The Weight of a Holy Mass

[Flavio Raposo]

The following story is true. It was told to Sister M. Veronica Murphy by an elderly Sister, who heard it from the lips of the late Father Stanislaus SS.CC.

One day, many years ago, in a small village in Luxembourg, a Captain of the Forest Guards was in deep conversation with the butcher when an old woman arrived. The butcher asked the old woman what she wanted. She told him that she wanted a small piece of meat, but that she had no money to pay for it.

The Captain thought this was funny... "Only a small piece of meat, but how much will you give her?" he said to the butcher.

The old lady then said to the butcher, "I'm sorry I don't have any money, but I'll hear Mass for you. Since the butcher and the captain were indifferent to religion, they began to laugh at the old woman.

"Very well," said the butcher. "Go hear Mass for me and come back, I'll give you as much as the Mass is worth."

So the woman went to hear Mass and came back later. She approached the counter and the butcher said, "Now we'll see.

The woman took a piece of paper and wrote on it, "I heard Mass for you. The butcher put the paper on one side of the scale and a bone on the other, but the paper was heavier. Then he put a piece of meat instead of the bone, but the paper was still the heavier.

The two men became ashamed of their mockery, but continued their game. A large piece of meat was placed on the scale: the paper was always heavier! Exasperated, the butcher examined the scale, but found it to be normal.

What do you want, my good woman? Shall I give you a whole leg of mutton?

So he placed the leg of mutton on the scale, but the paper was still the heaviest. He put an even bigger piece of meat on the scale, but the scale was still tilted toward the paper. This impressed the butcher so much that he converted and promised the woman to give her meat every day.

The Captain also became a convert and a devotee of the daily Mass. Two of his sons became priests: one Jesuit and the other a Father of the Sacred Heart.

Father Stanislaus finished telling his story, saying, "I am a Religious of the Sacred Heart and the Captain was my father.

Later, when his (the Captain's) children became priests, the Captain advised them to say Mass well every day and never to miss the Sacrifice of Holy Mass through their own fault.

[Gloria]

†Blessed and exalted be the Precious Blood of Jesus and  the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with love and reparation. Fiat!  Hail Mary Amen†.

[Dawn Marie]

Flavio please would you translate the articles you have written on your website?  They are very efficacious and would be appreciated.

[Alley]

Beautiful story!

[John Edward Czarnomski]

Thank you very much for posting this.

[Judy Muller]

Amen.

[Judy Muller]

Amen.

[Judy Muller]

Amen.

[Judy Muller]

Amen.

[Gloria]

Thank you for sharing. 

[Dawn Marie]

Amazing!