St Michael and the (Real) Sword in the Stone”

God writes the best stories! And I came across one that, whilst very old, can speak to every age.

The son of an Italian noble, Galgano Guidotti spent most of his life in the pursuit of pleasure; avoiding virtue at all costs it seems. Fortunately his parents were very devout, particularly his mother and she constantly prayed for his change of heart or conversion. 

One night he dreamt of his mother conversing with St Michael; the latter seeking her agreement that Galgano should join the heavenly militia. When he awoke, whilst not comprehending the meaning of the dream, it did cause him to return home to his father’s house and change his ways. He abandoned his amusements and began a life of prayer much to the relief of his mother. Convinced that he had finally settled down she made arrangements for him to marry a girl in a nearby town.

He rode out one morning to meet his bride-to-be and when half-way there his horse stopped and refused to budge. At this point St Michael appeared to him in person; not in a dream this time. He led Galgano up a hill to a wooded area and told him that he would spend the rest of his life there in prayer and penance. 

Galgano was understandably overwhelmed and aware of his own sinfulness (but not God’s mercy at that point), he declared that it would be impossible for God to forgive his many sins. As if to make the point to his heavenly visitor he added that it would be easier for him to plunge his sword into the rock beneath his feet than for God to forgive him. So as to demonstrate he unsheathed his sword, held it above the ground and thrust it down towards the rock; which promptly opened to receive the blade up to the hilt and then closed around it. It has been locked in place for the last 800 years.

Galgano remained as instructed for the rest of his life and within a few years was Canonised as a saint due to the many miracles obtained through his prayers. A shrine was built around the sword in the stone which is still a place of pilgrimage in Tuscany.

In our days so many are ensnared in vices and godless lives; many despair that they are too far from God to ever find their way home; St Galgano is an example of what is possible. With the intercession of loved ones, a contrite heart and desire for change, we can receive forgiveness and embrace holiness of life and even become saints.

(an audio book on the Life of St Galgano is on youtube see below:-)

Pilgrimage and Penance

Penance seems an odd word in this day and age; as is anything which is uncomfortable or can’t be done from a mobile phone app. But for Holy week I sometimes undertake a penitential walk.

I was inspired to do so by the story of a Brazilian plumber. His wife had just left him, and he was staring down the barrel of old age with a lot of failures and regrets in his backpack. He sold his van and tools and bought a plane ticket to the Holy Land. There comes a time in the life of every man when only authenticity and the truth will do and he went in search for it.

He joined a pilgrim group and on the eve of the visit to the route of the way of the Cross, he spent the night in prayer. In the morning, one of the group members would lead and carry a replica of the cross and he prayed for that privilege.  His prayer was answered.

As he placed it on his shoulder, he suddenly felt an incredible weight pressing down on him. It was revealed to him that this was the weight of his own sins only. As he walked the way of the cross, it was so difficult that he fell and struggled with it; the other pilgrims thought he was play-acting as he collapsed at the end in complete exhaustion.

Then, as he described it, he felt that all his sins were absorbed by the cross and when he stood up he felt as light as a feather. He returned to Brazil to an unknown and uncertain future but with a great love for Jesus and a growing confidence in His love to carry him through.