Saintly Children

Joseph Specht

Joseph was born on July 22, 1922, in Bavaria. As he grew it became very clear that he had a temper; he would get angry in a flash. But he worked to overcome this fault and with God's grace he became a good and holy child.

One time when he was very little, he had a temper tantrum and threw his spoon on the floor. His mother told him to pick up the spoon. But the little fellow only stamped his feet and cried, "No, no Mamma! You pick it up, yourself!" Then his mother punished him, but he would still not pick up the spoon. Only after half an hour did he decide to pick the spoon up off the floor!

Joseph's little sister, Mary, was born making noise by the door of his mother's room. But when he was told not to do so, he became angry and threw a piece of wood into his mother's bed, and almost hit her on the head with the wood. He got punished for it. Later he humbly admitted to the visiting doctor, that he had done wrong by throwing the wood into his mother's bed.

Joseph's parents kept a good watch over him and corrected him when he was bad. By the time he was 6 years old, he was a very good boy,—obedient, gracious, kind and grateful.

The boy had a great love for Jesus and he was determined to do everything for the love of Jesus. His good parents had brought him up that way. Already at an early age Joseph loved Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He liked to pray up at the front of the church, closer to the tabernacle.

Joseph had to wait until he was 10 years old, before he could receive his First Holy Communion. He prepared himself for his First Communion by doing all his tasks well and by making many visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. But before Joseph received his First Holy Communion, his mother told him, "If you like to say the Holy Name of Jesus devoutly, if you go to receive Jesus in Holy Communion often, if you assist at Mass each day and make a good use of the means of grace the Church offers you, then you can become holier by the time your 15 years old than a man could by the time he is 50 years old, who did not use the graces which God gave him."

Joseph was faithful in going to Mass and Holy Communion even when he was on vacation. He said, "I am going to daily Communion also during vacation. I think that one must be true to the Saviour!" And another time, when his parents were going on a little outing, by train, Joseph figured out a way that he could go to Mass and Holy Communion that morning and still catch the train. He suggested that his mother take along some sandwiches and that they eat them on the train after Mass; and that was what was done.

The Specht family had a great devotion to Christ the King. They had devotions nine days before the feast and nine days after the feast. In the living room they had a beautiful picture of Christ the King and for the feast, the children would help decorate the picture with a crown, they placed a large bouquet of flowers before the statue and everyday they would say a special prayer to Christ the King.

The Specht family were poor. Mrs. Specht told Joseph, "God permits poverty!" and Joseph remembered his mother's words. One time when Joseph's aunt gave him some money, he told his mother, "Look what Auntie gave me; this will buy a big loaf of bread and a pound of sugar!" Another time when somebody gave him some money, Joseph said, "It is enough to buy Father a jug of beer." Then there was the time when Joseph had his school picture taken. He told his mother, "The photo costs fifteen cents." His mother said that was too much, and Joseph replied, "Yes that's true. I'd rather not order a picture. That will enable us to buy a little lunch for father." And in winter he still made use of a poor old toboggan, even though his friends made fun of him.

Not all the boys in Joseph's class were as good and pious as he was. Some of these boys noticed that Joseph went to 7:00 Mass every morning, before school. One day when Joseph was coming down the steps of the church after Mass, a boy threw a clothespin at him and cut his face. Joseph was angry and wanted to punch the boy. When he got home he told his mother and she said, "But child, the Saviour says: Learn of Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Think for a moment how they spat upon Jesus and hit Him. How did He act then?" Joseph hung his head and thought things over and soon he overcame his anger.

Another time a boy, who wore heavy soled shoes, kicked Joseph in the knee cap. Joseph was in pain and later he told his mother, "I'll pay him back for that! I'll beat him up so that he gets all that's coming to him!" Mrs. Specht let Joseph flare up a bit and when he had cooled down, she got him to say three Hail Marys for the boy who had kicked him. She also told Joseph to offer up Holy Communion for the boy. And Joseph was hero enough to do this kind act of charity for his enemy.

Joseph wanted a new pair of skis. His old pair was far too small. His mother told him, "When you go to Holy Communion, ask Jesus to give you many graces. Then you may tell Him about the skis. If Jesus wishes, He will find ways and means of seeing to it that you get skis, even if we have no money!" Jesus arranged that a wealthy family in Rattenberg should hear about Joseph's desire. They bought Joseph a pair of skis and they also bought a new ski suit for him as well! How happy Joseph was when he saw these new things on Christmas Eve, 1933.

On January 11, 1944, instead of their regular gym class, Joseph and his classmates were going to go skiing. At the end of the hour of skiing, the boys skied down the slope of a hill called Calvary. But just as Joseph was skiing down this slope, somebody on a toboggan stopped right at the foot of the slope. Joseph turned to avoid hitting the toboggan; he plunged into the snow and fell right on top of a fence!

Joseph was in pain! Some people on another toboggan took him to the teacher and he was taken home. At first Joseph's mother thought he had a broken rib, but when the doctor came he found that Joseph had hurt his intestines. Joseph's good mother said, "Joseph, you did not break any rib. You have ruptured intestines and you will probably have to die! Now we'll accept everything from the hand of God, just as it comes, won't we?"

An ambulance came to get Joseph and he was operated on as soon as he arrived at the hospital. After the operation, Joseph received the Last Rites. His parents came to see him for a while and then were asked to leave. Later, at 10:45 that night, Joseph passed away.

The Specht family had always said a special prayer on Thursdays, asking Jesus for a happy death. And Indeed, Jesus gave Joseph a happy death, and on a Thursday night too!

The next day Joseph's class had planned to go another skiing trip. But when they found out that Joseph had died the night before, they cancelled their trip. Instead they put together the money they were going to use for the skiing trip, and they bought flowers. They placed the large bouquet of flowers on Joseph's desk at school, and put a crucifix in the middle of the bouquet. This is how they showed their sorrow for their dead classmate.

At the Joseph's grave, the priest spoke a few words on behalf of the boy, "Two years ago, Joseph prepared himself with childlike zeal and fervour for his First Holy Communion. And ever since then he went to Mass every day, and every day he received Jesus in Holy Communion. No matter if it was a rainy morning or a bitter cold winter day, our brave Joseph Specht approached the holy table. He was not afraid of cold nor was he afraid to be mocked and made fun of… And as for you dear classmates and friends of Joseph, let the religious fervour of this boy, who has gone home to God, be to you an unforgettable example. Which one of you is now going to take the place of little Joseph at the Communion rail? Oh, that you would love Holy Communion as Joseph did!"

After the funeral, Joseph's classmates went to his home. Mrs. Specht told them, "From Joseph, you get everything that he had; his clothes, his playthings, his books, his skis, and his skiing suit" And Mrs. Specht told Joseph's teacher, "All the pupils are to receive a remembrance of Joseph, especially those who struck him or were sometimes mean to him. It shall be a sign that he has forgiven everything!"

After Joseph's death, his classmates went more often to daily Mass. Joseph had set a good example during his life and now his classmates had a good example to follow after his death. Ask Jesus to make you good like Joseph and ask Jesus to help you go to daily Mass and Communion, especially when it is hard to do!

The End

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