While St. Margaret Mary was the Mistress of Novices at her convent in Paray, the nuns received a special prayer request: the father of one of the novices had passed away, and the convent had been asked to pray for him. St. Margaret Mary was especially moved and, prompted by God’s grace and charity, prayed especially hard for the departed soul.

Some days later, the deceased man’s daughter went to see her holy mistress. Not knowing that the Saint had already been praying quite fervently, the novice asked St. Margaret Mary to please pray for her father. Seeing the anxiety in the poor girl’s face, St. Margaret Mary smiled, and said kindly: "My daughter, be at peace. Your father is actually in a condition to pray for us."

This news was surprising and consoling to the young nun. In answer to her unspoken question, St. Margaret Mary added, "Ask your mother what was the most generous action your father performed before his death; this action has obtained for him a favorable judgment from God."

The novice was quite curious! She had no idea what this "most generous action" could be. In fact, no one in the area really knew the details of the death which had happened so far away from Paray. And while God had been quick to console her in her fears for her father, the novice was able to offer the sacrifice of knowing the cause for her father’s favorable judgment. For it was actually a long time afterwards before the novice even saw her mother again.

God arranged it for a very special day… the day of the novice’s profession. The mother came and was there to see her daughter become a nun. It was on this memorable occasion that the girl was finally able ask her mother about the generous action her father performed before he died. With the fond memory still fresh in her mind, the mother recounted the following incident:

When the girl’s father was dying, the Holy Viaticum was brought to him, and some people accompanied the Blessed Sacrament into the room. A certain butcher joined them, but then quietly stepped aside and stood in a corner. Before long, the sick man saw him standing there. He called the butcher by his name, and told him to come near.

When the butcher approached, he was somewhat surprised as the dying invalid took his hand and pressed it kindly - with a humility that was uncommon to persons of his rank.

Then, with simple and touching sincerity, the dying man asked pardon for some harsh words that he had spoken to the butcher from time to time. Furthermore, the invalid wanted all present to be witness of this reparation that he made.

Having made his peace with a man whom he had wronged by a few of his words, he could now make his peace with God, Whom he had wronged by all of his sins.

Thus it was that the novice, now a nun, learned how this simple, fervent act of humility and charity was so pleasing to Christ that it was, to Him, her father’s "most generous action" and had merited God’s favorable judgment.