Another boring winter day in the early-4th-century courtroom. The lawyer Theophilus was nearly falling asleep, he was so bored.
He roused himself enough, however, to look at a Christian woman who was led in. Her name was Dorothy. She said she was the bride of Jesus Christ. She calmly refused all sorts of enticing bribes to give up her Faith.
Beautiful, he decided. And brave. She didn’t flinch when the inevitable sentence came: torture and death. She actually looked happy about it. A pity she was one of those crazy Christians.
As she was escorted from the room, Theophilus called out with a laugh, “Bride of Christ! Send me some fruits from your bridegroom’s garden!”
Legend has it that an angel appeared to Dorothy just before her death with fruits from heaven. With her own hands, Dorothy arranged them in her veil and sent them to Theophilus.
The lawyer was dining with friends; he’d forgotten all about the incident. But in the middle of the meal, a boy entered and went straight up to him, presenting him with a cloth. A lady had sent this to Theophilus, the boy said.
Slowly, Theophilus unwrapped the cloth. It was filled with surpassingly lovely flowers and perfectly formed fruits. A pure, unearthly aroma dispelled the dank air in the room. After that, Theophilus had to admit that Dorothy’s bridegroom was none other than the one, true God.
Our Lord called Dorothy to declare her love for Him in the most beautiful way. Let the timeless beauty of the Sacred Heart Framed Wall Plaque inspire you to tell Him that, like Dorothy, you also return the ardent love of His Sacred Heart. Get your own plaque today at The Catholic Company!
