35. The Virgin's Handkerchief, 1861 (MB. 6,735).
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On the night of June 14, I saw in a dream that a group of youths surrounded the Blessed Virgin and that She gave each one a handkerchief. Then they all went up to the roof and Our Lady said to them: "Do not open the handkerchief when the wind blows. And if the wind comes by surprise turn immediately to the right, but never to the left".
Then each young men spread out his handkerchief: they were very fine, embroidered with gold and very expensive. On each handkerchief was written: "Queen of the Virtues: Purity or Chastity.
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Suddenly a strong wind began to come from the left side. Several young people immediately closed their handkerchiefs. Others turned to the right side. But some remained with their handkerchiefs open, and without moving. Immediately a strong storm broke out: lightning, thunder, rain, hail and snow.
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To the young men who remained with their handkerchiefs outstretched, the hail was breaking each handkerchief. The rain and snow also filled handkerchief after handkerchief with holes, and in a short time the handkerchiefs were completely ruined and lost all their beauty.
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I asked Our Lady what that meant and she replied: "Those young men are your disciples. The handkerchief is the holy virtue of purity or chastity. Those who were left with a torn handkerchief are the ones who exposed themselves to temptations, to dangers, to occasions of sin. Those who folded the handkerchief in time and kept it intact and beautiful are those who have not been exposed to the dangers of sinning and preserve the holy virtue of purity. Those who have turned to the right are those who have had occasions to sin, and have been surprised by temptation, but have known how to entrust themselves to Our Lord and have turned their backs on sin, turning away from that which invited them to sin. Those with torn handkerchiefs are those who have fallen into impure sins.
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I was very sad to see that there were so many who had their handkerchiefs torn and destroyed, and I asked Our Lady: "But why did not only the hail tear the handkerchiefs, but also the water and the snow tear them?"
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And She answered me, "It is because in impurity also small faults stain the soul and leave it in a very bad state."
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Then a voice was heard, "Let them turn to the right."
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And many of the young men whose handkerchiefs were torn turned to the right, and their handkerchiefs were mended and mended. But each handkerchief was left much smaller than it was before and much less beautiful than it had been. It was pitiful to compare the ugliness of these handkerchiefs with the beauty they once had. But well, they were mended and no longer torn. And I was told that those are the ones who have committed impure acts and have confessed and done good deeds to pay for their sins. Little by little they are recovering the beauty of their soul, but it is difficult for them to regain the beauty that their spirit had before they committed those impure sins.
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I saw that some of them did not want to turn to the right and their handkerchief was completely destroyed. They are those who want to continue in their sins of impurity and do not repent nor do anything serious to improve their bad conduct. Those poor ones go irremediably towards perdition.
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36. Distractions in the Church, 1861.
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On November 28, 1861, when many of the young people had just arrived at the Oratory of Don Bosco and were not yet accustomed to praying attentively, the Saint told them this dream: "I dreamed that we were all gathered in the Church and Holy Mass began. And then many little men dressed in red and with horns, that is to say, little devils, came into the Temple and began to distract the young people while they were praying.
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To one they presented the elements of sport, to others a book, to several a plate full of goodies, and to some they showed them a cupboard at the bottom of which was kept a good snack. To some they brought back memories of their village or neighborhood and to others they reminded them of the details of the last game. Each young man had a little devil who tried to make him think of other things and not of the prayers they were praying.
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Some of the little devils were perched on the bodies of certain young people and would amuse themselves by caressing them and smoothing their hair.
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The time came for the elevation of the host, and at the ringing of the bell the young men knelt down, and all the little devils disappeared, except those on the neck, who turned their backs to face the opposite side of the altar.
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As soon as the elevation was finished, the little devils returned, and once again they devoted themselves to distracting the young people so that they would not pay attention to what they were praying.
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I think the explanation of this dream is that the little devils represent the distractions that come to us when we pray. If we pray without thinking about what we are saying, to whom we are speaking, or what we are asking, then prayer loses much of its value and power.
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Those who have the devil around their necks are those who are in mortal sin and do not want to leave that sin. The devil does not leave them because they belong to him, and it is much more difficult for them to pray than for others.