This contentment in the midst of the most
intense suffering cannot be explained otherwise than by the Divine consolations
which the Holy Ghost infuses into the souls in Purgatory. This Divine Spirit,
by means of faith, hope,and charity, puts them in the disposition of a sick
person who has to submit to very painful treatment, but the effect of which is
to restore him to perfect health. This sick person suffers, but he loves his
salutary suffering. The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, gives a similar contentment
to the holy souls.
Of this we have a striking example in Peter
Miles, raised from the dead by St. Stanislaus of Cracow, who preferred to
return to Purgatory rather than to live again upon earth.
The celebrated miracle of this resurrection
happened in 1070. It is thus related in the Acta Sanctorum on May 7. St.
Stanislaus was Bishop of Cracow when the Duke Boleslas II. governed Poland. He
did not neglect to remind this prince of his duties, who scandalously violated them
before all his people. Boleslas was irritated by the holy liberty of the
Prelate, and to revenge himself he excited against him the heirs of a certain
Peter Miles, who had died three years previously, after having sold a piece of
ground to the church of Cracow. The heirs accused the saint of having usurped
the ground, without having paid the owner. Stanislaus declared that he had paid
for the land, but as the witnesses who should have defended him had been either
bribed or intimidated, he was denounced as a usurper of the property of
another,and condemned to make restitution.
Then, seeing that he had nothing to expect
from human justice, he raised his heart to God, and received a sudden
inspiration. He asked for a delay of three days, promising to make Peter Miles appear
in person, that he might testify to the legal purchase and payment of the lot.
They were granted to him in scorn. The saint
fasted, watched, and prayed God to take up the defence of his cause. The third
day, after having celebrated Holy Mass, he went out, accompanied by his clergy
and many of the faithful, to the place where Peter had been interred. By his
orders the grave was opened ; it contained nothing but bones.
He touched them with his crosier, and in the name
of Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, he commanded the dead man to
arise.
Suddenly the bones became reunited, were
covered with flesh, and, in sight of the stupefied people, the dead man was
seen to take the Bishop by the hand and walk towards the tribunal. Boleslas,
with his court and an immense crowd of people, were awaiting the result with
the most lively expectation. "Behold Peter," said the saint to Boleslas;
"he comes, prince, to give testimony before you. Interrogate him ; he will
answer you."
It is impossible to depict the stupefaction
of the Duke, of his councillors, and of the whole concourse of people. Peter
affirmed that he had been paid for the ground ; then turning towards his heirs,
he reproached them for having accused the pious prelate against all rights of
justice; then he exhorted them to do penance for so grievous a sin.
It was thus that iniquity, which believed
itself already sure of success, was confounded. Now comes the circumstance which
concerns our subject, and to which we wished to refer.
Wishing to complete this great miracle for
the glory of God, Stanislaus proposed to the deceased that, if he desired to
live a few years longer, he would obtain for him this favour from God. Peter
replied that he had no such desire. He was in Purgatory, but he would rather return
thither immediately and endure its pains, than expose himself to damnation in
this terrestrial life. He entreated the saint only to beg of God to shorten the
time of his sufferings, that he might the sooner enter the abode of the
blessed. After that, accompanied by the Bishop and a vast multitude, Peter
returned to his grave, laid himself down, his body fell to pieces, and his
bones resumed the same state in which they had first been found. We have reason
to believe that the saint soon obtained the deliverance of his soul.
That which is the most remarkable in this
example, and which should most attract our attention, is that a soul from Purgatory,
after having experienced the most excruciating torments, prefers that state of
suffering to the life of this world ; and the reason which he gives for this
preference is, that in this mortal life we are exposed to the danger of being
lost and incurring eternal damnation.
