The secret of the Jewish boy from Krakow
It was in 1918.
The First World War had my parents, like many other Poles, deprived of her property. I was therefore forced a student to look in paid employment. I would not be able to continue studying.
Someone advised me to imagine a Jewish lady, seeking a private tutor for her twelve year old son Daniel, who prepare the second high school needed.
I was, however, no friend of the Jews. I was to learn later that there are many good, decent, and even truly pious Jews.
The story of the prophet Jonas
The Jewish lady confided her boy, and I resolved to fulfill my duty as faithfully as possible because I had learned from my father, all had to do what I to do well. Daniel came to me sometimes, sometimes, classes were held in his house.
One day I met my student in his room with a Jewish prayer book in his hand.
I leafed through the book. It was written in Hebrew. In every sentence, however, was the German Translation. From this I realized that it was a question of the biblical story of Jonah, but was the same, I believe, quite wrongly interpreted. Somewhat reluctant about it, I gave Daniel the book back, as I muttered: "That's fraud
The boy was very surprised at my remark and asked immediately:
Why is it cheating? Is about the Jewish worship service not good? ?.. And what about for the Catholic church "
He showered me with questions about the formal Catholic religion in particular he was interested in the person of Jesus Christ
fatigued by his many questions, I finally replied almost angrily:
"What do you care for all this?" You will never be a Christian. Study better, for I will come here. You will not exist otherwise your exam and your mother will be angry with me! "
affected the boy was silent for several minutes. But before long, he assailed me with more questions, did not rest until I gave him the promise to take him once in our cathedral.
I intended for this church visit on the 7th May 1918, the feast day of our Polish bishop of St. Stanislaus.
A miracle of grace
The boy picked me up at the agreed days off in my apartment.
Fröhlich chatting we walked to Warvelhügel on which the cathedral rises. During the ascent to the hill I took my students on various monuments and carefully explained to him. The moment we entered the cathedral, came a bright silver bell. Probably - I thought - is one of the many altars just celebrated the holy conversion. I cared nothing further on it and stayed a few steps, are pondering what I wanted to show my students first.
When I then turned to him, I saw something strange: Daniel, the Jewish boy, kneeling on the floor! His face was pale, his eyes were fixed on one point.
Startled, I took him to the shoulder and asked: "Daniel, are you sick?"
He gave me no answer. It seemed the world to be completely removed.
His face shone unearthly beauty in his lips and whispered something, as if he were talking to an invisible.
I approached my ear to his mouth to catch a few sets, but I could not understand and still do not know what language he spoke at that time.
You can imagine my embarrassment! All the more, as the peculiar behavior of the boy noticed several women and one of them remarked, half aloud: "He's a Jew!"
went by so few minutes. Meanwhile, a priest walked past us in his hands solemnly hl. Food for the journey to a patient was wearing. Daniel followed, still kneeling, the priest intently enraptured eyes.
After the priest the church with the good Reverend had left, Daniel stood up quietly and went without to take care of me, straight to the chapel of St. Stephen Bathory, where the Blessed Sacrament is kept. It shone his face so that he involuntarily me a picture of St. Stanislaus Kostka remembered. There he knelt down at the screen again and prayed for more than a quarter of an hour, his eyes constantly, as if transfigured, pointed at the Tabernacle.
I dared not disturb him, but waited until he would come to her. First, distressed me to think that perhaps Daniel was suddenly the victim of a sense of confusion. But then I gradually gained a firm conviction, the Lord God work here a miracle of grace.
On the way home
Daniel finally got up, gave me a sign that he wanted to go home and left the cathedral, very collected. He had seen from all works of art and beauty of the cathedral nothing seemed yet to be fully satisfied.
On the way home I tried to learn by careful questions about what had happened.
Daniel replied evasively, however, but started again and again by the dear Saviour to speak. Incessantly and with tremendous emphasis he assured:
"The Lord Jesus is very nice and good!"
as often as he said this, a faint flush passed over his face - a reflection of deep love for the divine Redeemer, which was glowing in his heart.
I confess that this experience tremendous grabbed me and shook up my time pretty weak Catholic faith strong. Nevertheless, I forgot what had happened soon and thought vilelleicht, was all just an illusion Daniels was on my part.
Daniel says his death ahead
I continued as before, to teach my students without my behavior towards him to change somehow. As Daniel explained to me open one day that he wants to be Catholic.
insistent than ever he sought the truths of Catholic faith and asked me to meet a number of questions. Most recently, he asked me that I should baptize him.
I was really angry, scoffed at his "childish" desire and exhorted him to study, since the time of trial was approaching, and his skills are still very poor. Daniel
most popu calm and said with great certainty that he had to make no more tests, he on 8 September will die. Previously, he must still observe the hl. Receive baptism.
was mocking laugh I answered,
. "Dear boy, you'll live longer than I. And in terms of baptism, so you can even ask your mom what she means it!"
I did not talk to me. But all my efforts, Daniel in Latin and other subjects in fast forward, were in vain.
the end of the school year so I told his mother without hesitation, that I will not send him to the degree that he was capable in any case until after the holidays to check it.
Then began the summer holidays where I did not see Daniel.
On 7 September, but when I thought of anything but to my former student, I was looking for his Jewish mother on.
I thought she would ask me to begin the private lessons with Daniel again. I received them less friendly. Yes, I moved out immediately, I was not inclined to bother me with her baby recently. Since
said to me, they've come about something else. Daniel was sick and had expressed intense desire, I must see to this day. At that moment I fell
the words of the boys again:
"I will die on the 8th September!"
I immediately promised his mother, his wish to meet that evening.
I met Daniel while on the bed, but found nothing disturbing in its state. So I did not believe his imminent death, especially since his mother told me the doctor in this current malaise fair no meaning.
When we were alone, I looked at Daniel with serious eyes and said I absolutely had to baptize him now because his end was near. At the same time he promised me if I do his will, he would tell me a secret.
I hesitated, wondering what to do. Daniel begged me.
I was still undecided. But the force with which penetrated the boy in me defeated, finally, my resistance. I agreed to donate his emergency baptism on the condition that he later notifying the church to catch up on the solemn ceremonies. Also
I added that I am afraid of the wrath of his mother, for she had no idea of its Catholic ethos. Daniel tried to take my concerns by assuring that he would tell his mother anything.
"Besides," he said smiling, "I will stop tomorrow, so to speak for ever!"
Then he suddenly jumped out of bed, grabbed a full water bottle and squeezed it into my hand.
He repeated the request, which sounded like an entered command of God:
"baptisms baptisms me me!"
As I poured the water over Daniel's head, trembling with the words:
"Daniel, I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! "
Now Daniel was started over the moon and now, without waiting for a question put to it to tell me that he had then appeared in the Cathedral Jesus. The dear Saviour was very nice been friendly and unbelievably kind and he had the day foretold his death, with a request to be baptized before.
I listened to Daniel attention, but could still not believe that he would die the next day because he had nothing of a dying per se, either in his movements, even in his voice. When they parted, I promised to come back the next day.
On September 8 1918 - Hard Mriä birth - clock in the evening 5 Daniel died. When I
on 8 September to 5 clock in the evening again went into the Jewish home, I met the mother in despair.
The doctor had just been with her only child. Although he could not determine disease, but its pulse was so weak that there is no hope of recovery was gone.
Daniel lay there peacefully. His face betrayed his inner happiness. He was pleased with my coming and said cheerfully:
"Look, I'm going to die soon!"
"If you die," I replied, "Do the Savior will immediately take to the sky!"
With these words Daniel bowed his head to one side smiled and breathed out his soul ... On his deathbed he was like truly a saint.
(The private teacher, who so movingly described this wonderful eucharistic experience of his students changed, immediately after his death, his wicked life, was a fervent Catholic, and even later, an excellent priest. O inscrutable omnipotence, greatness and goodness of God!)
(Source: Youth emissary of the Divine Heart of Jesus, November 1929, Feldkirch)
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