WHAT DO YOU ASK OF JESUS?

Joei was a little girl whom the Sisters of Charity found abandoned by her parents on the banks of the Yellow River in China.

The child was dying of hunger and cold when the Sisters took her to the hospital. As soon as they clothed and fed her, giving her warm milk, the little one began to recover life and health. She was baptized, and soon intelligence shone in her lively little eyes; she began to know God and to learn the things of heaven.

She was already about eight years old and liked to attend catechism with the children preparing for First Communion. But her memory did not match her heart, and when the missionary examined her, he had to give her the sad news that she would not be admitted to First Communion until she knew the doctrine better.

The priest thought this decision would leave her indifferent. But it was not so. From that day on, an extraordinary change was noticed in the girl’s behavior.

Instead of playing, as before, with children of her age, Joei began to spend her recreation time in the chapel at the feet of Jesus.

One day, while Joei was before the Blessed Sacrament, the priest approached her quietly and heard that she frequently repeated the name of Jesus.

“What are you doing there?”

“I am visiting the Blessed Sacrament.”

“Visiting the Blessed Sacrament!? You do not even know who the Blessed Sacrament is…”

“He is my Jesus,” Joei answered.

“Well then, what do you ask of Jesus?”

Then, with hands joined and without raising her head, with tears in her eyes, she answered with indescribable sweetness:

“I ask Jesus to give me Jesus.”

And little Joei was granted permission to make her First Communion.