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Saints of Empowered Prayer
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"Saints of Empowered Prayer: St. Joan of Arc"

St. Joan of Arc: St. Joan of Arc was chosen for a mission that led only to disgrace and death. But this was the will of God for her, and she carried out that will even though it destroyed her. That kind of fidelity should inspire us in our own carrying out of the will of God no matter the cost! St. Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, is one of the most striking figures in the history of Western Christendom, and she has no parallels in secular or sacred history. She died when she was not even twenty years old, and she made a remarkable impression on all who knew her--even her enemies.

          Joan was born at Domremy, a village in Champagne on the banks of the Meuse. She was a high-spirited, religious young girl, deeply distressed by the state of France which was occupied by the English. The king of England had overrun France and claimed the French crown. France was caught up in a civil war. The two contending parties were led by the duke of Burgundy and the duke of Orleans.  When she was fourteen years old, St. Joan began to hear her "voices," urging her to save France, and giving her detailed instructions on what to do. The "voices" told her to go to the leader of the dauphin's forces (the dauphin being the heir to the French throne). At first Joan was laughed at, yet trying again and telling the leader of a French defeat that had taken place, he became impressed by her and sent her to the dauphin accompanied by three soldiers. The dauphin disguised himself but Joan identified him and revealed to him a secret that convinced him of her mission.

          St. Joan led the French armies to victories at Orleans and Patay, which were followed by the coronation of the dauphin at Rheims as Charles VII. An attack on Paris failed, and at a sortie at Compiegne she was captured by the Burgundians and turned over to the English. St. Joan was imprisoned, cruelly mistreated, and brought to trial before the bishop of Cauchon, her captors doing everything to break her and convict her of heresy. After a trumped-up trial in which, under pressure, Joan denied her "voices" and then recanted, she was condemned as a witch and heretic and burned at the stake on May 29, 1431. St. Joan of Arc was canonized on May 20, 1920 and declared the patroness of France.

Questions:

1)   Has God ever asked me to do something that seems to be extraordinary and beyond my capability?

           

         

         

         

 

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