聖方濟．薩威司鐸 書信集
我們到新教友的村裏去，他們是 幾年前受洗的。葡萄牙人從來沒 有在這地區居住過：因為土地貧 瘠，極少出產。本地的基督信 徒，缺少司鐸，除了知道他們是 基督徒外，一無所知。沒有人給 他們施行聖事，也沒有人教他們 信經、天主經、聖母經和天主十 誡。
自從我來到這裏以來，總沒有休 息：不斷巡遊各鄉村，為尚未領 洗的孩童付洗。我使無數的嬰兒 重生，按這裏人所說的，他們不 知區別左右。但是兒童們不讓我 唸日課，也不讓我進食或休息， 除非我先教他們一端經文。這時 我才開始了解，天國屬於相似他 們的人。
我既不能忍心地拒絕他們如此虔 誠的要求，我就先教他們明認對 父、子、及聖神的信仰，然後再 教給他們使徒信經、天主經、聖 母經。我發覺他們天賦很高，如 果早有人用基督的誡命陶冶他 們，無疑的，他們必定成為很好 的基督信徒。
在這些地區，有許多人不是基督 信徒，只是因為沒有人使他們成 為基督徒。我多次想到，要遍訪 歐洲所有的大學，尤其是巴黎大 學，到處像狂人一樣大聲疾呼： 並恐嚇那些把學問放在愛德之上 的人， 說：「可憐！有多少靈 魂、由於你們的過失而紛紛墮入 地獄！」
但願他們把對學問的用心、用到 這使徒工作上，好使他們能把學 識與天賦才能的帳目、向天主交 清！
他們中間有許多人，被這種思想 所感動，並借助於默想天主的事 理，便會努力學習聆聽天主在他 們內所說的話，進而放棄貪慾， 擺脫俗事，願意完全服從天主的 旨意和召喚。那麼，他們便會從 心靈深處向主呼求說：「主，我 在這裏；祢願我做什麼？請派我 到祢所願意的任何地方去吧！即 使到印度去。」
We have visited the villages of the new converts who accepted the Christian religion a few years ago. No Portuguese live here, the country is so utterly barren and poor. The native Christians have no priests. They know only that they are Christians. There is nobody to say Mass for them; nobody to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Commandments of God’s Law.
I have not stopped since the day I arrived. I conscientiously made the rounds of the villages. I bathed in the sacred waters all the children who had not yet been baptized. This means that I have purified a very large number of children so young that, as the saying goes, they could not tell their right hand from their left. The older children would not let me say my Office or eat or sleep until I taught them one prayer or another. Then I began to understand: “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
I could not refuse so devout a request without failing in devotion myself. I taught them, first the confession of faith in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, then the Apostles’ Creed, the Our Father and Hail Mary. I noticed among them persons of great intelligence. If only someone could educate them in the Christian way of life, I have no doubt that they would make excellent Christians.
Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians. Again and again I have thought of going round the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: “What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!”
I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents entrusted to them.
This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God’s will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart: Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like – even to India.
