Joan of Arc was a woman full of conviction and simplicity, writes Grace Welsh who is a former housemother of Emmaus House in East Lansing, the Diocese of Lansing's house of discernment for young women upon the Feast of Saint Joan of Arc (1412 - 31), May 30.
Born in Domremy, France in 1412, Joan was raised on her family’s farm where she lived a life of faithfulness to the Lord and her family. As a young girl, she began to hear voices that spoke heavenly truths into her heart. Later, she knew them to be the voices of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret of Antioch.
These voices convicted Joan of her mission from heaven to protect her country and lead French armies against English invasions. At the age of 16, she took the first step into her life’s mission to seek out French officials in efforts to convey the Lord’s plan for France. To this very mission, Joan devoted her whole livelihood, trusting in the victory of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
Once, while held on trial, she was asked if she was in God’s grace, to which her courageous response was, “If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me.” Joan’s life and mission were far from perfect. She chose to rise each day to face the challenging life of a soldier and live for the Lord in the messiness of war.
Though she led her nation to victory, she herself fell into the hands of her enemies and was later put to death on May 30, 1431. Her radical, short life was a powerful witness to surrendering all for the name of the Lord.
Young people today are searching for a mission, for a unique purpose to devote their whole selves to. Joan gave her simple yes to the unique purpose for which the Lord created her.
Joan offered her yes to Jesus in the face of the unknown and yet trusted in his faithfulness. Little did she know the spiritual and physical enemies she was about to face. Despite the unknown adventure before her, she remained faithful to the Lord, trusting in his gracious plan for her life. Her story can lead us to gaze into our own lives and marvel at the personal mission that Christ calls us to.
In the simplicity of our daily lives, do we have time, like Joan, to be still and available to the call of the Lord? In the depths of our hearts, are we ready to spring into action and follow where the Holy Spirit leads? Perhaps our mission may not bring us to physical battle lines like Joan, but we are all called to brave the storms of life and dive into the trenches of the broken hearts of the world, making Christ’s love known to all.
Perhaps France would have been in a very different place if Joan’s response to this mission had been different. Jesus is inviting all of his beloved children (us) to play a vital and individual role in his plan for the Kingdom of God. May we, like Joan, have the wisdom and strength to trust that the Lord has us in his grace and respond with a courageous yes to letting his love rule in our hearts!