| A Mother's Prayer |
| Alfred V. was an officer in the army, and as he was rich and unmarried, he gave himself up to every enjoyment which a refined and worldly life can afford; but his heart was not entirely dead to religion. His mother, with whom he lived, was a good pious widow; she wept in silence and prayed very earnestly for her son, especially by saying the Rosary for him, in order to obtain the intercession of Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary. |
| "Mother ", said Alfred on day, "why do you pray for my conversion? I am an honest man, I have no debts, I perform my duties regularly, and I never come home intoxicated. Why then do you say the Rosary, which only befits ignorant people?" |
| "Why do I pray for you, my son?" answered his mother, sorrowfully. "Because you have time for many other things, but none for God and your poor souls. Why do I say the Rosary? In this prayer lies a hidden power. Through its means many a sick person is cured, and many a sinner brought to repentance; the devout recital of the Rosary has saved many dying persons from dangers of soul and body." |
| "Really!" said Alfred, mockingly, "if the Rosary ever saves me from danger, I will say it daily, and become altogether a new man." |
| Some weeks later, a striking change began to show itself in our hero; he became daily more serious and reserved, and one eventful morning he retired from his room, put his papers in order, and wrote several letters. In the afternoon he sought out his mother, whom he found in her room on her knees saying the Rosary. |
| "Mother," said Alfred, deeply moved, "why are you praying?" |
| "A strange presentment is tormenting me," answered his mother, "a dreadful misfortune seems to be hanging over you. I have long lost your confidence, my son, but I pray God to deliver you, and bring me consolation." |
| "Calm yourself, mother," replied her son, "all is well," but the tone of his voice belied his words. Some hours had passed, when Alfred burst again into his mother's room, holding a letter in his hand. Very weary, the old lady was sitting in an arm-chair still saying the Rosary. |
| "Mother," cried Alfred, excitedly, "read this letter, or rather let me tell you its contents. My passionate character had involved me in an affair of honour, which would have ended tomorrow at day-break in a duel. My opponent, Captain F., is a first rate shot, and has killed a man in a duel before this. Being the offended party, he would have had the first shot, ad his bullet would most infallibly have killed me. Now he has voluntarily withdrawn his challenge, not from cowardice, as he writes, but because his conscience pursued him with the bitterest reproaches for his past misdeeds. He is now going to do penance in a monastery for the rest of his life. Dear mother! I am indebted to your earnest recital of the Rosary for my deliverance from this danger. I solemnly promise you, before God and Mary, the Queen of the Rosary, to become a better Christian." |
| Mother and son then knelt down, and said the Rosary with burning tears of gratitude. Some weeks later, Alfred took his departure, and likewise effected the salvation of his soul in the cloister. |
| (MARIA SANCTISSIMA; Rev. Dom Joseph A. Keller; English trans. and edition by O.S.B.; R. & T. Washbourne; 1899) |