One Afternoon a Terrible Temptation Came to Me

One Afternoon a Terrible Temptation Came to Me

One afternoon a terrible temptation came to me. I said to myself that I was weary and that lying in bed had become intolerable. The devil availed himself of my impatience and began to tempt me and said that if I had given him the chance he would have cured me, and he would have done all that I wished. Father, I was almost on the point of yielding; I was terrified; I gave myself up for lost. All at once a thought came to me. I ran in spirit to the Venerable Gabriel and said to him, vehemently, "Save my soul first and then my body."

Nevertheless the demon continued with more violent assaults. A thousand evil thoughts flashed through my mind. Again I had recourse to the Venerable Gabriel; and this time I conquered. I regained control of myself; I made the sign of the cross and in a quarter of an hour, I began to unite myself to my God whom I had treated so disrespectfully. I remember now that very evening I began to read the "Life" of Brother Gabriel which the lady had left me. I read it many times. I could not read it often enough. I admired greatly his virtues and determined to follow his example.

From the day that my new protector, Venerable Gabriel, had saved my soul, I began to have a particular devotion to him. In the night I could not sleep if I did not have his picture under my pillow, and I began at last to see him near me, that is, Father, I seemed to feel his presence. In every bad deed I was about to do I turned to Brother Gabriel in spirit and he restrained me. I did not fail to pray to him every day with these words: "Save my soul, then my body."'

St. Gemma Galgani
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