Movie Review: "The Reluctant Saint"

I don't quite know why it took me so long to watch this, but this weekend I finally had the chance and was so glad I did.  This is a beautifully done movie, with a wonderful cast. 

Giuseppe is a young man who is full of life and love.  He is also somewhat clumsy and 'slow'- he has a very hard time learning and remembering things.  For this, he is teased and bullied and often finds himself in trouble that he did not necessarily cause.  I found it very difficult to watch how he was treated by children and adults in the town, his mother and even many of the friars at first.  It really bothered me until my husband helped me put it into some perspective.  This is why he is a saint, this is life- we are all saved by the Cross, and this was his Cross (or at least one of them).  In thinking about it, I realized too, that Giuseppe was a wonderful witness of today's Gospel. 

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.
When someone strikes you on your right cheek,
turn the other one to him as well.
If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,
hand him your cloak as well..."

Giuseppe was not a witness because he was perfect.  When things went wrong, often he tried to hide, but ultimately he did accept the consequences.  The one time he makes an attempt to defend himself, and chase away a friar who was harrassing him, as soon as he realized what he had done, he knelt and asked forgiveness.  And another time, when he realized this same friar had taken the bust of a broken statue of Mary that he loved, he snuck into the stable.  Whether he intended at first to take it back I don't know, but what he did was replace the bust to a more beautiful and prominent place in the stable.  Ultimately, he knew love and lived it out- and did his best to make it right if he fell short.

It is a bishop who finally sits and speaks with Giuseppe one night, and realizes the deep and simple love for God, and for the faith that Giuiseppe has.  The bishop also recognized in Giuseppe's care of the animals, the soul of a shepherd, a gift for caring for the lost and broken 'sheep' of the Church.  This bishop started Giuseppe on a journey that led him ultimately to the priesthood, a difficult journey of study, with some of the best help his order could provide, and in which nobody quite expected him to succeed, though many hoped for him. 

Finally, Giuseppe could never have realized his calling, or accomplished the work necessary without a community around him.  The friars supported him in his studies, encouraged him, and quietly helped him if he forgot some words in the Mass- the community embraced him with his weaknesses and his incredible gifts and in doing so helped open Giuseppe up to his own gifts, and all that God was calling him to.