Italy
With Vanessa Biancolilli, from L’Aquila and a member of the “San Massimo – Youth Section” diocesan choir, we share a testimony of mercy that became tangible through the service she carried out this summer with the youth group among the poorest sisters and brothers in the Philippines. Interview by Brother Piero Sirianni.
At the beginning of his public mission, the Lord proclaimed: «Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied» (Mt 5:3,6; cf. Lk 6:20-21). In a living condition very different from our Western one, what reason for joy and hope did you find in the sisters and brothers of those distant lands?
It was surprising to see how, despite extremely precarious living conditions—especially for children living in deep poverty—the joy they radiated far exceeded what we experience in our daily lives. This experience led me to reflect on how we often tend to be dissatisfied even though we have a lot, while for them happiness lies in the small things that we take for granted. In their stories, sincere gratitude for family, affection for friends, and a vivid perception of God’s presence constantly emerged. Theirs was a contagious joy: it was simply impossible not to get caught up in their happiness.
Pope Saint Leo the Great wrote: «This hunger has nothing to do with bodily hunger and this thirst does not ask for an earthly drink, but desires to have its satisfaction in the good of justice. […] Indeed, to love God is nothing other than to love justice. But as concern for one’s neighbor is associated with the love of God, so the virtue of mercy is united with the desire for justice» (Sermon 95). During the weeks of service spent in the Philippines, how did you touch first-hand the mercy that becomes flesh and charity?
I touched mercy first-hand in every moment shared with the children: distributing a meal to them, listening to their stories, or even just playing together. Mercy became flesh in the eyes of the little ones and in the stories of the families we met: environments marked by immense poverty, but illuminated by a disarming generosity and enthusiasm for life. Above all, I understood that the charity I thought I was offering turned into the love that I myself received, in a completely free and unexpected way.
Starting from your journey of faith, what fruits of blessing do you reap from this experience of proximity? What seeds of hope and resurrection were you able to sow in someone’s heart?
From this experience, I keep an immense gift: a free, unconditional, and deep love. It is extraordinary to think how a place on the other side of the world can become “home”: not a structure made of walls and a roof, but a refuge of the soul where the heart finds rest and fulfillment. I carry with me every person I met—whether the sisters or the children—along with every single smile and hug: gestures that will be vitalizing sap for my days to come. I do not know what seeds I managed to plant in their hearts, but I know with certainty that I saw in them a great hope for the future, nourished by an unshakeable faith. Ultimately, I was the one who received the greatest testimony of faith from them.
We thank—with all our hearts—the youth group that “gave itself” in this service of charity, and above all, Vanessa, who shared her experience with our readers. Her voice reminds us that mercy continues to write the intricate plots of history, leading it, with hope and perseverance, toward the fullness of the Good.
Photo by Vanessa Biancolilli
