+ Born to the Polish nobility in 1030, Stanislaus was educated both
in Poland and most likely also Paris, France. When his parents died, he
distributed his inheritance to the poor and became a parish priest, later becoming
a canon and preacher and later vicar-general at the Cracow Cathedral. He was a
noted spiritual director. Reluctantly he became bishop of Cracow in 1072. He
was known, as bishop, for his preaching against sinful living, regardless of
the sinner’s class. He was killed by King Boleslaus after he excommunicated him
due to his war crimes and attempted theft of land from the Church. Reaction
against Boleslaus was so great that he fled the country, never to return; his
guilt led him to become a monk.
Stanislaus became a symbol of
Polish patriotism and nationalism and is sometimes considered a martyr. He was
murdered in the chapel of St Michael in a suburb of Cracow and then buried
there, but later reinterred in the cathedral in 1088. He was canonized by Pope
Innocent IV at Assisi in 1253.
In this Easter Season we
reflect on the strength and spiritual protection that comes from the Blood of
the Lamb of God who died and rose again from the dead to be our sure refuge and
hope in times of trouble; Stanislaus enjoyed such protection due to his saintly
lifestyle and evidence of putting into practice what he prayed about!
In the gospel passage Jesus
asks the Father to protect his future bishops as they go out to proclaim the
truth – even to kings who would not listen. They were consecrated in that truth
and given the courage and perseverance to give their very all in the
proclamation of it!
We thank St. Stanislaus of
Cracow today for not only meditating on the truth, Christ Whose Person is the
Truth, endlessly, but also, proclaiming him, and dying like him and for him:
may we ask his intercession to do the same to whatever degree we are called to
respond in kind!
The
Lord delivers us from all our fears – in his way and in his time!
Amen!
Alleluia!
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