Two stories of conversion through Mary, Mary: Day 093

Two stories of conversion through Mary

St. Alphonsus tells of two men in quite different circumstances who had one thing in common: Through Our Lady’s intervention, they were converted.

A man in Germany once fell into a serious sin. Through shame he was unwilling to confess it. But because he was unable to endure the remorse of his conscience, he went to throw himself into a river. Just as he was about to end his life, he hesitated. Weeping, he begged that God would forgive him his sin with- out his confessing it in the sacrament. One night, in his sleep, he felt someone shake his arm, and he heard a voice saying, “Go to Confession.” He went to the church, but he still didn’t confess.

On another night he heard the same voice again. He returned to the church, but when he got there, he declared that he would rather die than confess that sin. Yet before returning home, he went to entrust himself to the most Blessed Virgin, whose image was in that church. As soon as he had knelt down, he found himself quite changed. He immediately got up and called a confessor. Weeping bitterly through the grace received from Mary, he made an entire confession of his sins. Afterward he declared that he experienced greater satisfaction than if had he obtained all the treasures of the world.

In another instance, a young nobleman on a sea voyage from Genoa began to read and take much pleasure in an obscene book. A religious priest noticed it and said to him: “Would you like to make a gift to our Blessed Lady?” The young man replied that he would. “Well,” the brother answered, “I wish that, for the love of the most holy Virgin, you would give up that book, and throw it into the sea.” “Here it is, Father,” said the young man. “No,” replied the priest, “you yourself must make Mary this gift.” He did so. And as soon as he had returned to his hometown, the Mother of God enflamed his heart with divine love. —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Do I see myself in either of these stories? Have I ever felt so ashamed of a particular sin that I let it prevent me from making a sacramental Confession? Have I ever been pressed to give up a sin that I knew kept me from the graces I needed?

CLOSING PRAYER
Mary, Refuge of Sinners, help me make a good Confession.

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