The canonized women who are mothers add to our altars a special kind of incense – a two-fold fragrance of motherhood, both natural and spiritual. The very definition of their sainthood reveals that the life of the soul was sacrosanct to them and that while they nurtured the physical life of their children, it was eternal life which they desired to impart above all.
The next two days mark the feasts of two great saints of the Church, a mother and a son, whose lives give testimony to a sure-fire method of evangelizing those we love.St. Monica (August 27) is the mother of St. Augustine (August 28), though Augustine was no saint when Monica began her earnest intercession. At that time he was a pagan and a member of the heretical Manichean sect. He was known to be a carouser who lived with a woman to whom he had fathered a child. A brilliant mind, he was "devoted" to his views and his lifestyle, and had no intention of converting to the Catholic faith.
St. Monica was distraught about her son's dissolute ways and decided to do something about it. She prayed. And in the end, her prayers won the soul of her son.
What was it that made St. Monica's prayers so effective? I think five strategies are primarily responsible. Perhaps you can implement them as you seek to evangelize those you love.
"We want God!"
This was the rallying cry of the people of Poland on June 2, 1979. A son of Poland had been elevated to the throne of St. Peter, Pope John Paul II.
Thank you for joining our Rosary praying army! Your prayers and sacrifices are much needed "for such a time as this!"
A soldier must be armed for battle. We have in our arsenal of weapons the sacramentals.
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. John Vianney, patron of priests. In this time of great difficulty, we desperately need the example and intercession of St. John Vianney.
“There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot solve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” – Servant of God, Lucia de Santos, Fatima Visionary
Betrayed. Deserted. Discarded. Dropped. Dumped. Empty. Forgotten. Forsaken. Left. Neglected. Rejected. Shunned. Sidelined. Alone. Cast aside. Outcast. These are just a few of the synonyms listed next to the word “abandoned” in a Thesaurus. Can you relate to any of them?
What can a fifteenth-century peasant girl teach us about living our mission today?
St. Joan of Arc lived during the Hundred Years' War. It was a time of great political upheaval and confusion. Much of France was under English rule while the throne was disputed among the royals of the time. Through a series of messages from St. Catherine and St. Margaret, she was given her life's mission to help Charles VII gain his rightful place as King of France.
Joan exhibited great courage and fortitude in pursuing her mission to save her country. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines fortitude as, "the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause."
So committed was Joan to her mission that she, an uneducated peasant girl, willingly spoke in the highest courts of her land. She bravely went into battle with men who were far more experienced and skilled than she. Then, though only nineteen years old, she was unwilling to recuse herself in court to save her own life from being burned at the stake.
Below are some of the most inspiring quotes compiled from the many works, testimonies, and transcripts of her life:
"Courage! Do not fall back."
"In God's name let us go on bravely."
"Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and so they give their lives to little or nothing. One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it…and then it’s gone. But to surrender who you are and to live without belief is more terrible than dying – even more terrible than dying young."
"I fear nothing for God is with me!"
“Go forward bravely. Fear nothing. Trust in God; all will be well.”
“I am not afraid; I was born to do this.”
"All battles are first won or lost, in the mind."
“I am the drum on which God is beating out his message.”
"... since God commanded me to go, I must do it."
“Hold the cross high so I may see it through the flames.”
When it comes to spiritual warfare and battle, St. Joan of Arc is the quintessential warrior of God. May she intercede for us as we fight the battles of our time.
Let's "Joan up" together through our prayer of the rosary this week during our Women of Grace Warrior's Rosary Crusade.
Click the image below to join us for our Women of Grace Warrior's Rosary Crusade every Wednesday at 4PM ET. If you've already registered, you should receive a reminder link directly from Zoom. Please be sure to share the information below with your friends and family!
