A story for every day...
An illness sent by Saint Joseph!
A young man had resolved, in spite of the wise advice of his parents, to go to a place where his soul would be in grave danger. Advice, prayers, even orders, all had been in vain: the desolate father and his wife had tried in vain to dissuade him. The mother began a novena to Saint Joseph on Wednesday, and it was the next day that the journey was to be made. In the evening, the unfortunate child came to his parents’ room to make a terrible scene, saying that he was going to leave them, that he would never come back again, etc. Finally, broken-hearted, they went to the hospital to see him. Finally, broken-hearted, they had to chase him out of the room…. The last prayer of the poor mother to Saint Joseph was this: “My good Father, you see, everything is useless; only one thing could prevent him from going where his soul runs so many dangers. Let him fall ill and suffer greatly.” And then, beginning to smile, “But that is asking almost a miracle, for he is doing wonderfully.”
However, after having given all the orders for his departure the next day, which was to take place at five o’clock in the morning, the young man was taken, at three o’clock that same morning, by dreadful pains and obliged to go back to bed, for he had risen. Finally this journey, so much dreaded by his parents, did not take place; it was replaced by an abscess which made him suffer cruelly for more than eight days; and in spite of the sorrow of seeing such a pain, the parents blessed God and Saint Joseph…. With the pus which came out of the abscess disappeared also the pernicious purpose of the young man.
The happy mother confessed, to her confusion, that she had not previously had great confidence in Saint Joseph; but since then, she prayed to him and loved him with an unlimited and boundless confidence.
Let us always have recourse to Saint Joseph. Let us ask his advice before any undertaking. Let us ask him above all to work for Heaven and not for the earth. May he obtain for us the determination and the courage to accomplish perfectly the plan that God has formed for us in creating us.
