Page 107 - FLIPBOOK - Life of Saint Gerard Majella - Vassall-Phillips
P. 107

LIFE OF SAINT GERARD MAJELLA

                 The  lives  of  the  Saints  show  us  that  some  of  God's  chosen
              servants  have  received  from  Him  the  gift  of  rendering  themselves
                                        19
              invisible to the eyes of men.

              19   We  read  in  the  life  of  Blessed  Lidwina  that  two  men  once  commenced
              quarrelling near her house. One of them fled for safety to the sick-room of the
              Saint;  the  other  pursued  him,  sword  in  hand.  Furious  with  rage,  he  asked
              Lidwina's mother if his enemy was not there. She answered “No.” He did not
              believe her, and asked the Saint the same question. Unable to tell what she
              deemed a lie, Lidwina said “Yes,” receiving in punishment a blow on the cheek
              from her mother. She then said that she trusted in God that He would hide the
              poor man who had sought safety in her room. As a matter of fact, his wrathful
              foe was unable to see him, and was forced to go away without having been
              able to satisfy his thirst for vengeance.

              It is told of St. Lucien in his Acts that when he walked through the streets he
              was  seen  by  those  by  whom  he  wished  to  be  seen,  and  was  invisible  to  all
              others.

              The King of Naples having sent sixty soldiers to seize St. Francis De Paula, the
              Saint  prostrated  himself  in  prayer  before  the  High  Altar  in  the  church.  The
              soldiers went to the church to find him, passed close to him, and even touched
              him, but were unable to see him.

              Violante,  wife  of  John,  King  of  Aragon,  wished  out  of  curiosity  to  see  the
              interior  of  St.  Vincent  Ferrer's  cell.  As  the  Saint  refused  to  comply  with  her
              desires, one day she had the door forced in and made her entrance. She then
              saw  everything  that  the  cell  contained  except  its  occupant.  The  same  thing
              happened to her attendants. She then asked the other Dominicans where was
              Vincent. They answered that he was in her presence, and that they could not
              understand her not seeing him. Then they asked him, “Why do you not make
              yourself known to the Queen? She has come to see you. Why then do you not
              speak to her?”

              “I have never yet given permission to any woman to enter my cell,” answered
              the Saint; “not even to the Queen. By a punishment of God her eyes are holden
              so that she may not see me as long as she remains here.” The Queen went out
              immediately.  St.  Vincent  followed  her.  She  then  asked  his  pardon  for  her
              conduct, and returned home. — See Gorres, Part I., Book iii., chap. x.


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