John du Lau was Archbishop of Arles during the French Revolution. He and more than 190 bishops and priests were imprisoned in Paris for refusing to take an oath that would have separated the Church in France from Rome, and on September 2, 1792 they were put to death at the Carmelite house where they were held. They were beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
Facing threats and violence, these men chose fidelity to Christ and his Church over their own safety, forgiving their persecutors even in their final moments. Their witness reminds us that quiet, steady faithfulness — holding on to what we believe when it costs us — is a form of love stronger than fear.
Lord Jesus, who gave Blessed John du Lau and his companions the courage to remain faithful to the end, strengthen our faith in times of trial. May we, like them, entrust everything to you with peaceful and forgiving hearts. Amen.