Fr. Paul of Moll was a Benedictine priest in 19th century Belgium. He was renowned for obtaining many miracles from God, particularly through the intercession of St. Benedict. The lives of many people changed forever after requesting Fr. Paul’s prayers. It is not surprising that people would return to the holy man when new needs arose.

In the year 1882, a certain woman received dreadful news from her physician that she would have to undergo an operation. Dread and fear gripped her heart! The idea of a surgery is always a painful one, especially at that time, when the medications against severe pain were relatively new and were nowhere near as developed as in modern days.

But! This woman was blessed to know Father Paul. Eager for a miracle, she wasted no time in visiting her holy friend and explaining the situation to him. But his answer was nothing that she expected. Instead of giving her a blessed medal, or telling her to pray a novena, or even simply praying himself, Father Paul encouraged her to actually undergo the surgery.

The woman was shocked... And scared. She would rather have died than gone through the painful ordeal of an operation - and she told him so frankly.

With a kind but firm tone, Father Paul replied, "You have never disobeyed me before. Have confidence in me, and resign yourself with docility to the judgment of the surgeon."

He ended with a promise: Within the short space of two days, she would experience the happiest hour of her life.

Disappointed, the sad woman returned home. Let down in her hopes for a cure, she was faced now with two choices. On the hand, resist and resent the surgery she was forced to face or resign herself to this trial as God’s Will. Fr. Paul was right; she had not disobeyed him before. And as the woman pondered her decision, she set her will to do as the holy man said. She would submit and God would grant her the strength to endure the surgery. Soon it would be all over. And then would come the happiness which Father Paul had promised her.

The fateful day arrived. Braced for the worst, she presented herself to the physician, and said to him,

"Here I am. Do with me whatever you may deem necessary and may God aid you."

The doctor examined her once more in preparation for the surgery. As she watched, his expression grew from confusion to astonishment.

He exclaimed in shock, "The malady has disappeared! Not a trace of it remains. It is impossible to account for it! Truly, indeed, this is a miracle!"