There was once a very lazy monk who didn’t keep the promises of the monastic order. He had only one good deed: out of his love and piety for the Holy Mother of God, he was standing every day before Her icon and said 100 times the Hail Mary prayer. And thus living in idleness, the Most Gracious and Merciful God sent him a dreadful vision. He was taken by the devil and his soul went to the judgement with the devils. There, because of his sins, he was to go to tortures.
But the Holy Mother of God, arising from her chair, said:
“I pray to you, my Lord, allow me to make justice to this soul.” And taking out a book where were written all his prayers, put it on the scale with his good deeds. But the devils put on the other side of the scale many books with his sins and his soul was to go to hell. Then The Mother of Mercy, seeing that the prayers were of no avail, said:
“Remember, my Son that from my body you took your human being and for this reason I beg you, give me a drop of Your holy blood You shed for the sinners during Your suffering. Most Gracious Lord, have mercy on him for he loved me very much and prayed to me devotedly.”
And the Lord said:
“Your will be done, my Mother, but know that A DROP OF MY BLOOD COVERS ALL THE SINS OF THE WORLD.”
So the Empress receiving the gift and putting it on the scale, all the devils ran and scattered and the soul was taken by the Holy Mother of God. Coming into his senses, the monk gave praise to the Lord, thanking to the Holy Mother of God for showing him such a wondrous vision. And repenting, he changed his life and did so many good deeds that everybody marveled at him. And he died praising the Lord and the Holy Mother of God who saved him.
