When St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) was still a student studying, he took some of his classes in Padua, Italy. This Saint tells us that, in those days, a terrible practice was rampant in the area. It was a dangerous thing to go abroad at night. For in those dark hours, some of the young men would amuse themselves in the most stupid and despicable of ways.

The idle youth would roam through the streets, armed with arquebuses, a type of gun contemporary to the time. As soon as they came across another person in the dark they would cry out, "Who goes there?". If they received a response, they would let the stranger pass. If not, then they would fire at the unfortunate victim.

People had to answer, for the young men fired upon those who gave no reply. Many people were wounded or killed because of this atrocious 'game'.

One evening, one of these young fools was running about as usual. At last, he spotted someone walking alone in the darkness. Now for the fun of it all! Feeling rather full of himself, he called out sharply to the stranger.

"Who goes there?"

All was silent. A few tense moments passed; yet still no answer. That was that. Without a word of warning, the young man fired his gun at the dark figure. In the shadows, he saw the person fall down in a heap to the ground.

At that moment, the foolish young man was seized with terror when he realized what he had done. He had not just injured the stranger - he had shot him in the head. The poor victim lying in the street was mortally wounded.

Tortured by his conscience, the young man fled to the only place of refuge he had. For some time, he had known a good widow, whose son was a fellow student and close friend of his. He ran to her house, and knocked feverishly on the door until she opened it. With tears, he told her that he had just killed someone - he didn’t know who - and he begged her to let him hide in her house.

The widow felt compassion for the young man's disastrous mistake, and concealed him in a safe place in the house where he would not be found.

It was not half an hour later, when another knock was heard on her door. The woman answered it, and her blood ran cold. She was not prepared for the shock that met her. A body was carried in and placed before her. There, pale and lifeless, was the corpse of her fugitive’s recent victim. With scarlet streaks in his head from the bullet in his skull, lay her son. He was dead.

The poor woman broke out into heartrending cries at the sight, and even more at the realization that the murderer of her own son was now taking refuge in her house. She turned away and made straight for the hiding-place of the assassin.

She glared through her tears at the terrified young man, "Miserable man!" she exclaimed, "What had my son done to you that you should murder him so cruelly?"

This was nearly as great a shock to the guilty wretch as it had been to the victim’s mother. He hadn’t just shot 'someone' - he had killed his friend!

He cried out in agony, tearing at his hair, and wringing his hands in soul-piercing despair. Then throwing himself upon his knees, he begged the forgiveness of his protectress. He pleaded her to deliver him up to the authorities so that he might atone for so horrible a crime.

At that moment, the disconsolate mother remembered that she was a Catholic. The example of Jesus Christ praying for His executioners moved her to accept the grace to do something heroic…

Looking down at the weeping, miserable youth before her, she told him that, provided he confessed his sin, begged God's forgiveness, and amended his life, she would let him go. She also would prevent all legal proceedings against him.

It is impossible to imagine how powerfully God is moved when He sees us imitate His Divine Son and practice the amazing forgiveness that Jesus has shown to us. St. Francis de Sales tells us that God was so pleased with the forgiveness of this mother and, wanting to show her this truth, He permitted her deceased son to appear to her.

The widow saw her beloved child, surrounded in glory, and on his face was a joy she’d never seen him have his whole life. He told her that he was about to go to Heaven, and enjoy eternal happiness forever. Then, with a loving smile, he told his mother.

"God has shown mercy to me, dear mother, because you showed mercy towards my assassin. In consideration of the pardon which you granted, I have been delivered from Purgatory, where, without the assistance which you have given me, I should have had to endure long years of intense suffering."