By Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
Crusaders before Jerusalem painting by Wilhelm von Kaulbach. Jerusalem being delivered from the Muslims, with Godfrey of Bouillon leading the army of crusaders.
Question: This is the crusading spirit, correct?
The crusading spirit arises when one sees that even that has availed nothing and one receives a special motion of grace to avenge in the name of God.
Question: So things must get to this point in order for the touch of vengeance to come about?
Right. The ‘touch’ is, “Avenge Me, my son!”
Now, a Crusader will only be perfect in carrying out this vengeance when no turbulent, low level or heavy passions are involved, something which often happens when an individual wants to exact personal revenge and ends up by making God a kind of alter ego of himself; he becomes indignant as if they had slapped his face and so he is going to slap the Mohammedan’s face. This is not right.
It is necessary to understand the immensity of the sin committed and to want to avenge it out of pure and disinterested love for God. This is different from personal rage.
Cavalry charge by the Knights of Saint John against the Saracens, by Gustav Adolf Closs.
Question: It is impossible to avoid the personal aspect without a special grace, right?
It is impossible. When that happens, the knight becomes properly speaking indomitable and has the strength to unleash on the Mohammedan the blow that cleaves him in half.
(Excerpt from an MNF, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 1989 – Nobility.org translation)
