May 24th - Our Lady Help of Christians
Traudel
(Auxilium Christianorum )
Descriptions of the Battle of Lepanto based on the Catholic chronicles of
the time do not mention an important fact found in the Muslim sources. The
latter report that at a certain moment during the battle when the Catholic
forces were being defeated, the Turkish fleet saw a majestic and terrible
Lady in the sky. She was looking at them with such a menacing gaze that they
could not bear it, lost their courage, and fled.
The battle taking place was the greatest naval battle in History to that
date, and all Christendom waited in understandable suspense for its outcome.
In a certain sense, the future of Europe was being decided there.
Protestantism had created a fracture in Christendom, and religious wars were
springing up everywhere.
Because their forces were needed on various fronts, the Catholics nations
probably could not have faced a Muslim invasion into southern Italy, which
would have been the normal consequence if the Battle of Lepanto had been
lost. If Italy were invaded, in a short time the Pope would have been forced
to leave his Papal Territories to avoid becoming a prisoner. Most probably,
no one would have been able to stop the Turkish impetus into Western Europe.
In that immense battle, three Catholic powers were involved: Spain, the most
powerful nation of the time; Venice, with a considerable naval force and
very wealthy, and Genoa. There was also a small papal fleet, everything Pope
Pius V could muster together to add his material strength to face the common
enemy.
In this atmosphere of general suspense, the battle took place. Descriptions
of the time report how terrible it was. Catholic soldiers were jumping onto
Muslim ships; Turks were entering Catholic vessels - one side killing
another with tremendous carnage. Ships were sinking here and there; soldiers
and knights in armor floated briefly in those turbulent waters, then sunk
into the depths to meet death. Canons roared, shouts of rage and despair
were heard above the din; a terrible uproar and enormous turmoil everywhere.
Amid all that confusion, two men were praying to Our Lady to give the
victory to the Catholics: on those turbulent waters, there was Don Juan of
Austria, the commander of the Catholic Armada; and in Rome, there was St.
Pius V.
You can imagine the profound calm and great self-control necessary for a man
who, in the apex of the battle with men fighting on all sides of him, could
nonetheless discern the general line of the battle and note that it was
going badly, even though the Catholic soldiers were fighting as well as
possible. Then, remembering the teachings of our Faith, he determined to
fight to his last breath of life for the cause of Christendom, still with
the hope that Our Lady would intervene. That is to say, a person like this -
and such a person was Don Juan of Austria - trusted against all trust.
Against all human possibility, he expected Our Lady to intervene.
In fact, she did intervene. She appeared in the sky to threaten the enemy,
and the Mohammedan navy fled. But the Catholic warriors did not see her. She
did not appear to them. The Catholics had the merit of practicing a blind
confidence, a pure act of faith. Only when the enemy later reported the
miracle did they realize that she had helped them in the worst hour.
The Catholic knights, principally those in command who perceived the general
line the battle was taking, had to seriously consider that they would either
die or be made prisoners and slaves of the Turks as a consequence of their
defeat. But they trusted in Our Lady that she would prevent the cause of
Christendom from perishing. This represented an extreme confidence on their
part.
At that same time, St. Pius V was also praying at the Vatican. He was in a
meeting about Vatican financial balance sheets, an important matter since it
implied mortal sin should someone have stolen money from the Church.
Therefore, St. Pius V had to vigilantly analyze the figures to avoid being
an accomplice to such a sin.
Suddenly he stood up, probably moved by a supernatural inspiration, and went
to the window of the room to pray the Rosary. As he prayed, he received a
revelation that Don Juan of Austria had won the battle. He returned to the
table and said: "It is not time to talk about business; our great task at
present is to thank God for the victory He has just given the Catholic
Armada."
The news of the Papal revelation spread throughout Rome and the people began
to celebrate. Some might have doubted the revelation and asked: "Is it
really true?"
Then, in a few days, a messenger arrived and gave the official report. The
Pope listened attentively to the account, without any agitation, with his
customary grandeur and benevolence. Then, a great feast was celebrated in
Rome, the bells of all the Churches of the Eternal City rang. From Rome the
news spread to all Italy, and then to all Christendom. This was the great
joy for the victory of Lepanto.
Is there an application for us?
What was the greatest heroism of the knights of the battle of Lepanto? It
was not the courage to face the Turks. Certainly, to face enemies in a
battle one needs courage, but you can find such courage in all battles of
History. In my opinion, the greatest heroism of those Catholics who fought
at Lepanto was the heroism of believing that the battle would be won by Our
Lady at the moment when everything seemed lost. That act of confidence was
not an imprudent or unwise act, a kind of resignation to accept whatever
would happen. It was an act of fidelity to a certain interior voice of grace
that invited each one to confide and pray that she would give the victory.
The good cause throughout History often finds itself in a situation similar
to the Catholics at Lepanto. Everything seems lost humanly speaking, but Our
Lady puts in our souls a hope that she will win the battle for the greater
glory of God. Then we need to trust this voice against all probabilities and
appearances to the contrary.
Many times, defeat seems inevitable, and the temptation is to say: "She
promised, but it has not happened. To the contrary, everything became
worse." Real heroism is to trust even in the worst of conditions. It is to
refuse to cede to the temptation, and to reply: "The worse it becomes, the
closer we are to her intervention, because Our Lady does not lie, and I know
that this voice that speaks within myself is hers."
Is there any criterion to know when an interior voice comes from Our Lady or
not? Yes, there is.
When the perspective of some future thing leaves us depressed, discouraged,
and with the desire to give up, then this outlook normally comes from the
Devil.
On the contrary, if the perspective of doing a very difficult thing that
would normally cause fear, nonetheless produces enthusiasm, gives us
strength to practice virtue and inspires us with the hope of victory in an
almost impossible situation, then probably it is the voice of the grace
speaking in our souls.
Does grace act only this way? No. Often grace inspires resignation. Our Lady
can ask us to be conformed to a defeat. Then she gives us strength to endure
the suffering of the defeat. St. Therese of Lisieux, for example, received
such a grace to prepare herself for death, and afterward, she went to
Heaven.
The two perspectives are different. When Our Lady wants to give a victory,
she prepares us for that, and not for death.
This is confirmed by the reaction of St. Pius V after he knew the victory of
Lepanto. He turned to God and repeated the prayer of the Prophet Simeon:
"Now thou dost dismiss thy servant in peace, O Lord, according to thy word,
because my eyes have seen my salvation." That is, "That special thing for
which I was born, the victory I had expected for Thy glory, has taken place.
With this, my mission is fulfilled. Now Thou can take my soul for I have
nothing else to do on this earth."
The great St. Pius V had heard the same interior voice as the knights of
Lepanto. In this case, the words of Our Lord apply: "My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).
The voice of Our Lady speaks to our souls and tells us firmly: "Catholic
Civilization will be restored, the Reign of Mary will be established on
earth." This is the voice that gives us courage to fight against all the
enemies, in the worst of conditions, and all alone. There is no doubt that
this voice is authentic.
What happened in Lepanto with those knights and soldiers will also happen
with us. We will have the victory of Our Lady.
This is, in my opinion, the interior message Our Lady Help of Christians
gave in that battle, and gives us today. Let us ask her to give us the
necessary graces to be faithful to it.
By the late Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira: (died 1995)
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Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. -Matt. 5:4
"The only consideration of Superiors ought to be the love of God, and the
sanctification of the souls committed to their care. This cannot be better
attained than by humility, combined with a peaceable disposition and good
example"
-St. Vincent de Paul
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". May - Meekness)
Bible Quote
4 And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not
depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which
you have heard (saith he) by my mouth. 5 For John indeed baptized with
water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.
(Acts 1:4-5)
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Saint Anthony, Disperser of Devils
Dear St. Anthony, it is still as St. Peter said: The devil prowls
about, lion-like, looking for someone to devour. I confess that
I don't always resist him; I sometimes toy with temptation. St.
Anthony, Disperser of Devils, remind me of my duty to avoid
all occasions of sin. May I always pray in temptation that I
may remain loyal to my Lord Jesus. Pray for my other
intentions, please. (Name them.)