Seek First the Kingdom - The March of Hope - Introduction

The Fire of Joan of Arc

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Photo by Chirag Nayak on Unsplash

I was wondering one day
Why Joan of Arc’s end, so cruelly stark
Formed with her fire, 
A light out of dark

She did everything asked of her, 
She did nothing wrong,
That is my opinion of her
Life and its song

She freed her
Countrymen and king
She was an astounding
Figure of history

Brave and faithful,
Selfless and kind,
She was in everyway
True to her calling divine

Yet, dear Joan met only
Thanklessness and betrayal,
She died amongst hatred

And I wondered why that day…

I ponder these things when 
I don’t have much to do,
As was the case that day 
Sitting with Mary, too

Why Mother Mary? 
What is the meaning?
Of dear Joan of Arc’s life 
And the fire at its ending?

Mary opened an image before me,
The devil himself was prosecuting
Before my last judgment day jury

I watched with obvious interest
My lips pursed in fear
The devil was laughing and
Making his point clear

He roared to the jury 
That my judgment would be,
The one time he

Would not have to lie 
Cheat or steal,
For he would have nothing
 He really needed to tell

For my own deeds 
Condemn me from the roof!
Yes, this is one time even he
Could tell the truth

Do you see my dilemma? 
The thing I suddenly knew?
Joan, like the Savior, died unjustly,
I only gave the devil his due

My question 
Had been poorly framed,
I was seeking to know why 
Only to point blame

The real question was when…

When would I 
Be brave enough to bear,
Suffering in unity 
With those I hold dear?

The real question thought through,
Is could I die that way too?

I saw in the humiliation 
Of my own life selfishly spent,
That Joan followed Him asking
Not why, but when

When would she reach, 
The end of her dream?
And die just out of love
For our King and our Queen!

As I have traveled over the mountains and onto the plains, across the rivers, and through the valleys on the astonishing Freedom Dance along the trail of the Dogmatic Creed of Roman Catholicism, experienced specifically as the rich, colorful, mystical pathway to destiny through the ancient Tradition of True Devotion to Mary, I have been led to a place where I have caught what I believe to be a glimpse of why the first apostles left their fishing nets, walked straightway from their fathers and places of work,[1] why they and others over the centuries would offer themselves as martyrs, and why beautiful saints such as St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, would give up any hope of earthly gain to enter a convent for life.  I have seen a view from the broad, peaceful plain leading upward to the City of God that would, in my mind anyway, explain why St. Francis of Assisi would embrace Lady Poverty and walk in contempt of worldly desire to see creation through a different eyeglass. I have caught the slightest glimpse of why Joan of Arc would surrender to death in the fire of men’s hatred, jealousy, and worldly envy rather than betray the mission given to her by her Voices from heaven.

What I have seen is Hope, Catholic Hope. I have caught sight of the force that drove the saints to move with clarity and purpose, untiringly, with hearts full of love to a place they had not seen but that they knew was their final destiny and home. I have been shown by my heaven-sent companions on this journey why it is that Catholicism is so attractive, why it is that the “worldly” life of power, wealth, and comfort becomes meaningless, and why all else pales when compared to the promises mentioned by St. Paul:

“But it is as scripture says: What no eye has seen, and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualize; all that God has prepared for those who love him.”[2]

This book's thesis will be this discovery of a life-changing, alternative worldview. I want to tell you where the Freedom Dance led me and what I saw. You might wish to come and look for yourself.