Today we celebrate the life of a remarkable young woman: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, often called the “Lily of the Mohawks.” She is the first Indigenous saint of North America, and she holds a special place in the hearts of many Canadians and Americans alike.
Kateri was born in 1656 in what is now New York State, to a Mohawk father and an Algonquin Christian mother. When she was just four years old, a smallpox epidemic swept through her village. She survived, but it left her face scarred and her eyesight weakened. She was orphaned and taken in by relatives who didn’t share her mother’s Christian faith.
As she grew, Kateri felt a deep pull toward Jesus. At 19, she asked to be baptised, even though it meant rejection by her own people. Life didn’t get easier from there—she was ridiculed, threatened, and misunderstood. Eventually, she fled to a Christian Indigenous village near Montreal, where she could live out her faith more freely. She took a vow of virginity—giving her whole life to God—and was known for her prayerfulness, kindness, and sacrifice. She died at just 24 years old, but those around her witnessed a deep holiness in her. One priest said she lived more like a “true Christian soul” in those few years than many do in a lifetime.
And you know what? After her death, her face—once scarred by smallpox—was said to have become radiant and beautiful. A little sign, perhaps, of how God sees us when we give ourselves to Him.
In today’s first reading from Exodus, we hear about the Israelites being oppressed in Egypt. They were enslaved, feared, and treated cruelly—yet the more they were crushed, the more they grew. Doesn’t that sound a lot like Kateri? She faced rejection, illness, even persecution—but her faith just grew stronger. Like the Israelites, she held on to hope and trust in God, even in the hardest times.
The Psalm reminds us: “Our help is in the name of the Lord.” Kateri always placed her trust in Jesus. She didn’t have riches or power. What she had was a simple, strong faith in Christ. That was her help, her strength. God didn’t take away her troubles, but He remained by her side as her source of strength.
And then we have that powerful Gospel from Matthew—where Jesus says He hasn’t come to bring peace, but a sword. That’s not an easy message, is it? But Jesus is being honest: following Him sometimes means tough choices. It can mean losing relationships or comfort. But He promises that if we lose our life for His sake, we will find it.
That’s exactly what Saint Kateri did. She gave up a life of security, family ties, and even health to follow Jesus. And in the end, she found something much greater—God’s love, and eternal life. Her story reminds us that holiness isn’t about being perfect or famous or powerful. It’s about choosing Jesus, again and again, even when it’s hard.
So today, let’s ask Saint Kateri to pray for us. May we have even a fraction of her courage and love for Christ. And may we always remember: Our help is in the name of the Lord. + Amen.
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