The shadow of one dark wing is over all [Earth] - C. S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength.
In the midst of pandemic, global economic problems, and a war unleashed by error and evil, there are lights still in the world.
I write this on the Feast of St. Patrick, the great Apostle of Ireland, and one of the greatest spiritual warriors in our tradition. Indeed, I am confident his life and miracles helped inspire the character of Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy series The Lord of the Rings, especially Gandalf's dramatic confrontation with some of the worst of the forces of darkness on Mount Weathertop, holding them off with fire and light.
Saint Patrick famously kindled an Easter fire, one that the druids of Ireland recognized as a threat to their magic. So they went to the king at Tara and told him that if the fire burned through the night, it would be the end of his reign. The forces of pre-Christian Ireland went out, both physical and spiritual, intent on putting out the fire and so also extinguishing the Catholic faith in Ireland - but they failed.
Saint Patrick brought light into the darkness, and triumphed over the foes of Christ and His Church. Ask for his intercession now for the people of Ukraine, cruelly attacked, and for the people of Russia, held captive by Putin and his regime. Intercede for Ireland, drifting so far from its Catholic heritage, caught in the riptides of the culture of death. Pray St. Patrick's Lorica, especially this short section toward the end:
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation. Amen.
But there's another great feast this week, honoring one of the greatest of all the saints of Heaven: St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He is called "Terror of Demons," amongst his many other titles, for this humble, silent man, this carpenter, successfully provided for and protected Jesus and His Mother, Mary. In fact, the quiet surrounding the life of the Holy Family indicates St. Joseph's incredible strength. The greatest power, the greatest strength, goes along with the greatest subtlety and precision. We hear that Joseph was warned in a dream that Herod and his forces were after the family; Joseph took his family to Egypt, and then back to Nazareth once an angel told him it was safe.
And there's silence about everything surrounding this. Silence about the dangers they faced. Silence about the journey to a pagan land, a foreign land. Silence about the return trip.
That silence speaks volumes to the virtue, the strength, and the ability of St. Joseph. There was nothing more to be said, it would seem - the Virgin Mary didn't say anything to the Gospel writers, as best we can tell, to indicate the dangers or difficulties of the journey, or that they had any trouble settling into a foreign land. Saint Joseph the Worker must have been more than just a worker; he must have been an expert, a master worker, one who could quickly and easily earn a living because he was so good at what he did. Skill transfers from land to land, and speaks volumes, even in the midst of a different people.
And he must have been a warrior after the model of his great forefather King David; he must have been highly skilled and strong in the face of all danger, such that the Blessed Virgin had nothing to share of any dangers. Indeed, he seems to have managed the trip with a sureness of strength and security for his family that modern travelers could envy in the war torn regions of the Middle East.
Saint Faustina knew his strength - indeed, she spoke to him face to face.
Saint Joseph urged me to have a constant devotion to him. He himself told me to recite three prayers [the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be] and the Memorare [to St. Joseph] once every day. He looked at me with great kindness and gave me to know how much he is supporting this work [of mercy]. He has promised me this special help and protection. I recite the requested prayers every day and feel his special protection (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1203).
So turn to this supremely strong man, this Universal Patron of the Church, for his help and intercession in such difficult days. Pope Francis recommended this great prayer to St. Joseph in his apostolic letter Patris Corde, saying:
Every day, for over forty years, following Lauds I have recited a prayer to Saint Joseph taken from a nineteenth-century French prayer book of the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary. It expresses devotion and trust, and even poses a certain challenge to Saint Joseph:"Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen."
Speaking of the Holy Father, we can look ahead to an even greater light - to next week's great Solemnity of the Annunciation. The Vatican has announced plans for the Holy Father to consecrate Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the 38th anniversary of St. John Paul II's consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart. Sister Lucia Dos Santos, the longest lived of the three Fatima visionaries, said that 1984 consecration fulfilled Heaven's request for a consecration of Russia, transmitted by Our Lady at Fatima in 1917 and detailed in 1929. (It's worth mentioning that Our Lady's other key request, for the First Saturdays of Reparation, still stands, waiting for us all to do our part to hasten the promised Triumph of the Immaculate Heart and era of peace.)
This consecration by Pope Francis, then, will be a separate act, like his 2013 consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart and the dedication of his pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima. One could see it as a consecration renewal, the sort that the great apostle of Marian consecration, St. Louis de Montfort, recommended be made annually by those who had totally consecrated themselves to Jesus through Mary using his method. Father Michael Gaitley, MIC, in his 33 Days to Morning Glory preparation for Marian consecration, and Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, in his Consecration to St. Joseph, make similar recommendations.
No matter what, asking Our Lady's help and intervention is the spiritual equivalent of the ancient Israelites sending the Ark of the Covenant before them into battle in obedience to God. We can look with confidence for tremendous graces to be unleashed.
To understand Our Lady's role in salvation history and in this present darkness, best to take a look at the Magnificat:
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever (Lk 1:46-55).
So turn to these great saints, and all the other saints and angels, lights beyond the power of darkness, to bring hope and help in these hard times. Take up your Rosary and pray for peace every day, as Our Lady asked at Fatima. Turn to Christ and His Church, especially the saints and angels in Heaven, for light, truth, and help in this present darkness.
And remember that we are to keep our gaze fixed on Christ, on His face, on the Mystical Body which is the Church, even in the midst of the storm, even walking on water. We are to be children of the light, not students of darkness, not fearfully pulled this way and that by every conspiracy theory, every rumor of evil, every hint (whether rumor or established fact) of the machinations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen (Mt 4:16).
We are to welcome the Light of the World into our hearts, minds, and lives. By His Light, we will be able to see.