Published in 1868, republished by TAN 1994, pp. 201-203
"Towards the close of the last century, there lived a very impious man in Rottweil, a little town of Swabia, Germany. One day, when in the most solemn procession of Corpus Christi, the Blessed Sacrament passed by the house of this impious wretch, he had the diabolical audacity to scoff at the Blessed Sacrament in a most horrid manner. He placed himself before the window in his shirt sleeves, with his butcher's apron on and a white nightcap on his head. By appearing in this unbecoming dress, he wished to show his contempt and disrespect to the Holy Eucharist...
"This blasphemer soon after died the death of a reprobate...
"Immediately after the death of this impious man, such horrible noises, such frightful groanings, lamentations and howlings were heard in his house that no one could stand it any longer. Every person easily guessed the cause of it; the difficulty was, how to remove it.
"At last, as if inspired by God, they had recourse to the following expedient: It was resolved that this man's portrait should be painted in the same dress and posture in which he had appeared, to scoff at the Blessed Sacrament, and that the painting should be placed in the opening of the wall, instead of the window, in order to show to all who should pass by how God punishes the scoffers of the Blessed Sacrament. Strange to say, no sooner was this painting placed in the wall, than the house became quiet.
"Some years afterwards, the wife of a Protestant preacher who lived opposite could no longer bear the sight of this horrid portrait. Accordingly, her husband went to the Civil Magistrate to obtain an ordinance for the removal of the picture. His petition was granted, but no sooner was the painting removed than the former frightful scenes returned and continued until the alarmed people of the house obtained permission to restore the painting to its place. One of our Fathers related this event to me, as an eye-witness of the fact."
The reason I posted this is because Fr. Bernard made an announcement last week about watching how we come dressed to Holy Mass. He specifically sited "tee-shirts" but I think that's just a way of saying "casual" dress. It has been so hot here - in fact my daughter-in-law literally passed out in church last Sunday but this story illustrates how important it is to watch how we dress for Holy Mass.
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