Dogged Infidels
When Europe had
the faith, it could defeat The Muslim hordes, but now? – One long retreat.
As the faltering remains of
Christendom face today a Muslim invasion organized by the millennial enemies of
God, and made possible by the Western nations’ wretched politicians and vile
media, it is well to remember how often in times past Christendom was
threatened by Muslim invasions, and how Christendom then defended itself, by
turning to God. In the summer of 1683, a huge Muslim army of anything from 150
to 300 thousand soldiers besieged Vienna and threatened to engulf Europe from
the south-east. The Muslims even envisaged capturing Rome, for the glory of
Islam.
With the help of a
saintly Capuchin, Fr. Marco da Aviano, Pope Innocent XI succeeded in
putting together a Christian army from several European nations to relieve
Vienna. Here is the prayer of the Capuchin just before the battle:
“O Lord God of Hosts, Behold us
prostrate at the feet of your Majesty, to obtain forgiveness for our sins. Well
do we know how we have deserved that the infidels take up arms to oppress us,
because the iniquities committed by us every day against your goodness have
justly provoked your wrath. O great God, from the depth of our hearts we ask
you to forgive us; we execrate sin because you abhor it; it pains us that we
have often angered your supreme goodness. For love of you we would rather die a
thousand times than commit the least act to displease you. Come to our aid, O
Lord, with your grace, and let not your servants break the pact which we have
made with you alone. Have pity upon us, have pity on your Church, which the
fury and strength of the infidels are even now preparing to oppress. Even if it
is by our own fault that they have broken in on the serenity of these Christian
countries, and even if all the ills coming upon us are none other than the
consequence of our own wickedness, still be propitious towards us, O God of all
goodness, and despise not the work of you r own hands. Remember how, to save us
from the slavery of Satan, you shed all of your Precious Blood.
“Will you allow it to be trodden
underfoot by these dogs? Can it be that you will permit the precious pearl of
the faith, which you sought out with such zeal and rescued with so much
suffering, to be thrown to these swine to be trampled on? Forget not, O Lord,
that if you allow the infidels to prevail over us, they will blaspheme your
holy Name and mock your power, crying out a thousand times, “Where is their
God, the God who was powerless to save them from our hands?” Let it not be held
against you, O Lord, that you gave way to the fury of the wolves, just when we
were calling upon you in our misery and anguish. Great God of battles, come to
our aid! If you favour our cause, the armies of the infidels cannot harm us.
Scatter these people that have wanted war! For our part, we ask no more than to
be at peace with you, with ourselves and with our neighbour . . .”
The prayer continues with the request
for the Christian army’s leaders and soldiers to be strengthened with God’s
grace, with the spirit and courage of the heroes of the Old Testament, so that
they may reduce to naught the enemies of the Christian name, and show forth
God’s power. Let God look down on the Christian soldiers’ faith, hope and
charity. On His behalf Marco will bless them on their way to battle. Let God
hold back the arm of his wrath raised over them, and let His enemies know that
there is no other God beside Him. Like Moses, Marco will lift his arms to bless
the Christian soldiers. May God grant them victory, and the ruin of His and
their enemies, Amen.
How politically incorrect! “Dogs” and
“swine” – How racist! Intolerable! But the fact is that God granted to the
Christians a sensational victory which threw back the Muslims for 300 years.
Now they are back. And this time there is virtually no repentance left to call
upon Almighty God . . .
Kyrie eleison.
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