Page 108 - FLIPBOOK - Life of Saint Gerard Majella - Vassall-Phillips

O. R. VASSALL-PHILLIPS

his extraordinary favour was not refused to Saint Gerard. He was
once making his monthly Retreat, when the Father Rector, chancing
to require his services, sent for him to his room. Gerard was not
there. They looked in the oratory. He was not there either. The whole
house was searched from top to bottom. All was in vain. He was
nowhere to be found. Meanwhile Dr. Santorelli called. The Rector
hastened to tell him the news. Brother Gerard was lost.
Santorelli laughingly suggested:
“Perhaps he has hidden under the bed to be quiet on his Retreat
day. Let us go and look.”
Taking a Brother with him, the Doctor went himself to Gerard's
room, but all to no purpose.
“It does not matter,” said Santorelli on his return. He knew Saint
Gerard well, and added: “When the time for Communion comes, you
will see that he will leave his hiding-place.”
So it happened. Gerard duly appeared in the church to receive
Holy Communion. After his thanksgiving, the Father Rector asked
him where he had been all the morning.
“In my room,” was the answer.
“In your room!” rejoined the Rector. “We went there twice to
look for you!”
Gerard said nothing, but only smiled.
However, on being told to explain this seeming contradiction, he
said with all simplicity:
“As I feared to be disturbed in my Retreat, I begged of Our Lord
the grace to become invisible.”
“This once I forgive you,” said his Rector, “but see that you do
not make such prayers in future.”
Saint Gerard's room had no furniture excepting a small table and a
bed. There was nothing that could have (naturally speaking)
prevented him from being seen. We can only exclaim that God is
wonderful in His Saints, and that He will refuse nothing to their
prayers.
It sometimes happened that Gerard exercised his supernatural
gifts in circumstances that will appear almost trivial if we fail to
remember that, when there is question of doing a kind act, nothing is
trivial in the sight of God.
Thus one day meeting a lady named Candida Fongarelli, he asked
her to give him a little white silk out of which to make a veil for a

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