A story for every day...
The marvelous ship
On a feast of Our Lady, Blessed Alain de la Roche, a pious servant of the Queen of Angels, was taken up to heaven in spirit, his body remaining on earth. Thus elevated into the blessed spheres, he heard below him horrible cries, lamentable voices, distressing complaints, dreadful screams. Then he saw a deluge of fire covering the world. The fire was devouring with frightful activity and turning everything to ashes. The poor mortals afflicted by these flames were groaning and crying, “Help!”
Suddenly there appeared a beautiful ship that seemed to descend from the sky. It was surrounded by sparkling stars and an infinity of stars. It was moving forward by means of bright white wings, which carried it in the air. The ship was so large that it could hold a whole world. On its sides, one hundred and fifty people were holding urns full of water and trying to extinguish the deluge of fire. The pilot of this marvelous vessel was a Queen whose beauty and graces bear no comparison. This beautiful and admirable Queen said, with a voice full of tenderness and compassion, to all the unfortunate mortals who were burning in the flames:
“O children of men, come to Me who am your Mother, and I will save you. In order not to perish in this universal deluge, throw yourselves into My vessel. The world, once submerged by sin, was freed from it by the Angelic Salutation, the beginning of the Redemption. Come back to God by the same means; I extend my arms to you, I invite you and urge you to accept this help.”
Blessed Alain, favored by this vision, noticed that those who resorted to the Angelic Salutation, were suddenly transported to the ark of salvation, where the sweet Patroness of the ship received them, consoled them, and served them the most exquisite meats and a wine more delicious than any ambrosia.
“Those who despise the ark of My Rosary,” said the Blessed Virgin, “will perish miserably, as did those who, at the time of the flood, despised Noah’s ark.” “Alas!” continued Blessed Alain, “I have seen in this ecstasy persons of my acquaintance who, instead of invoking the Blessed Virgin, blasphemed Her, and died, in this flood of fire. I have seen others who, in all simplicity, made use of this means offered by their heavenly Mother, had recourse to Her, and died assured of eternal beatitude.”
What is this fiery sea where so many souls are shipwrecked? It is the passions, the lusts which reign in the world. Let us hasten to escape from them by taking refuge in the ship of the Rosary. Our restoration began with the Angelic Salutation: we will continue and complete it by the same means. By frequently reciting the Our Father and the Hail Mary, we will be able to live far from the world and sin, to participate in the grace of the sacraments, and to persevere in the right path. “A devout servant of Mary,” says St. Bernard, “will never perish.” And by devout servant, are we to understand only the Saints? No, but also all souls of good will who pray daily to the Queen of the Rosary and entrust themselves to Her protection. How many striking examples come to support this so consoling assertion!
