From The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori, a continuation of the chapter named Various Examples Appertaining to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary:
56. In the year 1228, while a priest was celebrating Mass on a Saturday, in honor of the most holy Mary, some Albigensian heretics came and cruelly cut out his tongue. In this condition he went to the monastery of Cluny, where the good religious received him with much charity, greatly compassionating the suffering he endured from the loss of his tongue But what caused the greatest suffering to this devout priest was, that he could no longer say Mass and recite the divine office, and that of the blessed Virgin, as he had been accustomed to do. The feast of Epiphany having arrived, he begged to be carried into the church, and before the altar of the holy Virgin prayed her to restore the tongue which he bad lost through love of her, that he might sing her praises as he did before. Then Mary appeared to him with a tongue in her hand, and said to him: "Since thou hast lost the tongue for the faith, and for the honor thou hast paid me, I give thee in return a new one." Having said this, with her own hands she plac ed the tongue in his mouth, and immediately the priest, raising his voice, recited the "Hail Mary." The religious quickly assembled, and the priest wished to remain with them, and to become himself a religious, that there he might always praise his benefactress. The mark of the scar was always seen on his tongue.
57. It was in 589 that the famous plague prevailed in Rome, when men were attacked with sneezing,and fell down dead. St. Gregory the Great, when he was carrying in procession through the city an image belonging to the church of St. Mary Major, in the place now called the Castle of St, Angelo, saw an angel in the air, who was replacing in its scabbard a sword dripping with blood. Then he heard the angels singing: Oh, Queen of heaven rejoice, Alleluia; for he whom thou didst deserve to bear, Alleluia, is risen again, as he said, Alleluia: "Regina coeli, laetare, Alle luia; quia quern meruisti portare Alleluia; resurrexit, sicut dixit, Alleluia." And St. Gregory responded: "Ora pro nobis Deum, Alleluia." Immediately the plague ceased, and they then began to celebrate the greater Litanies every year on the 25th of April.
58. A city of France, called Avignon, was once besieged by enemies. The citizens prayed to Mary to defend them, and placed an image of her which they had taken from the church, at the gate of the city. One of the citizens having concealed himself behind the image, a soldier shot an arrow at him, saying: This image shall not save you from death." But the image presented her knee, and the arrow remained fixed in it, and may be seen there even to this day ; and thus she saved the life of her servant. And the enemy, moved by this prodigy, raised the siege.
59. There was in Naples a Moor, a slave of Don Octavius del Monaco, who, although he had often been exhorted to leave his Mahometan sect, remained obstinate, but yet never failed every evening to keep lighted, at his own expense, a lamp before an image of Mary which was in the house. And he said: "I hope that this Lady will grant me some great favor." One night the blessed Virgin appeared to him and told him he must become a Christian. Still the Turk resisted, but she placed her hand upon his shoulder, and said to him: "Now no longer resist, Abel; be baptized and called Joseph." In the morning he immediately went to be instructed, and was baptized August 10th, 1648, with eleven other Turks. Let it be observed that when the divine mother appeared to him,after she had converted him, she was about to depart, but the Moor seized her mantle, saying : "Oh Lady, when I find myself afflicted, I pray thee to let me see thee." In fact she one day promised him this, and when he was in affliction he invoked her, and Mary appeared again to him, saying : "Have patience," and he was consoled.
Keep the Faith!
Comments