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May 22 ~ Venerable (and Possibly Forgetful) Devotee to Our Lady’s Image
The Venerable Mother Ines de la O., a native of Mexico City, where she
professed in the Convent of Our Mother Santa Clara; daughter of Bartholome
Sanches and Lady Ines Hernandes.
She was devoted to an Image of Our Lady, which was in the Choir, where she
could always be found.
Once an Indian (in whom it is common vice to take whatever they find)
happened to enter the Church and took the keys to the doors. The Mothers
were aggrieved; and the Venerable Mother Ines could think of no other
solution than to prostrate herself before her benefactor, and with tears
beseech relief for this affliction. When she arose, she found the keys at
the foot of the Image.
On another occasion the Image was missing from its place and, thinking it
offended, [they inquired of the Venerable Mother]. But Mother Ines said,
“There’s no need to seek my Lady; for days I’ve asked that she end the
flooding of this city, and she has gone to remedy it.” Afterwards, they
noticed that the Image’s mantle was wet and full of mud; and the street of
Santa Clara was dry with the dawn.
She passed every night in prayerful exercises before this Holy Image; rarely
did they see her undress, because she would lie down to rest still dressed,
to avoid the encumbrance of dressing for prayer. At other times the hard
floor was her easy bed. In such exercises was she caught by watchful death,
the 22nd of May, 1613.
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"Menologio Franciscano"
Fr. Agustin de Vetancurt
[I wonder if Listmembers have come across similar episodes in Saintly lives,
where a sacred image leaves the church of its own power to go perform a
miracle. I presume the imposition of an unseen Indian/Jew/Ethiopian to
explain something such as missing keys is more commonplace.]
jmichael
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