耶穌聖心月一個光輝的早晨，雷神父坐在桌旁準備一篇仁慈的耶穌聖心的道理。他是聖若望聖堂的一位熱心的海員牧人。

   

雷神父很期待每艘船的進港，因為他生命中最大的喜樂就是去看船員們，將在加爾瓦略山被刺透的聖心之仁慈和光輝的愛，帶進他們動蕩不定、變化多端的生命中。

  

 忽然間，電話鈴響了，那是「皇后號」船長打來的：

「神父，我們剛剛進港。我想您會喜歡來，在出航前看看我們，我們在這兒停留三天」。

神父回答:「我馬上來，希望看看所有的人。」

   

神父抵達碼頭時，船長在那兒等著他。船員們竭誠地歡迎他。神父向水手們打招呼後，就要求他們到對街的小教堂去，鼓勵他們辨告解、領聖體，來奉獻給耶穌聖心，保證在他們的生命中會得到所需要的恩寵，耶穌聖心會在下次的航程中保護他們。

   

船員們聽了神父的勸告，都去辦告解、領聖體、把自己奉獻給耶穌聖心。但有一個船員為了躲避神父就藏起來，全體船員聚集在聖堂的時候，神父用漂亮又動人的話講論耶穌聖心，他鼓勵船員們以領聖體來表示他對上主的特別奉獻，一個船員告訴神父，這隻迷失的羊已經四十五年沒有領聖事了，神父給他一個聖心聖牌，鼓勵他給他的朋友帶上。

   

第二天，雷神父再到船上，找到前天躲着他的船員。和他談了五分鐘，他就同意領聖事。耶穌聖心完成了祂的工作，又一個靈魂回歸到基督的懷裡。

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6.Regretful Seaman

        One glorious morning in the month of the Sacred Heart, Father L. sat at his desk preparing a sermon on the mercy of the Heart of Christ.   The priest was the zealous pastor of the Sailors’ Chapel at St. John’s.

        Father L. eagerly looked forward to the arrival of each ship for it was his life’s greatest joy to meet the sailors and bring into their checkered lives bright rays of the love and mercy of the Heart that was pierced for us on Calvary.

        Suddenly, the telephone rang.   Answering the call, he found it was from the captain of the Majestic:   “Father, we have just arrived in port and I thought you would like to come and meet some of my men before we sail. We shall be here for three days.”   “I shall be over in a little while and hope to see all the men,” replied the priest.

        When Father reached the dock he found the captain awaiting him.   The men in general gave him a hearty welcome.   After greeting the crew, he asked them to call at the little chapel across the way, where he would be ready to receive them.   Then Father urged the men to show their devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by going to confession and receiving Holy Communion, assuring them that he would give them the graces they needed for their lives, and that He would protect them during their next voyage.

        The men responded to the appeal with the exception of one who hid when he heard that the priest was coming, in order to avoid him.   When all were assembled in the church, Father spoke in a very beautiful and touching manner of the Sacred Heart.   He urged the sailors to show their special devotion to our Lord by receiving Holy Communion.

        One of his companions told the priest about this stray sheep who had not approached the sacraments for forty-five years.   Father gave the sailor a Sacred Heart badge and urged him to get his friend to wear it.

        The next day Father L. again visited the ship and succeeded in finding the sailor who had avoided him on the previous day.   After talking with him five minutes the man agreed to receive the sacraments.   The badge had accomplished its work and another soul was brought to the feet of Christ.