St. Francis de Sales relates that at Padua, where he pursued
part of his studies, there existed a detestable custom. The young men
amused themselves by running through the streets at night armed with
arquebuses, and crying out to all those they met,
"Who goes there?"
People were obliged to answer, for they fired upon those who gave no reply, and many persons were thus wounded or killed.
It
happened one evening that a student, not having responded to the
question, was struck in the head by a ball and mortally wounded. The
perpetrator of this deed, seized with terror, took to flight and sought
refuge in the house of a good widow whom he knew, and whose son was his
fellow-student. He confessed to her with tears that he had just killed
someone unknown to him, and begged her to give him an asylum in her
house.
Touched with compassion, and not suspecting that she had
before her the murderer of her son, the lady concealed the fugitive in a
place of safety where the officers of justice would be unable to
discover him.
Half an hour had not elapsed, when a tumultuous
noise was heard at the door; a corpse was carried in and placed before
the eyes of the widow. Alas ! it was her son who had been killed, and
whose murderer now lay concealed in her house. The poor mother broke
forth into heartrending cries, and entering the hiding-place of the
assassin,
"Miserable man," said she, "what had my son done to you that you should thus cruelly have murdered him?"
The
guilty wretch, learning that he had killed his friend, cried aloud,
tearing his hair, and wringing his hands in despair. Then throwing
himself upon his knees, he asked pardon of his protectress, and besought
her to deliver him up to the magistrate, that he might expiate so
horrible a crime.
The disconsolate mother remembered at this
moment that she was a Christian; the example of Jesus Christ praying for
His executioners stimulated her to heroic action. She replied that provided he asked pardon of God and amended his life, she would let him go, and stay all legal proceedings against him.
This pardon was so agreeable to God, that He wished to give the generous mother a striking proof thereof. He permitted that the soul of her son should appear to her, resplendent with Glory, saying that he was about to enjoy Eternal Beatitude.
"God has shown mercy to me, dear mother," said the blessed soul, "because you showed mercy towards my assassin.
In
consideration of the pardon which you granted, I have been delivered
from Purgatory, where, without the assistance which you have afforded me, I should have had to undergo long years of intense suffering."
( Excerpt taken from the Book " Purgatory" by Rev. F. X. SCHOUPPE, S.J.)
REFLECTION:
The above true incident gives us God's testimony and reassurance of HIS Great Mercy— in forgiving the wrong doings of all those who are bent on wickedness.
In
today's times when incidents of such nature happen, we seek our way for
justice and demand punishment for the crimes of perpetrators.
We rely more on the laws of the world than on God's Commandment of Love and Forgiveness and Mercy.
The Holy Scripture says:
19 Never try to get revenge: leave that, my dear friends, to the Retribution. As scripture says: Vengeance is mine—I will pay them back, the Lord promises. 20 And
more: If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty,
something to drink. By this, you will be heaping red-hot coals on his
head. 21 Do not be mastered by evil, but master evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21).
In
forgiving the perpetrators and all those who hurt us and ill treat us—
God is more pleased to forgive our many sins and punishment due for our
sins (in purgatory).
Christian life is for Love; Forgiveness and Mercy— not for retaliation and vengeance.
