Jules Bastien-Lepage (French, 1848–1884)
Dear Saint Joan: I humbly ask you to help me to live as God wants me to. I would be happy if I had only a fraction of the love and kindness you had for your enemies as well as your friends. But most of all, I implore you to help me to obtain from God a spark of your great and endless love and faith so that I may truly love, serve and obey Him with my whole heart as you did to the very end of your holy life. May you always protect me and help me to stay pure in mind, body and spirit forever and ever. Amen.
(Composed by Virginia Lindsley, when she was in the 7th grade.)
To begin and end this month (like bookends) two women were remembered and celebrated throughout most of the Christian tradition, Julian of Norwich and Joan of Arc. Both lived their lives with conviction and strength having encountered God at young ages. Neither would live in comfort or safety but both lived knowing they had responded to God’s revelation and direction.
In the Book of Acts we read:’Your young men and women will prophesy, your old men will have visions and sons will dream dreams.’ Julian of Norwich and Joan of Arc experienced holy vision and stepped out to proclaim God’s word through prayer and action.
May we pay close attention for the time of dreams and visions is near, once again.
2 thoughts on “Holy Women of May”
Leave a comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Carrie's Bench 
I love this rendering of Joan of Arc. She is by far one of my favorites. I went to school with a French order of teaching nuns and our school was called Jeanne d’Arc Academy. I think my school ring is long gone but it had her on the stone.
LikeLike
This is an amazing painting. Drawn in to the story, I see Joan’s look of awe and enlightenment. Thank you for your story. Peace…
LikeLike