The Greatest Fighter EVER: A Catholic Priest?

The greatest fighter of all time isn’t who you think he is. Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather—how about Jon “Bones” Jones or Georges St-Pierre? They were all great fighters, but they aren’t the greatest of all time. The greatest fighter of all time was a Catholic priest. Growing up as a boy in France, Jean Vianney had many dreams. He wanted to live a life of comfort as a brilliant Catholic priest in a major parish. But life quickly ran contrary to his hopes. He would have to live a life of radical poverty if he wanted to walk the path God had chosen for him. He accepted it. When he got to seminary, it turned out that he wasn’t brilliant at all. He could barely pass. He accepted that, too, and worked harder in school. Finally, he was sent to a tiny, remote parish. Even though it ran contrary to his desires, he went. After a while, it occurred to him that he didn’t want to run a parish at all. Four times, he tried to become a monk, and four times, God said no. He stayed with God, even though it agonized him. And then the miracles started happening. Sick people were healed when he prayed for them. He multiplied food for orphans. He read souls and reminded people in the confessional of their unconfessed sins. Finally, thousands of people who met him experienced miraculous conversions. Jean Vianney became famous throughout France. People traveled from all over to hear him preach and receive his spiritual advice. What most people don’t know is his record as a fighter. Floyd Mayweather was 50–0, often fighting opponents he knew he could beat. Saint Jean Vianney fought the devil daily for 35 years. Satan attacked him continuously, and there are stories of Vianney boldly mocking and defeating Satan in spiritual combat. He relied not on his own strength, but on the very strength of God. It turns out that when you have nothing to lose, you have everything to gain. And when Satan told God that he didn’t need Him, it turned out that his punk lips wrote a check that his rear end couldn’t cash. He discovered that in the spiritual octagon of Saint John. Don’t forget to like and subscribe. I pray daily for my subscribers.