A story for every day...
First communion favored by Saint Joseph.
Loire-Inférieure.
Glory be to our good Father Saint Joseph! To all the blessings he has been bestowing on our house for so long, he has just added a signal favor in which his marvelous power and goodness shine through.
In the course of last May, one of our young students, Georges A…, aged 10, fell seriously ill with rheumatic fever which left him confined to his bed in pain. The child and his mother were sorry for the delay this illness brought to the first communion, which was to take place on the 30th of the beautiful month of Mary! On Wednesday, the 21st, the doctor assured the mother that there was no illusion possible, and that the illness required a stay in bed of five to six weeks, supposing that there was no aggravation; that, consequently, it was useless to think about the preparations for the first communion. The next day, Thursday the 23rd, the child’s legs and feet were so oedematous that he could not move at all, and he suffered from severe pain in the joints of his arms and kidneys. The pious mother then had the thought of placing her son’s recovery in the hands of Saint Joseph, asking him not to allow him to be deprived of attending and participating in the beautiful feast of the 30th. To this end, in the evening she sent the child’s nurse, who is very fond of him, to carry two candles before the altar of Saint Joseph in our chapel, and to say a few prayers for him.
On Friday the 24th, when Mrs. A… brought her child a prescribed tea in the morning, the child who was waking up said to her: “Mom, I am not suffering anymore; see, I am moving very well, I want to get up.” And immediately, in the presence of his stunned mother, he got down from his bed and walked without difficulty; all swelling was gone. Immediately, the child asked to try on his clothes and even his communion shoe, and the test succeeded wonderfully.
When the doctor arrived, the little patient went to open the door of his room. The excellent doctor could not believe his eyes and was forced to agree that such an unexpected and sudden cure could not be the result of his medication. The poor child was able to leave the same day and on Sunday, May 26, he came to the Seminary to begin, with his fellow students, the preparatory retreat for First Communion, which he followed completely without the slightest fatigue, until the blessed day when he received in his heart the divine Host of our tabernacles.
Since that time, the dear child continues to enjoy the most perfect health.
I will not describe the joy and gratitude of the excellent mother of George, and of all the servants of Saint Joseph who witnessed this singular grace.
Saint Joseph consoles a mother.
A mother had a little boy who was about to make his First Communion. For several years, this dear child had been causing her much anxiety for the future, because he was very dissipated. She could see the moment of the big day coming, and no improvement. However, she still hoped that the first communion would change him; but the more she saw this beautiful day coming, the more she was sorry to see the same behavior. She prayed to God with all her heart, but this good father seemed to remain deaf to her voice… One day she went to visit a church and saw several statues which struck her very much, among them that of Saint Joseph. She immediately felt the desire to start a novena to this great Saint, in whom she already had complete confidence. It seemed to her that her poor little one would immediately become wiser, but this was not the case; the good Lord no doubt wanted to test her trust to the end, since, two days before his first communion, he still left, alas, much to be desired.
However, the poor mother was not discouraged. On the contrary, she redoubled her prayers; finally, on the eve of the beautiful day, her poor child was very touched during an instruction in the retreat, and cried a lot. That evening, he came to throw himself at the feet of his father and mother; there, on his knees, he asked them for forgiveness, but it was a request that came from the heart because he burst into tears. The parents were moved and happy to see him like that! Finally, this dear child made his first communion with very good dispositions, and since then he continues to give consolation and to persevere. Thanks be to Saint Joseph!
When we have the joy of receiving Communion, let us invite Saint Joseph to accompany us. He will inspire us with his feelings of love and fervor and will put us in the dispositions to receive Holy Communion.
