There was once a man who was employed in a large business. His son too had a job there, and while the father served as a traveler for the company, the young man worked as a clerk.

Well, one day, while the father was gone on a business trip, the company received bad news. One of their ships had been attacked by pirates, and crew and passengers were taken captive - the young man’s father being amoung them. Not long after, the boy received further news that his father was in Turkey, having indeed been sold as a slave.

Immediately, the young man resolved to spare no expense or effort in trying to obtain his release. He saved all the money he possibly could, sold his best suit of clothes, and when he found that that wasn’t enough, he humbly begged from some charitable persons to aid him in collecting a sufficient sum for his father’s ransom.

At length, by the grace of God, the young man raised a considerable amount of money. He then went to his employers, and asked for a leave of absence. Having obtained it, he journeyed to Turkey, to the place where he’d been told that his father was.

When he arrived, he found himself in the home of a wealthy Turk. After some inquiries, it was indeed confirmed that the young man’s father had been purchased and was enslaved by this man. When asked if he would allow the father’s freedom to be purchased, the Turk demanded a ransom that was enormous, far beyond what the young man could pay.

Nothing said could change the greedy Turk’s mind, and so the young man offered him a different proposal "Take me in my father’s place. I am young and can do more work than an old man like him."

The practical profit in this offer appealed the slave master. Before making a decision though, he sent for the young man’s father. Imagine the man’s surprise and joy when he saw his son. But his joy turned to sorrow, when the Turk told him the situation and the standing proposal.

With tears in his old eyes, the father embraced his son; he absolutely refused, however, to allow him to ransom him in that fashion. Despite his son’s insistence, he would not give his consent. His son, however, had inherited not only his generous heart - but strong will.

"Go, father," he insisted. "take the money I collected for your ransom to pay for your journey home; I am quite willing to wear your chains, and even to die in slavery, if you go free."

His father had not the heart to answer him. But he did not need to. The Turk was so touched by this display of filial affection that he consented to the young man’s request. Not of ransom - but of freedom. While commending his son in the highest terms, the Turk gave the father his liberty - and without taking a single coin for his release.

If a greedy and worldly man can be thus affected by noble charity - how much more so will the good God reward those who sacrifice and plead for the salvation of souls or the holy prisoners in Purgatory. If God, as St. Augustine tells us, is more anxious to bestow His graces and blessings, than we are to receive them - what faithful prayer is there that He would not answer, what noble sacrifice that He would not reward? Not only is He ready for our generosity... He is anxiously waiting.