July 14 2020 - St. Kateri Tekakwitha - Pursuing holiness above all else

by Terezia Sedlakova

Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American woman of North America to be canonized. She was born at Auriesville, New York in 1656, near the place where the Jesuits St. Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf had been martyred—tomahawked by Iroquois warriors just nine years before. She was exposed to the faith by a new set of Jesuit missionaries, and though it was frowned upon by her Tribe, she was baptized on Easter Sunday at the age of 19. 4 years later she took a vow of virginity, consecrating herself to the Lord.

At Kateri Tekakwitha’s Beatification in 1980, Saint Pope John Paul II said this of her: the sweet, frail yet strong figure of a young woman died when she was only twenty-four years old: Kateri Tekakwitha, the "Lily of the Mohawks" …spent her short life partly in what is now the State of New York and partly in Canada. She was a kind, gentle and hardworking person, spending her time working, praying, and meditating…When her family urged her to marry, she replied very serenely and calmly that she has Jesus as her only spouse…This decision, in view of the social conditions of women in the Indian Tribes at the time, exposed Kateri to the risk of living as outcast and in poverty…at the age of twenty-three, with the consent of her spiritual director, Kateri took a vow of perpetual virginity - as far as we know the first time that this was done among the North American Indians.

The last months of her life were an ever clearer manifestation of her solid faith, straight-forward humility, calm resignation and radiant joy, even in the midst of terrible sufferings. Her last words, simple and sublime, whispered at the moment of her death, sum up, like a noble hymn, a life of purest charity: "Jesus, I love you....".

St. Kateri reminds us that we are all called to a life of holiness. For in Baptism  God has chosen each one of us "to be holy and spotless and to live through love in his presence" (Eph. 1:4). A life of union with Christ through prayer and works of charity is not something reserved to a select few among the members of the Church. It is the vocation of everyone.

At her canonization in 2012, Pope Benedict said, “Her greatest wish was to know and to do what pleased God. She lived a life radiant with faith and purity.”

Here is a woman who was ostracized for her faith, she was hated for her faith and driven from her tribe because of her faith. To be faithful was a cross, but it was a yoke that was sweet and light because of her love for Jesus. Despite the social pressures, ostracization from her people, likely even threats of death, she pursued holiness, faith and purity with courageous conviction.
May St. Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks, help us pursue holiness above all else, to endure our crosses with perseverance, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That every nation, tribe, and tongue may be gathered into the Church of Christ and magnify Him through works of praise.

That all those persecuted for their faith may know the strengthening grace of the Lord and come to receive the reward of the saints for their perseverance.

For the consecrated virgins of the Church, that as Christ as their spouse, they may inspire us to seek Him above all things.

For the healing of all those afflicted with physical, mental, emotional illness, for those in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care, those struggling with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for deceased priests and religious, for those who have fought and died for our freedom, we pray to the Lord.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.