Reflection: The Catechism Explained by Stories and Examples
by Fr. Francis Spirago
Sixteenth Lesson: On the Gifts & Fruits of the Holy Ghost
Question: What are the Beatitudes?
Answer: The Beatitudes are: — 5th. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy…continue…
A Newfoundland Dog Saves His Master: Many instances are recorded in which a dog saved his master from robbers. The following incident occurred in the neighborhood of St. Petersburg, where a man resided who supplied the metropolis with pork. He owned a good deal of land, and carried on a large wholesale business, by which he made a considerable amount of money. One day two peasants came to him and told him they had several hundred pigs to dispose of at a moderate price. The dealer agreed to go with them to inspect the animals; he took with him a well-filled purse, a revolver, and a large Newfoundland dog. After driving a long distance they reached a small village, and stopped before a cottage into which the merchant entered, leaving his dog outside. He hung up his furlined overcoat, in a pocket of which was the revolver, on a nail, and, at the request of the owner of the house, seated himself at the table to transact business. But as he was kept waiting a long time he grew impatient, and called out: “Is no one coming? I cannot waste my time here all day long.” Thereupon the cottager reentered and said: “You are not going to leave this house alive. You had better sit still.” As he spoke the two peasants came in, one of whom was armed with a large, formidable looking knife. The merchant saw only too plainly that he had fallen among robbers. He besought them to spare his life, offering them all the money he had on his person. But they would not listen to a word he said. “If we let you go,” they answered, “we know what it will be. You make fair promises to us now, and tomorrow the police will be after us.” Then their victim entreated with tears to be allowed to take leave of his dog. To this they consented and let the dog in. HIs master caressed him and stroked him, till the peasants bade him be done; and as he paid no heed to them, one seized him by the arms while the other lifted the knife to strike him. But before the blow fell, the dog, perceiving his master’s danger, sprang upon the man who held the knife, and seizing him by the throat, strangled him, so that he fell dead on the spot. Then he turned upon the other ruffian with whom his master was struggling, and fixed his teeth in his arm. Thus the merchant was enabled to free himself from his assailant, and take the revolver from his coat pocket. With it he shot the third robber dead, who had been keeping guard outside and entered at that moment. On his way back he acquainted the police with what had occurred. Every one who heard the story, or read it in the daily papers of the time, admired the fidelity and courage of the dog who saved his master’s life.
A Queen Rebukes Ragpickers: We must not allow animals to be tormented. One day the queen of the Belgians, when driving out, saw two ragpickers mercilessly belaboring a hapless dog, which was harnessed to a barrow. The queen, indignant at such cruelty, stopped her carriage, and severely reproved the owners of the dog. But these low people took the rebuke in ill part, and abused the queen, whom they probably did not recognize, in no very courteous language. Thereupon she drove straight to the police station, and ordered the ragpickers to be arrested and punished for their cruelty to animals.
A Dog’s Revenge: Those who tease or torture animals seldom go unpunished. In a certain village a dog was chained up by its owner’s gate, near the road whereby the village children passed on their way to and from school. One day several of the children were going home from school when the master of the dog unchained it, intending to take it out for a walk. As soon as the animal was set free, it rushed furiously up to the group of children, and attacked a boy tearing him with its teeth so that the blood ran down in streams. The boy had pelted the dog with stones every day as he went by; the creature remembered this and revenged itself in this way on its tormentor.
Brother Bounty & Brother Plenty: The abbot of a certain monastery was remarkably bountiful and hospitable. As long as he lived, all went well with the community, and the wealth of the monastery increased year by year. But when he was no more his successor showed himself far less generous and charitable; yet, strange to say, far from his want of liberality increasing the riches of the convent, the funds diminished so rapidly that after a while the monks actually lacked the very necessaries of life. One day a stranger came to the gate and begged for a night’s lodging. The porter answered: “We really cannot take any one in now; we ourselves have scarce bread to eat. It was otherwise, formerly; the convent was well-off then.” The porter was at a loss to understand this mysterious speech; he requested the stranger to explain his meaning. Thereupon he continued: “The one brother I refer to is Bounty, the other is Plenty. Since you dismissed the one, the other has taken leave of you.” These words, repeated to the abbot, led him to change his conduct, and the monastery was once more famed for liberality. The abbot remembered Our Lord’s words: “Give and it shall be given unto you.”
Fair Meats On Foul Dishes: We must pray with a pure heart. A young man who had adopted a licentious manner of life did not, in spite of his vicious habits, omit to say a prayer every day to the Mother of God. One night he had a dream which made a great impression upon him. He dreamed that he was on a journey, and was extremely hungry. Our Blessed Lady then appeared to him, surrounded by angels, and offered him some tempting viands on a very dirty dish, saying: “Take this food and eat it.” But he answered that he could not partake of the food because the dish on which it was served was not clean. “Thus it is with thy prayers,” the Blessed Virgin rejoined. “They are good in themselves, but thy heart is impure. For this reason thy petitions are not acceptable in God’s sight” At that moment the young man awoke. He never forgot that dream; it had the effect of inducing him for the rest of his life to live as becomes a Christian.
