Page 38 - FLIPBOOK - Life of Saint Gerard Majella - Vassall-Phillips

O. R. VASSALL-PHILLIPS

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Theology the Ecstatic Flight. His companions suddenly saw him
raised from the ground in their presence, and miraculously carried
through the air for more than half a mile.
Gerard came down to earth again only to work a fresh miracle,
this time a miracle of charity and healing. On reaching the door of his
convent, he found awaiting his return a young man with a gangrened
leg. This poor sufferer had with great difficulty been brought to
Iliceto, that he might there in person recommend himself to the
prayers of the Servant of God, the fame of whose sanctity had been
now widely noised abroad. No sooner did he see Gerard than he
cried out sobbing that he could no longer labour for his daily bread,
and was thus compelled, against his will, to lead the life of a beggar.
Touched to the heart, the Saint asked to see the diseased leg. It was
swathed round and round with bandages.
Saint Gerard carefully removed the wraps, and perceived at once
that the flesh was being eaten away by a frightful cancer. Then,
calling to mind the example set him by great Servants of God, who
had in their own day performed this same miracle of charity, he
applied his lips to the wound and commenced to suck forth all its
venom.
Our Lord is not wont to leave such heroism as this without its due
reward.
“Confidence in God, my brother,” cried the Saint; “you will soon
be well again.”
He then carefully dried the sore place, and bandaged it with clean
linen. At that moment the pain ceased. The young man, full of
thankfulness and joy, cast himself at the feet of Gerard to thank him
for his great goodness, calling him a saint from on high and an angel
- messenger sent by God's loving kindness to His children. But the
holy Brother would have no thanks. The thanks were due to God
alone. Let him show his gratitude by leading a truly virtuous life for

14 For an exhaustive and scientific discussion of this interesting subject the
reader is referred to the classical work on Mysticism by the well-known
German philosopher Gorres. He treats the whole question of ecstasies and the
various phenomena that may accompany them — including that of the Ecstatic
Flight — with a wealth of illustration that will hardly be found elsewhere. (See
Part I., Book iv., especially chapters xix, xxi, xxii, xxiii.)

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