The Klingons have a saying, “Today is a good day to die.” Like Saint John Paul II, Mother Angelica was called home on Easter.  Like St. John Paul II she demonstrated a deep love for Christ, and the Church. She suffered her illnesses, offering them up to Jesus, and she cherished her life. Her example was such that many came to the fullness of the Faith because of her. Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016, was for Mother Angelica, “a good day to die.”

Mother Angelica, Foundress of EWTN, age 92, died on Easter Sunday.

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life reigns.
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.”
~ St. John Chrysostom, Easter Homily

All the years I watched EWTN and loved the feisty nun from Ohio, I loved the clarity of her vision, her no-nonscence approach to scripture and church teaching, and her bold proclamation of Christ. She did not compromise the faith in any way. She loved the Church, she loved the bishops, but she refused to obey when such would put her at odds with Christ. Her example was heroic. Many persons were positively impacted by her work, for examples read HERE.

I particularly loved the discussion of Mother Angelica by Church Militant TV’s The Download. I watched those years and she was amazing. Her zeal was and is an example to me. She left no doubt that her love and allegiance was to Christ through His Church.

Her experience with having to turn her television station over to the laity, to keep it from being destroyed by bishops whose lives were less than what they ought to have been, strikes me as the reason why God directed St. Josemaria Escriva to set up his movement so that the work was owned and directed by lay persons who only turned to the movement for Faith formation so they could better serve Christ in their independent work.

Sadly, EWTN isn’t what it was under Mother Angelica, and I gradually stopped watching it. Luckily, her example inspired others and woke them up, so there are ministries that are in the spirit of her work, like Church Militant.  Persons who, like Mother Angelica, are unafraid to speak up and tell it as they see it.

As my godmother said the other day, “Jesus said “By the fruit, you will know them.” Seems to me that He wanted us to be ‘fruit inspectors”.”

Mother Angelica was a very savvy ‘fruit inspector’.  Requiescat in pace, Mother Angelica. My soul is better for your having lived.

Dear Lord, Thank You for the example of Mother Mary Angelica. Thank You for the formation in Catholicism many received because of her. Please grant us the grace to carry forward a bold proclamation of the Faith like she did. Memory Eternal be hers. +Amen.