A story for every day...
Workers of the last hour.
Good Nuns serving in an Hospital had more than once felt the pain of seeing sick people die without being able to bring them back to God. They were advised to have recourse to the Heart of Jesus and to that of His Blessed Mother, and to ensure Their protection, to expose Their images in the one of their rooms where they had had to deplore this misfortune. They did so, and several years later they assured us that they had never lost a patient in that room who had not received the Sacraments.
In a small town in the south of France there lived a good old man, adorned with all the virtues that the world esteems: irreproachable morals, unfailing probity, charity towards the poor, helpfulness towards everyone; he lacked only one thing, which today, alas! is lacking in so many men who are commendable in all other respects; he did not attend the Sacraments. And yet old age brought new infirmities every day, and made one foresee a near end. His family lamented his religious indifference; they multiplied their prayers to obtain the longed-for conversion. At last their wishes were granted, thanks to the adorable Heart of Jesus. A beautiful engraving of the Sacred Heart, having been given to him, he had it framed and gave it an honorable place in his salon, in spite of the mockery of a few false friends, of whom the world is never short. And often the good old man came to consider this engraving; sometimes he even spent quite a long time contemplating it. One day, in this same salon, he was struck by apoplexy, and by the permission of divine Providence, the people who had rushed to his aid placed him in an armchair in front of this engraving which he had loved so much. When he regained consciousness, he asked for a priest, received all the Sacraments with the greatest piety, and shortly afterwards he died. Today, no doubt in heaven, he thanks the divine Heart who, through this pious painting, had brought his soul back to the practice of religion, softened the last moments of his life and ensured his eternal happiness.
(Sacred Heart Messenger)
