Love is as strong as death
From The Memoirs by the secretary of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
Love is as strong as death
One day Saint Jane spoke the following eloquent words, which listeners took down exactly as spoken:
“My dear daughters, many of our holy fathers in the faith, men who were pillars of the Church, did not die martyrs. Why do you think this was?” Each one present offered an answer; then their mother continued. “Well, I myself think it was because there is another martyrdom: the martyrdom of love. Here God keeps his servants and handmaids in this present life so that they may labor for him, and he makes of them both martyrs and confessors. I know,” she added, “that the Daughters of the Visitation are meant to be martyrs of this kind, and that, by the favor of God, some of them, more fortunate than others in that their desire has been granted, will actually suffer such a martyrdom.”
One sister asked what form this martyrdom took. The saint answered: “Yield yourself fully to God, and you will find out! Divine love takes its sword to the hidden recesses of our inmost soul and divides us from ourselves. I know one person whom love cut off from all that was dearest to her, just as completely and effectively as if a tyrant’s blade had severed spirit from body.”
We realized that she was speaking of herself. When another sister asked how long the martyrdom would continue, the Saint replied: “From the moment when we commit ourselves unreservedly to God, until our last breath. I am speaking, of course, of great-souled individuals who keep nothing back for themselves, but instead are faithful in love. Our Lord does not intend this martyrdom for those who are weak in love and perseverance. Such people he lets continue on their mediocre way, so that they will not be lost to him; he never does violence to our free will.”
Finally, the saint was asked whether this martyrdom of love could be put on the same level as martyrdom of the body. She answered: “We should not worry about equality. I do think, however, that the martyrdom of love cannot be relegated to a second place, for love is as strong as death. For the martyrs of love suffer infinitely more in remaining in this life so as to serve God, than if they died a thousand times over in testimony to their faith and love and fidelity.”
Source: The Liturgy of the Hours – Office of Readings
Saint Jane Frances (1572-1641) was born in 1572 of a wealthy family in Dijon, France. At 20 years of age, she married Christopher de Rabutin, Baron de Chantal and officer of the French army and had six sons to whom she carefully taught the Christian faith. When her husband died in a hunting accident in 1601, she returned with her children to live in her father’s home. In 1604, she was deeply inspired by a sermon given by St. Francis de Sales. She recognized him from a vision she had had, and after providing for the continued welfare of her children, she wholeheartedly embraced the religious life. She desired to enter the Carmelite convent, but under the guidance of Saint Francis de Sales, she instead founded the Congregation of the Visitation, a religious order founded for young girls and widows desiring the religious life. She accepted the guidance and spiritual direction of St. Francis de Sales throughout the rest of her life. During the next thirty years more than sixty houses were founded throughout France. During the final years of her life, Jane, like St. John of the Cross, suffered the torments of the dark night of the soul but died in peace surrounded by her sisters in 1641 at the age of 69. She was known for her extraordinary works of charity especially for the poor and sick, and was canonized a saint in 1767.