Brought to confession by Mary, Mary: Day 061

Brought to confession by Mary

St. Alphonsus recalls a story of a husband brought back to confession through a picture of our Blessed Lady.

A woman came to a house of our little religious congregation in this kingdom to let one of the priests know that her husband had not been to Confession for many years. The poor creature could no longer figure how to bring him to his duty. If she mentioned Confession to him, he beat her.

The priest told her to give him a picture of Mary Immaculate. In the eve- ning, the woman once more begged her husband to go to Confession. But as usual, he turned a deaf ear to her entreaties. So she gave him the picture.

Behold! He had scarcely received it from her, when he said, “Well, when will you take me to Confession? For I am willing to go.” The wife, on seeing this instantaneous change, began to weep for joy.

In the morning he did indeed come to our church. When the priest asked him how long it had been since he had been to Confession, he answered, “Twenty-eight years.” So the priest asked him next what had led him to come that morning.

“Father,” he replied, “I was obstinate. But last night my wife gave me a picture of our Blessed Lady. In the same moment, I felt my heart changed—so much so, that during the whole night, every moment seemed a thousand years, so great was my desire to go to Confession.”

He then confessed his sins with great contrition, changed his life, and con- tinued for a long time to go frequently to Confession to the same priest. —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Are there particular pictures or other images of Mary that have had special significance for you on a particular occasion or during a particular season in your life? What have they meant to you?

CLOSING PRAYER
From a “Prayer Before an Image of Our Sorrowful Mother”: Most loving mother of my Lord Jesus Christ, behold, poor and sinful, I draw near to your holy image with deep devotion, and beg you to obtain for me the grace to honor and love you with all my strength.

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