Consecration Aids: 22: Slave Wages II
Fr. Christopher Lee, SMM
H OW CAN I ever forget the face of that patient – wish I could remember his name – whom I visited some years back in a hospital for incurables ? I was a student in theology at the time. And the lesson I learned from that brief visit was to tide me over many a storm in life.
As I said, I was only a seminarian at the time, young, healthy and brimming over with ideals and ambitions concerning the apostolate. One thing, however, I had yet to learn and that was the value of sufferings. My visit to John’s room (let’s call him John because he was really standing at the foot of the Cross !) was to clinch the lesson once and for all.
I’ll not attempt to describe John’s physical appearance except to mention that almost half his face was eaten away by a festering open cancer. No wonder the little Sister in charge of this patient had asked us before letting us into John’s room: ”Do you have good strong stomachs ?” We understood what she meant the moment we entered the room.
Finding Happiness in Illness
On hearing that we were seminarians, future priests, John’s agonizing features lit up and he smiled – with what he had left of a face. John was in his middle thirties, if I remember correctly, and the merciless disease had struck him only about six months previously. As the brain cells would soon be attacked John knew he had only a few more weeks to live.
I don’t recall exactly what we said to him. Nor do I recall what he said to us. But I do remember distinctly that he was not only resigned to the will of God in this sickness but that he was actually happy and joyful in the midst of his excruciating pain. (It might help to say that John was of Irish extraction – if that means anything to you – and that he had lost none of his Irish wit!) I remember, also, that upon investigation – you would expect that from seminarians ! – it was found that John had made the de Montfort Consecration to Jesus through Mary. He was a slave of Mary. We suspected that the little Sister in charge had had something to do with this when she proudly showed us her old worn-out copy of the SECRET OF MARY which she carried around with her continually, almost religiously.
A Holy Slave of Mary
Before we left the room, John made us promise to pray. Pray that be might die a good and holy death. And pray that the good Lord might provide for his growing family (John was the father of four children.) The little Sister ushered us out of the room a few moments later. She whispered something to the effect that we had just seen a saint of God! We weren’t in the least surprised. In fact we had suspected it all along. More, we thought within ourselves. You must be a saint, too, Sister, to stand the sight of this patient and to breathe this fetid air all day long ! Perhaps we were right. Perhaps we had seen two saints of God and His Blessed Mother!
Author: Fr. Christopher Lee, SMM
This is the Twenty-second in a series of articles covering Consecration Aids.
It was obvious that this cross was a gift of God and of His holy Mother. It was clear that God was making him a co-sharer in His Passion – the greatest privilege on earth ! He, therefore, as a slave of Mary had no right to squander these graces. No right to refuse that cross which God was placing on his shoulders.
Of one thing we were sure; here was a slave of Mary who had understood the meaning of his consecration to Jesus through Mary. Who intended to abide by its terms. He had consecrated to Mary his body with all its pleasures and sufferings, heartaches as well as joys. He had said to Maty: I give thee the ”full right of disposing of me and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity.”
A Gift From God and From Our Holy Mother
It was obvious that this cross was a gift of God and of His Holy Mother. It was clear that God was making him a co-sharer in His Passion – the greatest privilege on earth ! He, therefore, as a slave of Mary had no right to squander these graces. No right to refuse that cross which God was placing on his shoulders.
Is it any wonder that this slave of Mary wasn’t complaining about his condition ? . . . that he was resigned – what am I saying? – that he was joyful, like St. Paul, in the midst of his tribulation ? . . . nay, that he could still smile – although half his face was already eaten away?
I can see the cynics, the worldlings, the half-hearted wincing at this story of John X. I see them crying out: ”If he has such a devotion to Mary why should she allow him to suffer so much ? Especially, how can he be so happy about it all? . ”
I answer with St. Louis de Montfort : ”. . . it is quite true that the most faithful servants of the Blessed Virgin, being also her greatest favorites, receive from her the greatest graces and favors of heaven, which are crosses. But I maintain that it is also the servants of Mary who carry these crosses with more ease, more merit and more glory. That which would stay the progress of another a thousand times over, or perhaps would make him fall, does not once stop their steps, but rather enables them to advance; because that good Mother, all full of grace and of the unction of the Holy Ghost, prepares her servants’ crosses with so much maternal sweetness and pure love as to make them gladly acceptable, no matter how bitter they may be in themselves!” (T.D. No. 154).
Mary’s Presence
I don’t know how much longer after our visit John tarried here below before going to his reward; nor do I know if angels visibly accompanied his soul heavenwards. But I am positive that Our Lady was present to him at the moment of his death. That alone, for this slave of Mary, was sufficient to make the sufferings of this life as nothing in comparison with the glory that was to be his for all eternity!
How proud he must have been at that moment to be a Slave of Mary !
