Saint Joan

On this day in 1431, one of the most truly remarkable women who ever lived was burned at the stake. She was 19 years old.

She was known as Jehanne la Pucelle (Joan the Maiden), but today we name her Saint Joan of Arc.

In 1429 at the tender age of 17, she led the French army to a string of victories against the English: the Assault of Orléans (7 May), the Battles of Jargeau (12 June), Meung-sur-Loire (15 June), Beaugency (17 June), Patay (18 June – sometimes called “Agincourt in Reverse”), the Surrender of Auxerre (3 July), the Siege of Troyes (10 July), and finally the Surrender of Reims (16 July).

In a little over a month, Joan put together more French victories in the Hundred Years’ War than France without her ever did. She had no military training or experience.

After she arranged for the Dauphin to be crowned King of France, another string of victories followed. Joan was wounded at the siege of Paris, and the French army withdrew rather than face battle without her.

When she was captured by the English, she was subjected to a mock ecclesiastical trial.

The Trial was the dramatic encounter between this Saint and her judges, who were clerics. Joan was accused and convicted by them, even condemned as a heretic and sent to the terrible death of being burned at the stake.

Unlike the holy theologians who had illuminated the University of Paris, such as St Bonaventure, St Thomas Aquinas and Bl. Duns Scotus, of whom I have spoken in several Catecheses, these judges were theologians who lacked charity and the humility to see God’s action in this young woman.

The words of Jesus, who said that God’s mysteries are revealed to those who have a child’s heart while they remain hidden to the learned and the wise who have no humility (cf. Lk 10:21), spring to mind. Thus, Joan’s judges were radically incapable of understanding her or of perceiving the beauty of her soul.

They did not know that they were condemning a Saint.

(Pope Benedict XVI, Address of 26 January 2011)

The transcripts of the trial make for fascinating reading.

France before Joan was defeated and her nobility so dejected that Joan had to persuade them to crown the Dauphin as King.

France after Joan had the strength and will to reclaim their land from the English. It is no exaggeration to say that in just 18 months she changed the entire course of the Hundred Years’ War.

This shepherdess from Domrémy had a mission, and she carried it out without question. Admittedly, the instruction was pretty clear.

At her trial, she testified that she had her first vision around 1424 at the age of 12 years. Alone in the fields, she saw visions of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret, who told her to drive out the English and bring the Dauphin to Rheims for his coronation.

She cried when they left, they were so beautiful.

Most of us come to discern our vocation only through prayer and sometimes long stretches of time. Some of us never do, or we run away in fear from what the Lord tells us in our hearts.

Not so Joan. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary and countless other saints throughout time, Joan said “yes”.

Called by the Lord to defend her fatherland, [Joan] responds to her vocation with an enterprise that the entire world – and herself, in the first place – considered impossible; but that which is impossible to men is always possible with the help of God.

(Pope Saint Pius X, Address of 13 December 1908)

We are all called to that “yes”; we are all called to be saints. Nothing is impossible with God.

O God, who in a marvelous manner
inspired Joan the maiden
to defend her faith and her country,
grant at her intercession
that Your Church may vanquish all her enemies
and enjoy abiding peace.

Through Christ, our Lord.

Amen.