St. Gemma found comfort in the company of the saints

Though she suffered a severe spinal illness at age 16, St. Gemma Galgani continued to exercise charity as she received help from others.

On one occasion, Gemma's brother was ready to dismiss the woman who carried water to their home when he found out she was living in sin with another man. However, when he told Gemma about his plans, she responded with grace: "Why send her away without giving her time to reflect? Jesus did not send Mary Magdalen away, but received her kindly."

Her brother replied: "Do as you like."

The next day, Gemma spoke to the woman. The woman admitted her sin and said she was only living with the man because he paid the rent. Gemma answered: "If that is the reason, I shall pay the rent myself, provided you leave that man and that you go to confession to the Father Prior of St. Peter's here in Lucca and return to the friendship of God."

The woman did as she promised and was grateful to Gemma. "She is a saint," she said. "I used to think it was impossible to forsake the life of sin into which I had fallen." 

True to her word, Gemma paid the woman's rent from the little money she received every month from her aunt at Camaiore.

During her illness, Gemma also become devoted to various saints. Both her confessor and the parish priest of St. Frediano's (who frequently brought her Holy Communion) introduced her to Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque (who would be canonized in 1920).

The parish priest recalled: "On one occasion when I visited her I had just returned from France, where I had said Mass at Paray-le-Monial. She seemed very interested in the Sanctuary there and asked me about the devotion to Blessed Margaret Mary which was practiced there.'"

He answered Gemma's questions and found her presence edifying. "Through her illness she was, as it were, rigid. She could raise only her head and shoulders a little. She used to say to me: 'See, I am crucified; I cannot move.' Nevertheless, she never uttered a word of complaint. She was always jovial, smiling, and peaceful. It seemed to me that she had a most extraordinary resignation. She had her rosary or a holy picture always in her hand or under her pillow. Even the family seemed peaceful, because Gemma was so calm. Sometimes when I was leaving the house, they said to me: 'Isn't Gemma very resigned?'"

Another of Gemma's visitors, Signora Martinucci, introduced Gemma to the Venerable Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother (also canonized in 1920) by lending her his biography. Gemma put the biography under her pillow, and thought little about it.

Then one day, Gemma was greatly tempted by the devil. She suddenly remembered Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother and invoked his aid, crying out: “The soul first and then the body!”

The devil tried to tempt Gemma again, and she, making the sign of the cross, again invoked Gabriel, and immediately a deep calm inundated her soul. After that incident, Gemma picked up the biography and began to read it. She reread it many times and developed a special devotion to him.

Gemma wept when had to return the biography to Martinucci. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother appeared to her in a dream to comfort her.

He asked Gemma why she had wept when she had to give up the biography. Gemma did not know what to answer, but Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother said to her: "Be good, and I shall come back to see you."

                                         吉瑪敬禮痛苦聖母佳播

聖吉瑪.金錦妮生病時，接受別人幫助的同時，亦顯出她的愛德。

當吉瑪的弟弟知道替他們送食水的女士正與一位男士同居時，通知吉瑪和姑母，並打算把這女士辭退。吉瑪對他說：「為什麼不給她反省的機會呢？耶穌沒有把瑪大肋納遣走，反而良善地接待她。」弟弟回答道：「就照你所喜歡的去做吧。」翌日，吉瑪向那女士提及同居的罪，對方坦承犯罪，但解釋只因同居的男士願意代為繳付房租。吉瑪說：「如果是因房租，我可代付；你要離開那位男士，並到盧卡聖伯多祿堂的院長司鐸處辦告解，重返天主的友誼中。」送食水的女士果然照辦，重拾與天主的關係。她道：「吉瑪是聖人 … 我曾以為我總不能放棄我所墮入的罪惡生活。」吉瑪亦遵守承諾，從她得到來自姨母微薄的資助中，付女士每月的房租。

探望吉瑪的朋友中，有一位名叫馬天奴慈的女士。她向吉瑪推薦可敬痛苦聖母佳播 (1838-1862) （後來在1920年被教會宣聖）的敬禮，借給她這位年青聖者的自傳。

吉瑪的告解神師向她提及真福瑪加利大（後來亦在1920年被教會宣聖）；送聖體給她的聖斐德理堂的本堂神父，也給她談到這位聖女。本堂神父憶述：「有一次，我在法國帕賴勒蒙尼亞勒的聖堂主持彌撒，回來後探望她。她似乎對這朝聖地十分感到興趣，並問我在那裡對真福瑪加利大的敬禮。

與吉瑪的對話，很被她感染。本堂神父憶述她的病況使她的頭部和肩膊只能微微地呆動，她說：「看，我像被釘了在十字架上，不能動彈！」 但她卻沒有半點埋怨或叫苦，表現快活、微笑和平安----- 一 心順從主旨；她手中或枕頭下，常有玫瑰唸珠或聖相。因她的平靜，全家的人看去都很平安。有時在本堂神父告辭時，他們會問：「看，吉瑪不是很順從嗎？」

本來，吉瑪把痛苦聖母佳播的自傳放到枕頭下，不常想起。一日，她受到魔鬼很大的誘惑，猛然想起這位年青聖者佳播，遂向他祈求，並說：「先是靈魂，然後才是肉身！」當誘惑持續時，吉瑪劃了一個十字聖號，再向聖者佳播求助，靈魂的擾攘頓時平伏下來。

自此以後，吉瑪多次反覆閱讀佳播的自傳，並對他表達特別的敬禮。當要把那自傳書冊退還給馬天奴慈女士時，吉瑪飲泣了。佳播在夢中顯現給她，問她為何飲泣，吉瑪不知怎樣作答。痛苦聖母佳播續說：「要善良，我會再來看你。」