The lily evokes thoughts of purity, and that is why we refer to St. Kateri as the Lily of the Mohawks. I have to marvel at her amazing dedication to Jesus despite the culture of her village. She was only four years old when her mother died. Shortly after that her uncle, who did not even like having the Jesuit missionaries around, adopted her. It is amazing to me that she found her faith at all, much less becoming such a role model for everyone around her, and now for all of us.
Today we live in a culture that does not value purity. In fact, if you pay attention to movies, television, popular music, and social media, you might be easily convinced that purity is an unrealistic expectation. Worse, people assume that anyone who actually dares to live a modest lifestyle is unnatural or damaged, in some way. Certainly, there is pressure to be ashamed of a life of holiness. How backward is that?
I think it would be an interesting study for youth/young adult faith formation to consider Kateri and her devotion to purity. She was so devoted that she was willing to stand up to her adopted father, the chief, when he arranged for her to be married. Without ever having an example to follow, she spent her life completely devoted to Jesus. I know it is popular in today’s culture to believe that it is unrealistic to expect anyone to live a chaste life, but Kateri didn’t exactly live in a culture that encouraged her decision, and she was an inspiration to us all.
Then at her death, the Lord gave us a beautiful gift when her skin became suddenly healed and clear. Can you imagine being a witness to such a miracle? To me, it seems that God was honoring her purity by allowing us to see her with a matching appearance.
I know that most social trends tend to be like a pendulum, swinging to the extremes before settling in a moderate place. Maybe the pendulum is just hanging out a little longer than usual on the promiscuous end of this one. Let’s hope so.
Jesus, please guide us to be confident in our faith and to live holy lives. Help us to set a good example in the world like Your Lily of the Mohawks. Guide us to find ways to help the pendulum swing back toward your will for us.