There are countless examples in the lives of the Saints that demonstrate the generosity of God to the Poor Souls, in reward for their generosity in suffering voluntarily on earth for the love of God. The following is just one of these many stories, but it is one that gives all of us an easy example to imitate.

Blessed Emilia of Vercelli, a Dominican prioress, exhorted her Sisters to make sacrifices charitably and often. A rule of their Order was that no one would ever drink between meals without permission, which the Prioress was not inclined to grant.

On one occasion, one of the sisters - Cecilia Avogadra - burning with thirst, begged the prioress for a little water.

"Daughter," Bd. Emilia said gently, "make this little sacrifice for the love of God." The poor nun, though, was not consoled.

"Mother, this sacrifice is not little," replied Cecilia. "I am dying of thirst!" She did however, although it caused her great suffering, obey in all humility.

Shortly after her death, Cecilia appeared in glory to Emilia. Her face beaming with happiness, Sister Avogadra told her former prioress,

"I am so grateful to you! I was condemned to a long Purgatory, but after two days my Guardian Angel doused the flames with that glass of water I sacrificed, freeing me from my prison!"

Although seemingly unimportant, but if done for the love of God and out of obedience, the little sacrifices we meet every day can be put to great and extraordinary use. Don’t waste a single one!