Testimony of Sabrina Erbagan
I would like to express my immense joy and share my emotions about the arrival of Fra Elia accompanied by don Marco in Lugano. What I felt is always so difficult to explain in simple words as it happens when I go to the convent of Calvi for meetings with Fra Elia.This is the third year that my Husband and i, together with our Parish Priests Don Damian and Don Valentino, invite Fra Elia and Don Marco to Lugano and the excitement is always the same. Fra Elia brings us his being of light, he speaks to us simply like an angel to children, yet his words reach straight to the hearts of the attentive attendees ready to receive.
10:45 a.m.: i enter the church from the side door. I see all the faithful sitting composed side by side , in an indescribable silence. I do not see a vacant seat-there must be over a thousand people. I sit down, wait, and lo and behold it is 11:00 o’clock on the dot. All the pastors Don Damian Don Valentino pastors of St. Theresa’s Church, Fra. Elia, Don Marco, Don Adelio pastor of Bergamo, Father Aramaico Abraham of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Ticino and don Nicolas arrive.
Here I see them coming to the altar…. joy mixed with emotion invades me .I was so happy to see them and to see all those people from Lugano and the surrounding area ,Italians from various northern regions, from Germany and Lichtenstein. .On the altar There were 7 of them I immediately think of the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit I look up at the Cross and thank the Lord for giving us this day of grace
Don Damian reads the Gospel and tells us about the beatitudes, and indeed, we were all just blissful in the grace of God, in Heaven. Don Marco comments on the Gospel as always profound and effective so that we understand that we should aspire to eternal life, not think about earthly goods.
At the end of Mass it is time for the catechesis Fra Elia addresses the assembly directly saying that his words should be engraved in our hearts. And so they were. His every word is like a sharp sword that penetrates your heart and sets you on fire with the flame of his burning love for Jesus.
We need to reflect on the famous “I am fond of you” that we must learn to say often in the family and beyond. The Lord is merciful and we must be merciful too. Never have a sullen face … let us smile at our neighbor and do to others what we would like to be done to us . ..or to Jesus himself.
The time comes for the solemn blessing. Fra Elia asks us as we receive the blessing to pray for our intentions while Don Marco invites us to pray the rosary with him.
Fra Elia goes pew by pew and sprinkles holy water on each person, The blessing was so powerful, so strong that I felt like it was the Lord blessing us as he healed us in body and soul.