A Dark Winter Night

CHAPTER IV : The Priest's Story - The Saintly Boy

"Oh, I am quite sorry Father!" I automatically blurted mindlessly

"I did not realize that I had fallen asleep"

I was very embarrassed of my rude dozing off in church, it was already 10:30 PM when I woke up.

"Quite understandable, my child" the priest kindly replied

I stared at his face, it was brightly lit, the choirs had already stopped practicing and there was only me and the priest inside the large basilica. I thought of asking him pastoral advice of my troubling and unsettling dream,

"Father, I admit that I seldom pray and I rarely go to mass." I began
"But, can you help me?" I politely implored,

the priest said
"My child, when I first saw you, you were trembling and shaking as if out of fear. You greatly reminded me of a similar boy, I encountered here on church, about years ago, he was also quite shaken and did not know where to go".

I was amazed of the rather sharp memory of this priest, judging from his appearance, he was about already in his 60's. "Are you not in a hurry, son?" the priest inquired,

"No, not at all" I technically lied even if I wanted to go home right away,
but his inviting warmth and the wisdom inculcated in his voice seemed to make me stay for a while and even for several hours even if it was late already.

"Then, could you stay for a while so I could tell you this story about that same boy I met on this church about 30 years ago? I am quite sure his inspiring story will shed light on whatever troubles you right now.

I know it does to me, whenever I may become worn out or sometimes my vocation is causing me to feel lonely, his zeal and love for God inspires me to go on" he dreamily said

"If you wish so Father, I will" I firmly said, silencing the small voice that kept pestering me to leave and go home.

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"Well, as a priest, I greatly treasure the formation of the youth in their faith and morals."

He began " I met a boy about approximately 47 years ago, his story and life greatly changed my outlook at life and I suppose even changed my vocation as a priest, young as he was, but he had an extraordinarily holy life. He always attended mass everyday and was always early for Vespers, the evening prayer of the Church, I was his personal confessor and I witnessed him as he grew in wisdom and age.

I was also the prelate of their school, because of that I had a great chance to observe him. He was a poor boy but full of energy, vitality and enthusiasm, he always prayed the rosary everyday, he offered roses to the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in their school whenever he had the opportunity.

He even once said to me "Father, how could God love us so much even if we have hurt Him so much? It is just amazing for me to contemplate!"
of course, I was shocked about how deep was his understanding of God's love because at his young age back then, children of his age often only cared was about playing, fun and games.

He confessed very often to me, always asking for my prayers and advices even for the littlest things or problems that he had. Until now, I am amazed how much he realized that we all depended on God in almost every day, but I was even more amazed when he told me this,

"Father, I heard the voice of Jesus while I was reading the bible".
I was of course dumbfounded by what he said,
"Could this child be a saint?" I asked myself

"And what did it say?" I replied as if dismissing the thought

"It said that you must much more sincerely celebrate mass" the boy replied innocently.

I was struck in the heart by these words, come to think of it, I did not anymore really valued the holy mass. It was more of like an ordinary routine for me back then.

I replied right away trembling "Is that so my boy? Well.. just always pray okay?" I said, trying to advise him with great caution and prudence

"Of course, Father" he obediently said.

I felt like the greatest sinner on earth shortly after that conversation we had, I right away knelt before the altar, I never more prayed more sorrowfully than my whole life time, I cried and asked forgiveness from God, kissing the tabernacle many times. And after that, I never had much more appreciated the Holy Mass than my whole lifetime, you see my boy, quite a large number of people always say that Jesus is not present in the Holy Mass and that He is only a symbol.

They are greatly mistaken, every single awe struck second that I elevate the host and the cup during the consecration, I could feel that I am not anymore myself, I feel as if someone or somebody is already very much present in my body or in my presence, I couldn't tell which is which but I am quite sure that it is no other than our Lord.

After that conversation we had, it was followed by many more so called "revelations" that he had, sometimes while praying the rosary, sometimes while reading the scriptures or even sometimes while attending Holy Mass. He told me once:

"Father, I saw the hands of the priest transform into bloody and hole wounded hands. His hair became all flowing and was even wearing a large crown of thorns"

I was again intrigued by his narration of a revelation
"Really my dear? One thing I could assure you is that, the man you saw was our Lord. Always appreciate and love the Eucharistic Lord in every way that you can, okay?"

I advised him with a much more encouraging tone.

He replied saying "Of course Father, even if no matter how strict my mother is always to me or how loud my father can be. I will always love and respect them just as Jesus did" with a very eager voice

I was well pleased with him in almost every way. He also had very peculiar practices, he would cry after each mass he attended and when asked why, he would always blurt out

"I saw our Lord offering Himself because of His love for us! How could I not be sorrowful?!".

He would narrate over and over again his private "revelations" to me, sometimes angels, cherubim, seraphim and archangels. It surprised me how much he had put into mind all the names of the angels in heaven. But sometimes these revelations were quite frightening, he would say sometimes that he saw demons and devils beside women gossiping and beside men who were not observing the Lord's day, because of his frequent revelations of devils, I urged the bishop to do a general exorcism on the whole city and since then, his devil sightings became less frequent.

It always surprised me how much he would give and donate inside the donation basket, he would always drop everything he had on his pocket, some time I urged him not anymore to do it saying "My child, do not give everything that you have always! It is good to give but also lend yourself and buy food for your starving stomach", every time that I say this to him, he would always smile and say

"It is better for me to suffer than for others to suffer because of the little money I leave for myself. Even if no matter how small the amount would be, I would never leave some for myself, Father".

Meanwhile at school, because of the profound great devotion that he had he was always ridiculed but when teased and mocked, he would always smile and say "God bless you" or "May God have mercy on you" or he would only remain silent.

I never thought that he could do and experience so much extraordinary things, as what are the next things I will tell you.