BEAUTIFUL STORY : THE POWER OF ROSARY If we are faithful to the daily rosary, as Our Lady asks, the impossible becomes possible as is manifest by this true story. Rudolph Smit had been born of Dutch parents in the Netherlands but he grew up in Switzerland, that international country. Thus, already as a boy he spoke his own native Dutch, German, French and Italian languages. Later, he became a priest, a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate. One afternoon, Fr. Smit had just finished a retreat for some Sisters at a hospital in a small town of Montana. Those were the days when the west was the wild and woolly west-very sparsely inhabited. He was packing his bag to go to the next town when Mother Superior came and begged him to stay overnight because as usual, the Chaplain was late returning from his vacation A good Dutchman that he was, Fr. Smit agreed. At midnight, there was a knock at the door. It was Mother Superior. Please come, Father. Theres an emergency in the operating room. The man speaks only German. Since you know this language, you may be able to help him. Down the operating room, what a sight met the eyes of Fr. Smit. There on the table was the long form of a tall man, completely covered by an immaculate linen sheet except for the head and the big black eyes and, overflowing on the sheet, a long black beard nearly a yard in length. Father put aside the doctors, nurses, and especially the Sisters, and went over, stood at the foot of the table, looked down at the man and asked in German, Is there anything I can do for you? The man looked up at him with those big black eyes and said, Yes, Father. Thank God you came, Father. But I knew you would come. Please hear my confession. But first, theres something I want to tell you. I came to this country five years ago from Bavaria in Germany. Ive ever been up in the hills taking care of the sheep. I seldom came to town. I never learned English. And during those five years, I never went once to Holy Mass but every day, l said my rosary. And every day, I asked my Mother Mary that should the time come for me to die, Id have a priest with me. “This afternoon, Father, I was very foolish. I went to close the gasoline tank near the electric generator with a lighted match. There was a great explosion, a flash of tire, then everything went black. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the wagon of my neighbor who was bringing me to the hospital. And, Father, my neighbor never comes by my place; but today, he came and found me. Please hear my confession. Fr. Smit heard the mans confession, gave him Communion, anointed him with holy oil, and gave the Papal Blessing with the plenary indulgence. Then those big, black eyes closed in eternal sleep. The doctor came over, examined the man, pronounced him dead, then began to mutter, I dont believe it. I simply cant believe it. Fr. Smit was tired after an eight-day retreat with the Sisters. He impatiently asked, What dont you believe? Cant you see? The man is dead. But Father, he should have been dead many hours ago. Look for yourself. The doctor pulled back the sheet. The heart and lungs were burned through and through- black like charcoal-but the head and the beard were not touched by the flames. Fr. Smit said it looked like our Mother Mary had covered the man with her mantle till the priest could arrive.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 08:25:22 +0000