I’m going to push this on social media and would welcome thoughts or critiques. I know it’s probably too long:

I had never heard of Our Lady of Ransom until recent years. When I read Christ in Dachau by Fr Lenz, he and many other priests prayed a novena to Her while imprisoned inside a nazi concentration camp (their request was granted btw) and so I researched the apparition.
In 1218 the Blessed Mary appeared to St Peter Nolasco, St Raymond of Penafort, and the king of Aragon, all three on separate occasions. She instructed each of them to begin a new religious order. When it was realized that they received the same vision and instruction, it affirmed that it was indeed Our Lady and this message was from Heaven. The purpose of this Order was to free Christians that had been captured and enslaved. This was happening across Europe for a shockingly long period of time. At least it was a shock to me. I don’t remember learning about it in school. As early as the 8th century and as late as the 19th century, Christians were kidnapped through raids, conquest, and warfare. For the most part, it was done by the Moors, Vikings, and Ottomans at various time periods with the Khazarian jews providing the major hub for slave trade.
The Order of Our Lady of Ransom (or Mercy) , known today as the Mercadarians, was established in Spain by the King of Aragon in obedience to the Blessed Mothers request. The men who joined took the 3 common vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. The Heavenly Mother had instructed them to ransom, console, and redeem those held in slavery, and if necessary to offer themselves in place of victims. So a 4th vow was taken to give their lives if needed. This was put to the test very quickly. The first year brought 100 martyrs. The majority of captors were Muslim and often times victims would be treated particularly bad or even tortured until they would deny Christ. The concern for souls that might deny their Lord under such duress was as important to the priests as rescuing their bodies from slavery, perhaps even more, lest they should fail the test.
The bravery and sacrifice of these holy men as well as their efficiency in bringing captives home gave hope to many whose loved ones were enslaved and inspired the faithful to support this heroic mission. There were some that gave everything they had including their homes for the release of Christian slaves. Redeeming captives was a way of life, even a part of the culture for centuries. Churches had “ransom” boxes next to the alms box to accept regular donations for their cause.
Two other religious orders aided in the redemption of captives, one of which was st Vincent de Paul. Great risk was taken in negotiations and all aspects of this mission. There isn’t a number on record of how much was spent towards the return of Christians. However, there is documentation that st Vincent himself rescued 1200 slaves for 1.2 million pounds of silver. In today’s money, it’s almost 500,000/person.
In total there were 1.5 million Christians rescued from captivity. If this many where saved, it is unimaginable how many were lost over hundreds of years.
Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Ransom. It is a reminder of what Christians have endured over the centuries. But perhaps more importantly, it is a reminder of what the Christian mission and what we must do in times of persecution. Our Lady came to bring comfort but also the remedy for the sufferings of Her children under Muslim captors. She did not offer them a sword. Given the hundreds of millions of dollars raised, they certainly could have built warships and an army of their own. How many fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, friends and loved ones felt the anguish of those times and longed to satisfy their just anger? There were entire villages destroyed in some places. But they restrained their emotion. They did not form a militia or return the violence that had been inflicted on them. Rather, they made great sacrifices, some giving all, to ransom another’s freedom. They paid the price and assumed a debt they did not owe. Is there anything that mirrors the actions of our Lord more than this? He who ransomed His life to purchase our release from an eternal bondage. Following as Christ commanded, they understood that “violence died with the Cross” as our priest reminded us last Sunday at Mass. They could see the mystery of iniquity in their time and refused to surcome to it. Rather, they heeded the instruction of their Queen and Mother and sought to imitate Her Son. They saw the true battle was one for souls and that with His suffering and death, our Lord instituted the weapons of the Christian soldier. Far superior to any blade or bullet, evil is powerless against virtue. For how can one argue with humility? What can one use to fight meekness? Posing no threat, the unchanging hearts of the Barbarians were happy to take the money and satisfy their greed. But some were left awestruck at such heroic virtue and these holy priests not only won back members of their flock but the hearts of many captors as well. How many conversions and happy souls were brought to their Savior throughout this noble crusade.
Oh brothers and sisters, how have we forgotten our mission?! The mystery of iniquity is certainly reaching its fullness in our time for never have we been so blind to it. Indeed it is a mystery and is hidden but our Lord would never abandon us. Or leave us without refuge. It is possible to have eyes to see if you but ask! We are fools to be pitied and indeed Jesus does recognize our frailty. We have been raised on rebellion, taught to shake our fists at every perceived injustice, and wage war against perceived enemies. But what greater injustice has ever been than that raged against the Savior; what holier war was fought than for the redemption of man? Yet He didn’t raise a finger, let alone a fist. And He didn’t use a single violent act or protest, rather He defeated His enemy with a Cross. Do you believe that Jesus became a victim so that we could convict and punish? We have been sold many lies from the evil one and gotten caught in his trap. We must reclaim our mission and live in the only Truth that is real, Jesus Christ. And do not misunderstand, Jesus is not asking us to lay down and do nothing. He is asking for us to live the same radical love that He lived for us. He wants us to weaponize charity to the degree that He did. He wants us to win Him souls! What do you think we are here for?! We cannot accomplush this without doing what was first done for us. The great Sinbearer bore all your shame. So you must become a sinbearer too, carrying the faults of those around you. And He paid our ransom so we must imitate this as did the great Christians under our Lady of Mercy. Turn to her today and ask what she wants of you. And ask yourself what you are willing to give up for our mission. Will you ransom your anger, your control, your possessions, your addiction, your pride. Will you cast out the violence inside yourself and forget the forces in this world that wish for you to keep it.? Truth is our remedy and now is the time to seek it. The conflicts within our homes and world are only going to escalate. The choice of a Christian is not which side, but whether or not they will participate, enable the iniquity, and aid in the destruction of man. I assure you, God is on neither side of what the visible world is fighting about.