A story for every day...
Pious stratagem of a Sister of Charity.
No one is unaware that the pious Daughters of St. Vincent de Paul have devoted themselves to Constantinople for several centuries. They worked on the education of children, and many Muslim families found the means to know our faith and to receive the holy baptism; but the most severe penalties forbade them to try to convert the old Muslims. Nevertheless, the august Mary deigned to touch the hearts of some of these followers of Mohamed.
“An old Muslim, wrote a Sister of Charity, was dangerously ill. He had rendered us some service: also in a spirit of gratitude, the Sisters wished to procure for him the ineffable happiness of receiving holy baptism; but it was very difficult to succeed in this pious plan.
The Sister of Charity had the faculty to visit the sick person to give him her care and her remedies, but she was not allowed to speak about religion. If she did so without the Muslim having asked, she would be exposed to the worst reprisals. The august Queen of Heaven suggested a holy stratagem; that of slipping a miraculous medal into the bed of the patient.
O good Virgin Mary! how merciful You are to those who trust in You! The day had not passed and already the Muslim was asking to learn about the religion of Jesus Christ. A priest came to him and after having enlightened him on our mysteries, he gave him the holy baptism. The sick man died, and without a doubt Heaven opened up for him, since he had believed in Jesus Christ and had been baptized.
There are people who are not afraid to mock the holy and pious practices of devotion to Mary. They ask what good it does to wear a blessed medal, a holy scapular. Children of Mary, do not be afraid to answer these poor ignorant people, let them try it and they will see by their own experience.
Let everyone in every family be faithful to wear a medal or some object of devotion to Mary. Mothers and sisters should give them to their sons and fathers as the most precious gift of their love for them. Let us be convinced that it will never be in vain that they carry with them a token of their devotion to the august Queen of Heaven.
