Antonietta...

I discovered the Venerable Antonietta Meo a year or so ago, 

from a website by  Fr. Riccardi, here.
Technically, she's not a canonized saint yet,
and I'll hope you don't mind my referring to her as such.
But if she's not in already heaven, then I fear there's little hope for the rest of us.

From the website: 

"Although she was very young, she showed comprehension and love for redemptive pain that you can't explain if you don't admit the intervention of an extraordinary Grace."

Antonietta lived in Rome in the 1930's with her family.
She developed cancer and had a leg amputated.

The disease ultimately took her life. She died while still very young.  

Antonietta said that for Jesus in the Eucharist, she wanted to be

 "the lamp that burns in front of the tabernacle day and night."

Upon reading about her life,  I loved this little girl immediately. 

I think she shows us that anyone can become a saint. 

So anyway, I made a veil in her honor.

As you can see, the veil's covered in little rosebuds.
Antonietta is like a little rosebud for Jesus.

Below, I'll share some letters by Antonietta and also some paintings and frescos by the early Renaissance artist and architect, Giotto di Bondone (1266-1337)

I thought he'd be a good match for this week's saint, 

because in Giotto I feel we can find something fresh and new for his time. 

There's a truth to these painting not found previously.

He was the first to begin drawing from life after many centuries of artists not doing so.

Antonietta wrote many letters to Jesus, Mary, the Holy Spirit and God the Father.  

I'll share a few, but there are many more to be found at Fr. Riccardi's website.

 The Meeting at the Golden Gate, Arena Chapel (1305)

Dear Virgin Mary I love You so much and tell Jesus to forgive me of the fact that in the church I didn't stand still. Dear Virgin Mary tell Jesus that I love Him so much my dear Virgin Mary I'm glad that today is Your Day my dear Virgin Mary the next time Your Day and Jesus' will come I'll make small sacrifices and tell Jesus to make me die before I commit a mortal sin.
My dear Virgin Mary it's not enough telling You how I love You just one time so I'll repeat that I love You so much really very much and I promise that from now onward I'll always be good. Dear Virgin Mary, lots of greetings and caresses and kisses from Your daughter 

Below, one of Giotto's Crucifixion paintings.

Dear Jesus on the Cross and dear baby Jesus Oh! Jesus!...
You who are very very good and You who see that we commit a lot of sins,
Forgive us, and let us go to Paradise one day.
Oh! Jesus! You who have so suffered for us
But I want to make up for all these sins committed against You.
Oh Jesus!...You who were born in a cave in Bethlehem
And suffered so much in that straw I want to do all I can to make up for all Your pain.
You felt so cold but just an ox and a donkey did all they could to warm You.
Dear Jesus, You who came from the stars to come on this earth to save us and to get back for us the Paradise.
You who suffered all that pain. I want to do my best to make up for all that pain. Dear Jesus many greetings caresses and kisses
From Your dear Antonietta.
Antonietta and Jesus

The Flight into Egypt, (1305)

Dear Jesus Eucharist my heart is bursting with love for You and I'm glad to receive You tomorrow morning in the Holy Communion.
Dear Jesus, tomorrow, when You are in my heart,
imagine my soul like an apple
and in the same way in which seeds
are in an apple imagine a cupboard in my soul,
and as beneath the peel of the seeds there is the white seed,
in the same way put Your Grace,
that is like the white seed,
into the cupboard and let this Grace stay with me forever.
Dear Jesus, I know people always offend You, I want to amend all these offenses, dear Jesus if You were a man like us and if You locked Yourself inside a House You wouldn't hear all the offenses caused to You, in the same way You could come into my heart and stay locked with me and I'll make a lot of sacrifices for You and I'll tell You some sweet words to comfort You. Dear Jesus, tell sweet Virgin Mary that I know tomorrow will be Her day, I'll want to make a lot of sacrifices to comfort Her. Dear Jesus tell God the Father I love Him so much dear Jesus I adore You and I kiss Your feet and Your dear
Antonietta and Jesus
says good-bye to You Dear Jesus You who suffered so much on the Cross first of all teach me how to do my duty so that I can make sacrifices. 

Ognissanti Madonna, (1310)

"I thank thee, O Father, 

Lord of heaven and earth, 

that thou hast hid this things from the wise and prudent, 

and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight"

( Luke 10, 21).