Inspirational Resources


    The Weight of One Mass


    The following true story was related to Sr. M. Veronica Murphy by an elderly nun who heard it from the
    lips of the late Reverend Father Stanislaus SS.CC.

    One day many years ago, in a little town in Luxembourg, a Captain of the Forest Guards was in deep
    conversation with the butcher when an elderly woman entered the shop. The butcher broke off the
    conversation to ask the old woman what she wanted. She had come to beg for a little meat but had no
    money. The Captain was amused at the conversation which ensued between the poor woman and the
    butcher, “only a little meat, but how much are you going to give me?”

    “I’m sorry I have no money but I’ll hear Mass for you.” Both the butcher and the Captain were good men
    but very indifferent about religion, so they at once began to scoff at the old woman’s answer.

    “All right then,” said the butcher, “you go and hear Mass for me and when you come back I’ll give you
    as much meat as the Mass is worth.”

    The woman left the shop and returned later. She approached the counter and the butcher seeing her
    said, “All Right then we’ll see.” He took a slip of paper and wrote on it “I heard a Mass for you.” He then
    placed the paper on the scales and a tiny bone on the other side but nothing happened. Next he
    placed a piece of meat instead of the bone, but still the paper proved heavier. Both men were
    beginning to feel ashamed of their mockery but continued their game. A large piece of meat was
    placed on the balance, but still the paper held its own. The butcher exasperated, examined the scales,
    but found they were all right. “What do you want my good woman, must I give you a whole leg of
    mutton?” At this he placed the leg of mutton on the balance, but the paper outweighed the meat. A
    larger piece of meat was put on, but again the weight remained on the side of the paper. This so
    impressed the butcher that he was converted, and promised to give the women her daily ration of
    meat.

    As for the Captain, he left the shop a changed man. An ardent lover of daily Mass. Two of his sons
    became priests, one a Jesuit and the other a Father of the Sacred Heart.

    Father Stanislaus finished by saying “I am of the Religious of the Sacred Heart, and the Captain was
    my father.”

    From that incident the Captain became a daily Mass goer and his children were trained to follow his
    example. Later when his sons became priests, he advised them to say Mass well every day and never
    miss the Sacrifice of the Mass through any fault of their own.
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