周瑞理坐在椅子上，感覺很懊惱，他的父母堅持送他到公立大學去唸書，他交了一群魯莽的年輕朋友，今天他在班上的成績不好，他明白浪費時間在跳舞、娛樂、玩耍…..等事項，都與他早期在天主教會學校所受的教育背道而馳。

他感到頭痛，不能讀書，所以決定去散步，沒走多遠，一陣雷響使他走近一間聖堂去避雨，他跪在耶穌聖心像前祈禱，但是耶穌聖心哀求動人的眼睛，使他感到前所未有的可憐，為了轉變他的思潮，他瞥見了座位上的小傳單，是耶穌聖心許給聖女瑪加利大的十二特恩，吸引他的一點是：

「我將降福特敬我聖心的人。」

他不明白其中的真義，就決定請教剛進來的神父，神父說有很多特敬耶穌聖心的方式，但是最簡單的方式是－有一張耶穌聖心像，每次看祂就唸一短誦：

「耶穌聖心，我信賴祢。」

這個年輕人就轉開了。

神父察覺到就說：「你看起來不開心，我能幫你嗎?」

「神父，我感覺離天主很遠。」

「好吧，我的孩子這兒有個靠山，你可以抓住：就是和好聖事和聖禮聖事」。

瑞理正考慮中，神父知道這孩子內心有了掙扎，就祈求聖心的仁慈俯允。

「神父，請聽我的告解，我將勉勵抱住這個靠山。」

離開了聖堂，瑞理走到了一家宗教文物中心，想買一張耶穌聖心像，僅有的一張聖心像很漂亮，但太大了，他猶豫了一下，若他買了帶回學校，他可以想像每次同學看了會說什麼話，耶穌聖心渴望哀求的眼睛克服了他，終於把聖像買下來。

當瑞理走到校園，馬上有人問他手上帶的是什麼，其中一個人說：

「讓我們打開它。」

馬上有一群戲弄的年青人跟著他，瑞理感覺到非常不舒服，但是他必須面對事實，他一進入房間，就打開包裝紙，將聖像供奉在桌子上，這一群年輕人就靜下來，每一個人都脫下帽子。

好一陣子的靜默，其中一個人說：

「來吧！孩子們，既然瑞理變成了虔誠的教徒，這兒就沒我們的份了。」一陣笑聲，他們就離開了房間。

其中一位較正經的年輕人康杰，還逗留徘徊，好像被迷住了，他轉向瑞理對他說：「你真有道德勇氣，才能將聖像帶來這裡，你是我願意交的一個朋友。」

他伸出了他的手，瑞理握住了他的手說：

「謝謝你！」

幾天以後，康杰告訴瑞理：

「請你告訴我，為什麼把聖像帶到學校來？」

瑞理拿起了放在桌上的小傳單，解釋其意義給他的朋友聽，康杰聽到了印象很深刻。他觀察瑞理，注意到他每天早上去參與彌撒並領聖體，教授們不再抱怨了，因為瑞理在班上的成績很好。

他以前結交的那些粗率的年輕小夥子，再也不涉足他的住處，因為他們看到那張聖心像很不自在，那些較正經的學生都尊重瑞理，並以和他為友為榮。

六月的一個下午，康杰要瑞理和他一起散步。瑞理感到很意外，當他們來到神父的住處。麥神父開門迎接，好像早已約好。

瑞理感到困惑，康杰笑著說：

「我要給你一個驚喜，神父今天晚上要給我授洗，我要你做我的代父，這要多謝你給我這恩惠，因為你的聖像讓我皈依，耶穌聖心降福了我的計畫。」

康杰領完了聖洗聖事，神父就轉向瑞理問道：

「你將來的計畫是什麼？」瑞理笑一笑：

   「我也給你一個驚喜。下個月我要入一個修會，早晚會成為一位傳教士。」

     康杰加上說：「當你帶來耶訴聖心像時，你傳揚了第一個信息，我是你第一位歸化者。」

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18.A Brave & Virtuous Youth

     Charles Jordan sat at his desk feeling utterly disgusted with himself.   His parents had insisted on sending him to a secular college and he had become friendly with a reckless set of young men.   Today he had failed in class and he realized that the dances, amusements and games at which he spent his time were undermining the good principles he had been taught in his early days at a Catholic school.

        His head ached and he could not study, so he decided to take a walk.   He had not gone far when a thunderstorm made him seek shelter in a nearby church.  He knelt before the shrine of the Sacred Heart, but the appealing look in the eyes of the statue made him feel more miserable than ever.  To divert his thoughts, he glanced over a leaflet that was on the seat. It proved to contain the Promises of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary.   One attracted his attention.  “I shall bless the undertakings of those who are devoted to my Sacred Heart.”  He wondered what it meant and decided to ask a priest who was just entering the church.   Father explained that there were many ways of honoring the Heart of Jesus, but one of the easiest was to have a picture, and each time you looked at it to say some aspiration such as,  “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You!”

        The young man was turning away, when the priest remarked,  “You look disturbed.  Is there any way in which I can help you?”  “Father, I feel as though I am drifting away from God.”  “Well, my boy, there is an anchor to which you may cling – the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist.”   Charles thought for a few minutes, and the priest, who realized that a battle was being fought in the boy’s soul pleaded with the Heart of mercy.  “Father, if you will hear my confession, I shall strive to cling to that anchor in the future.”

        On leaving the church, Charles went to a religious store and asked for a picture of the Sacred Heart, but found that the only one available was beautiful but quite large.   He hesitated for he realized the amount of comment that his companions would pass if he brought this to the college.   The pleading eyes of Christ conquered his human respect and the purchase was made.

        When Charles appeared on the campus, he was immediately assailed with questions about the parcel he was carrying.  “Let’s go to the opening,”  said one of the party and immediately he was followed by a procession of the teasing young men.  Charles felt very uncomfortable, but he knew he must face the matter sometime, so he decided that he might as well have it over with as soon as possible.   Entering the room, he removed the wrappings and placed the picture upright on his desk.   A silence fell on the group and unconsciously every boy removed his hat.   For a few minutes all was still, then one remarked,  “Come, boys – since Charles has become pious this is no place for us.”  Laughing, they left the room.   There was one young man more serious than his companions who still lingered as if spellbound.   He turned to Charles and said,  “It required moral courage for you to bring this here, and you are one I would like to have for a friend.”   He extended his hand.  Charles grasped it and merely said,  “Thank you!”

        A few days later James Kent said to Charles,  “Would you mind telling me what prompted you to bring that picture to the college?”   Charles produced the little leaflet which was on his desk and explained its meaning to his friend.   Although James said little, he was very much impressed.  He watched Charles and  noticed how he went out each morning to assist at Mass and receive Holy Communion.

        The professors had no longer any cause to complain, for Charles was standing high in his classes.   The careless lads with whom he had associated ceased to frequent his room, for they felt uncomfortable under the gaze of that picture.  The boys of a more serious character admired and respected Charles and were proud to have him for their friend.

        June came and one evening James Kent asked Charles to accompany him for a walk.   To Charles’ surprise, he directed his steps to the rectory where Father McGuire opened the door as if expecting him.   Charles was bewildered, but James laughed and said,  “I have a surprise for you.  Father is going to baptize me tonight and I want you to be my godfather, for it is thanks to you that I have obtained this grace!   Your picture has brought about my conversation, and ‘the Heart of Jesus has blessed my undertakings.”

        After he sacrament of Baptism had been conferred on James, the priest turned to Charles and asked,  “What plans have you formed for your future?”  Charles smiled,  “I, too, have a surprise for you.   Next month I am going to enter a religious Congregation and in time I hope to become a missionary.”  James added, “You preached your first mission when you brought that picture of the Sacred Heart here, and I am your first convert.”