The most radical and unique aspect of our Catholic faith is that we are called not only no love our neighbors as ourselves, but our enemies, as well. This is only possible with the grace of God, which we get from the Sacraments.
I just finished a book entitled, “Edmund Campion, A Life,” by Evelyn Waugh, who was a convert to the Catholic faith. In 1936 he received the Hawthornden Prize for this masterpiece. St. Edmund was a highly educated man and scholar in 16th century England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the practice of the Catholic faith was against the law. Priests and Catholics who harbored priests were arrested, tortured and executed in horrific ways.
St. Edmund was born in a Catholic family, but fell away and was on a trajectory to go far. He was a favorite of the queen after she heard one of his lectures at Oxford.
After a conversion to the faith, he spent some time at the seminary in Douai, France and then in Rome for the Jesuits. After his ordination to the priesthood and time in Bohemia, he and a small group of priests snuck into England and ministered to the Catholics in secret.
Always on the run and frequently never staying more than one night in any place, for spies abounded, he was eventually arrested, tortured and put to death. He was hung, his body mutilated, and finally he was disemboweled.
As with other executions, spectators were allowed to gather close to the condemned. Standing near out of curiosity was an ex-Catholic lawyer named Henry Walpole, who in some ways was living the life of Edmund Campion before his conversion.
St. Henry was a Cambridge man who had previously heard Edmund speak. He heard Father Campion express his loyalty to the queen in temporal matters as he forgave and prayed for her just prior to the noose being slipped around his neck. As the executioner later tore out his intestines, a drop of blood flew onto Henry’s coat, whereupon he instantly converted back to the Catholic faith. He immediately left England, entered the seminary for the Jesuits, was ordained a priest, and 13 years later, died the same death as Father Campion as he loved and forgave is enemies. Both are canonized saints and examples to us all in the love of God, neighbors and our enemies.
If one drop of Father Campion’s blood had this effect on someone, imagine the effect one Holy Communion can have on someone who receives Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass when properly disposed. I see this on a daily basis in that the sacrificial monetary and material donations given to CSS by our donors are given for only one reason, for the love of God who is present in our neighbor.
May 2014 be a year where we all grow closer to God by our love and concern for the spiritual, psychological and material well-being of neighbors. Saints Campion and Walpole, pray for us!
