The Weight of the Holy Eucharist

THE WEIGHT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST

Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB

            This article is a true story about the Holy Eucharist. I was fascinated by it and that is why I thought of sharing it with you’ll. This incident happened in a place called Luxemburg. As mentioned before, this story is a true story told by the late Reverend Fr. Stanislaus.  

            One day in Luxemburg, a Captain of the Forest Guard was in deep conversation with a butcher when suddenly an old 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.
She told the butcher, “I am sorry I have no money but I’ll hear Mass for you,” the woman told the butcher. Both the butcher and the Captain were indifferent about religion, so they at once began to scoff at the old woman’s idea.

            “Alright then,” said the butcher. “You go and hear Mass for me and when you come back I’ll give you as much as the Mass is worth.” The woman left the shop and returned later. She approached the counter and the butcher said, “Alright then we’ll see.”

            He took a slip of paper and wrote on it ‘I heard a Mass for you.’ He placed the paper on one side of a weighing scale and a tiny bone on the other side of the weighing scale, 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 weighing scale, but still the paper proved heavier. The butcher, exasperated, examined the scales but found that they were alright.  

            “What do you want my good woman? Must I give you whole leg of mutton?” At this point he placed the leg of mutton on the balance, but the paper outweighed the meat again. A larger piece of meat was put on the weighing scale, but again the weight remained on the side of the paper. This impressed the butcher so much that he was converted and promised to give the woman her daily ration of meat. As for the Captain, he left the shop a changed man and became an ardent lover of the daily Eucharist. Two of his sons became priests, one a Jesuit and the other, a priest of the Sacred Heart.


            Fr. Stanislaus finished this story by saying, “I am from the Religious of the Sacred Heart and the Captain was my father.” From this incident the Captain became a daily Mass attendant 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. “Remember! A holy Mass a day keeps the Devil away!”

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