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St. Stanislaus: Martyr for Christ
(1030-1079)
Courage is a most beautiful and holy virtue. All the martyrs were blessed with this marvelous gift. One martyr in particular who was given a double dose of this virtue is the patron of Poland, St. Stanislaus.
In 1072, St. Stanislaus was ordained bishop of Cracow. Known for his great preaching, humility, and charity, Stanislaus captured the hearts of the faithful. He never took his vocation for granted; he was a true shepherd who looked after, and protected, his flock.
Though meek and humble of heart, Stanislaus was no pushover. He understood the responsibility, placed upon his shoulders by our dear Lord, to help souls reach Heaven. His concern for the salvation of others knew no bounds.
On several occasions, Stanislaus confronted the King of Poland, Boleslaus II, about his immoral behavior. In their final meeting, Stanislaus threatened to excommunicate the king. This enraged Boleslaus! From that time on, Boleslaus plotted to murder Stanislaus.
In 1079, while Stanislaus was celebrating Mass at the chapel of St. Michael, Boleslaus sent three of his soldiers into the chapel to kill him. All three soldiers refused to commit this crime for fear that God’s wrath would fall upon them. Bolesaus took matters into his own hands and killed Stanislaus himself.
Stanislaus fell to the floor of the chapel and sanctified the earth, as Our Lord did on Calvary with his blood. Soon after killing Stanislaus, Boleslaus fled to Hungary and entered into – of all places – a monastery. He prayed and did penance within the walls of the monastery for the rest of his life.
Jesus said, “If they persecuted me, they also will persecute you.”(Jn.15:20) The life of the martyrs testifies to this. St. Stanislaus, meek and humble, could not step aside and say nothing while King Boleslaus committed sin. He received special graces, from the Holy Spirit, that gave him the courage to confront Boleslaus and challenge him to change his ways.
I believe in today’s world, Catholics must be people of courage and fortitude. This gift comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is ask for it. The Holy Spirit, as in the case of St. Stanislaus, will do the rest.
God bless.