There are many enemies of Holy Mother Church. The first of which is Satan. He constantly attempts to sow discord to destroy unity. At the Last Supper Jesus looked at his disciples and said “Satan means to sift you like wheat”. Then he turned and looked at Peter and said, “I have prayed for you that when you have returned you may strengthen your brethren”. St Peter offers us wisdom in his letter, “Be sober and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him firm in your faith…” There is a spiritual battle. And we have a great defender in Saint Michael who battled with Satan.
The second greatest enemy is our own sins. Someone asked G K Chesterton what was wrong with the Church, he replied, “me”. The penitential Psalms speak to the reality of a need to repent. “Create a clean heart in me O God, put a steadfast spirit within me.” (Ps 51) “If you O Lord mark our iniquities, Lord, who can stand. But, with you is forgiveness that you may be feared…For with the Lord there is mercy.” (Ps 130) In the parable of the wedding feast, the guest who arrived without a wedding garment was expelled. He was not righteous because conversion demands a change in life.
The third greatest enemy is Islam. The previous century saw the death of religious or secular nationalism in the fratricide of the First World War. Socialist Communism and Fascism fed on the ashes of defeat to usher in a bloodshed the world has never seen. Yet, for 1,400 years Islam has warred against the West whether it is Christian or secular. Simply put, Mohhamed was expelled from Mecca but he returned with swords and marauders. Jesus sat on a hill and spoke the Beatitudes and sent his apostles to make disciples through waters that cleanse. Islam preaches submission and God’s mercy as arbitrary. For them, the cross abhorrent. The Christian knows that God’s mercy is for all and is give to us in the sacrificial love of the cross. We can say that the Crusader and the Muslim each died for their religion. The suicide has only the despair of resignation to kill you and himself for the sake of a sensual paradise where what was forbidden on earth is now indulged. The Christian martyr has the levity of true courage. He dies that you may live because the blood of the cross is life.
So, feast days mark the Christian victories over Islam.
6 August 1456 The Feast of the Transfiguration. Pope Callistus III designates this day as a feast to commemorate the Christian victory over the Muslim Turk at Belgrade. General Gian Hunyady and St. John of Capistrano as chaplain rallied the Christians to lift the siege of Belgrade. This slowed down the march of Islam against the Christian West.
7 October 1571. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Pope St. Pius V, who had created the Holy League, designated this day as the Commemoration of the Christian naval victory over the Muslim navy at Lepanto. This victory saved the Italian peninsula. Germany was divided because of the Protestant Reformation. England had created its own church. France would not join the pope because they had trade alliances with the Muslims.
12 September 1683. Pope Innocent XI designated this feast of the Holy Name of Mary to commemorate the Christian victory over the Muslims who were laying siege to Vienna. King Jan Sobieski brought his winged Hussar calvary to Vienna where they routed the Muslim army. This was the furthest west Muslim military advance.
