A bishop of France was once traveling through the country when he came across a leper on the side of the road, asking for help. The bishop then dismounted and gave the leper some money. "It is not the money that I want, but that you remove the coverings on my face." The Bishop then began to do so with his silk cloth and fingers very gently. But the leper still moaned in pain. "The touch of your tongue is all I can bear." The Bishop was startled at such a strange request. He shuddered at the thought of it, as anyone would. But at length, grace won over human nature and he resolved to treat the leper like he would to Our Lord. He then licked the leper’s sores. But something strange happened. It did not taste disgusting at all. When had licked the wounds around the mouth of the leper they turned into gems. The leper ceased to be disfigured with ugly sores. Instead he became an attractive youth, Who was Christ Himself.

Stories such as these are true and happen frequently in the lives of the Saints. The "sick" person is not always God in disguise but the purpose is always the same. Christ comes to us in a way that is difficult for us to deal with. But He asks us, for the love of God, to overcome our natural fears or disgust and give assistance to those in need. These events are usually turning points in the life of a Saint. Saint Catherine of Sienna and Saint Margaret Mary (amoung others) had to overcome their aversion to cancer sores and body wastes to care for people. Saint Francis of Assisi had a deep fear of leprosy which is a very contagious disease that causes the skin to decay and give off an awful stench like death. Once though, God arranged for him to be confronted by a leper. With God’s grace these Saints - and many others - were able to conquer their fright and their repugnance and bring God’s care and compassion to those in great need when no one else would help them.