The Boy Hero

In your geography classes you’ve learned about sunny Spain. Well, my story is about Spain, but it’s not about sunny Spain. My story is about a sad Spain, because Spain was at war. Spain was at war with her enemies.

It seems that the enemies of Spain were attacking the city of Toledo. In the city of Toledo there was a large castle which the Spanish people had turned into a fort. In this castle, or fort, there were about a thousand people – a few children, some women and a large number of soldiers. The soldiers were under the charge of Colonel Moscardo.

For three days the enemy tried to make Colonel Moscardo and his soldiers stop fighting. The enemy used all kinds of tricks and schemes, but Colonel Moscardo refused to give up.

In the midst of the fighting, Colonel Moscardo was called to his office. There was a very important telephone call for the Colonel. Someone wanted to speak to him.

The Colonel hurried up the stairs of the castle and entered his office. He sat before a large wooden desk. He picked up the phone.

“Hello!” said the Colonel. Then he waited.

“We have captured your son, Luis” said the voice of one of the enemy over the phone. “He is here with us now. If you don’t stop fighting within ten minutes, your son will be shot.”

“My son?” called out the Colonel. “I don’t believe you. You are trying to trap me with one of your schemes. If my son is there, let me speak to him!”

For a moment, there was silence. Then another voice came over the wire. The voice of a sixteen-year-old boy. It was the voice of Luis Moscardo, the son of the Colonel.

“Father!” said the boy. “They’ve told me that they will kill me if you don’t stop fighting. What shall I do? I’ll do whatever you tell me.”

Colonel Moscardo’s face turned pale. He tried to think… Should he give his country to the enemy and save his boy, or should he tell his boy to die and save Spain for his people? There was only one answer.

Colonel Moscardo’s voice was very clear. “Luis,” he said, “I can’t stop fighting. I can’t give my country to the enemy. You must die for your country. Beg God to help you, and die like a hero!”

The Colonel listened. “Father,” he heard, “I’ll die for my country. I’ll die for you.”

The Father listened for more words from his son, but no other words were spoken. Then a terrible sound came ringing over the wire into the Colonel’s ears. It was the sound of a shot from a gun. Then, the Colonel heard a noise as if something had fallen heavily upon the floor.

Yes, Luis Moscardo, the Colonel’s son, had been shot. Luis Moscardo died because his father asked him to die. Luis Moscardo died for his country and for his father. If there was ever a hero, it was Luis Moscardo.

Lesson:

Children, on the first Holy Thursday night, Jesus knelt in a garden. And Jesus called up to His Father in heaven and asked His Father what He should do. And what did God, the Father, ask His Son to do? God asked Jesus, His son, to give up His life – to die for us. And what did Jesus answer? Children, you know the answer Jesus gave. Jesus, too, told His Father that He would do whatever His Father wanted Him to do.

And the very next day, the first Good Friday, Jesus did what His Father asked Him to do. Jesus gave up His life by dying on a cross. Jesus died for you, for me. Yes, Jesus died for the whole world. The world’s greatest Hero – Jesus Christ!

That isn’t all, children! Oh, no! Every morning God lets His Son die again on our altar. In every Mass, Jesus dies again. And why does Jesus die? To free the world from sin! Jesus dies for our sins. He dies to wash away our sins. He dies to win us from sin.

Children, there isn’t any prayer that pleases God more than the Mass. The Mass is the greatest prayer, the best prayer. That’s why God wants us to come to Mass often. Jesus doesn’t die just once a week. Jesus dies every day. That’s why God wants us to come to Mass not just once a week, but every day if it is possible. God wants us to pray the Mass every single day. God wants us to give Him the best prayer every single day.

Why then, don’t you come to Mass more often? Why don’t you get up a little bit earlier each morning, and stop in for Mass on your way to school? Hundreds of thousands of people, men and women, go to Mass every day. Why don’t you? You’ll meet Christ at Mass. You’ll get so many graces – graces that you need – graces that will help you all through the day.

The Mass, children, is for you! The Mass is Jesus dying for you. Show Jesus that you are grateful for what He is doing for you!

Come to Mass! Come to Mass!

Note: Taken from the book "Going His Way" by Fr. Brennan