But listen up: they are routes that have just been outlined. You will have to cut them out, and discover in your life how to live this experience of God in an extraordinarily normal way, on a daily basis.
It could also be that the journey makes you realize that you could do more. Perhaps you will begin to enjoy the adventure and discover that He loves you and calls you in love to other pathways and journeys as a true climber and explorer in the Spirit. You will see, then, that the religious and priestly vocation is always something surprising from God. |
Recommendations
You will notice that each pathway is divided into four little sections:
a brief look at an aspect of life;
a meditation-contemplation on the Word of God to shed light on our life;
Some proposals on how to live and put into practice: to try and to see that the way is simple and manageable;
Times of prayer to give you strength along the way.
Your guide is always with you, with his words and teachings, to lead you to Christ, the true goal. 4 You can journey as you like: once a week, once a month according to your possibilities and abilities. Do not get discouraged. Seek to put it into practice and you will discover new horizons little by little that will lead you up the mountain, or take you into the forest….of your heart. Seek help from someone, and journey together with others because, if you want to go far, it is always better to walk as a group! So, what are you waiting for? Get going, and do not lose heart!
Bon voyage! Fr. Mario Guinzoni, OSJ
a brief look at an aspect of life;
a meditation-contemplation on the Word of God to shed light on our life;
Some proposals on how to live and put into practice: to try and to see that the way is simple and manageable;
Times of prayer to give you strength along the way.
Your guide is always with you, with his words and teachings, to lead you to Christ, the true goal. 4 You can journey as you like: once a week, once a month according to your possibilities and abilities. Do not get discouraged. Seek to put it into practice and you will discover new horizons little by little that will lead you up the mountain, or take you into the forest….of your heart. Seek help from someone, and journey together with others because, if you want to go far, it is always better to walk as a group! So, what are you waiting for? Get going, and do not lose heart!
Bon voyage! Fr. Mario Guinzoni, OSJ