Saved by the Book; Conversion of St. John Colombino

John Colombino, led a worldly, covetuous, and irreligious life, went home one day from the warehouse more hungry than usual; and because his dinner was a little delayed, he got out of temper and abused both his wife and servant, saying he was in a hurry to go back to his counting-house. “You have too much money and spend too little, John,” said his wife, “why are you putting yourself out in this way? While getting things ready, take this book and read  little;” so saying, she gave him a volume containing some lives of Saints. John, somewhat nettled, took the book and threw it into the middle  of the room, saying,”You think of nothing but legends; I have the warehouse to go to.” Presently however his conscience began to prick him; he took the book from the ground,  and opening it, lighted upon the life of St. Mary of Egypt. Shortly afterwards his wife called him to dinner: “wait awhile,” replied John, forgetting his hunger; and on he went. The legend was long, but, as his biographer observes, there was a celestial melody in it: time sped, his wife looked at him; John was still reading, and what was more, grace was working. There was conversion in the legend of the penitent of Egypt; the story softened his heart; it was his thought by day, and his dream by night; the churlish Giovanni began to give alms, and always just double of what was asked of him; and to that reading was owing the outburst of the love of God which the Blessed Giovanni spread with his “Poor Sheep of Jesus,” the Gesuati, from one end of Italy to the other, from the Pope at Viterbo down to the swine-herd of Sienna.

St. John Colombino, Ora Pro Nobis.