“Lord, grant me the conversion of my parish; I am willing to suffer whatever You wish, for my entire life.” (Saint John Mary Vianney).
Throughout the ages there have been certain souls who seem to have lived lives of holiness that is almost unimaginable…
I am thinking today of the souls of such saints as Saints Jacinta and Francesco of Fatima, who died after terrible suffering, when they were still only little children. I remember also Saint Padre Pio, who suffered such terrible physical, emotional and spiritual pain for the deliverance of souls. And I think of Saint John Vianney, who is called the Patron Saint of Priests, for he suffered terribly too…
Upon his appointment as the curate of the parish of Ars, which was a village with about 350 inhabitants, Saint John Mary Vianney prayed, “Lord, grant me the conversion of my parish; I am willing to suffer whatever You wish, for my entire life.”
And when he prayed that prayer, Saint John Vianney, certainly took up the burden of suffering. He literally became cloaked in the scorn of the world and that meant that he was uncomfortable!
In other words, Saint John Vianney suffered physical ailments and the scorn of his fellow priests, but also – later in his life, when he was old – Saint John Vianney also suffered persecution and poverty.
Now, it is one thing to think of these afflictions theoretically. After all, any soul may be brave enough to promise God that they will willingly suffer poverty for the conversion of sins. But in reality poverty is not comfortable.
Poverty means discomfort. It means wearing old uncomfortable and unattractive clothes that others have cast off because they did not like wearing them. Poverty means not eating nice food or drinking nice drink. Poverty means being uncomfortable in your home because you are too hot in summer and too cold in winter and too squashed because there is no room. Poverty means being uncomfortable because you are wearing shoes that hurt your feet because you cannot afford to buy new shoes. And poverty means never being able to go out and buy what you need when you need it because you need it…
But this discomfort was not enough for Saint John Vianney. He also made resolutions for sacrifice that added to his uncomfortable life. He resolved never to enjoy the fragrance of a flower or to taste fruit or to drink water during the daytime – even in the summer heat. He refused to brush away a fly and he would not rest his elbows on the kneeler when he knelt to pray. He ate only one meal each day – generally some black bread and a couple of boiled potatoes. He went out of his way to be uncomfortable…
Once – during an exorcism – a demon complained that hell had lost eighty thousand souls through the sacrifices of Saint John Vianney.
And I have been reflecting on that today…
Because after Christ said to Saint Simon Peter, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18-19), He said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.” (Matthew 16:23).
For Christ gives us a lesson about gaining souls for God – and it is an uncomfortable one… For it takes great suffering to pay for souls – very great suffering…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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