A story for every day...

Fr. Xavier Espana, wrote to the Messenger, dated August 14, 1868:

“Let me tell you of a marvel of the Sacred Heart, which happened in Quezaltenango, Guatemala.

“I was summoned, on March 12^th, to confess a dying man. I found a man bathed in blood, without movement, speech or consciousness. He had been drunk and in this state had received five stab wounds, three of them fatal, to the head and chest. He was still breathing, however, and this is what everyone was puzzled about. What could I do? Not even a movement of the eyelids to indicate that he understood my words. I came back to our house with a heavy heart. At the very moment of arriving, I found at the door a person dear to the Heart of Jesus: I immediately begged her to go and throw herself at the feet of Our Lord, to recommend to Him this soul which was falling into hell. I said the same to five fervent members of the Congregation of Men, who providentially came to me, and I myself began to pray ardently to the Heart of Jesus. After two hours, I was summoned again. This time, oh goodness of the divine Savior, it was the wounded man himself who called me. I found him seated, in perfect consciousness, not complaining, and not even allowing me to confess him by questioning, but accusing himself with astonishing clarity and precision. Then, with his eyes bathed in tears, and wholeheartedly forgiving his murderer, he received absolution, kissed the image of the Sacred Heart, To which he believed himself indebted for his salvation, and, after receiving Holy Communion, he expired peacefully.”

(Messenger of the Sacred Heart.)