(Minghui.org) Facing the cold winter in the northern U.S., I am reminded of a miracle that took place 80 years ago in World War II. During the Battle of the Bulge, the Nazis launched their last major offensive on the Western Front, in which 250,000 German troops and nearly 1,000 tanks were mobilized to drive to the coast of the English Channel and split the Allied armies.
Although outnumbered, Allied forces were able to delay the German advance, allowing American units, including the 101st Airborne Division, to reach Bastogne before the German forces did. Bastogne was a hub city that commanded several important roads in the area that were critical to the movement of German armor.
After hearing this, the German army concentrated seven divisions on the siege of Bastogne. Compared to the German army, the Allied forces were outnumbered five to one. Moreover, the constant heavy snowfall at the time made it difficult for the Allied forces to provide airdrop support. The situation grew critical. It was at that time that General George Patton was ordered to lead the Third Army to reinforce Bastogne and to ensure the Allied supply lines.
However, during the march, the Third Army encountered thick fog and heavy snow. All roads were covered in a layer of ice, and vehicles could only move slowly, advancing just over ten kilometers in a day. The weather forecast called for continuous heavy snow for the next few days. Some of Patton’s subordinates suggested suspending the troop movement until the weather improved.
Patton knew he could not wait but also that he needed help from the divine. Following his order, the Third Army chaplain composed a prayer:
Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.
Patton then ordered copies of the prayer card to be distributed to all 250,000 soldiers. He explained to the chaplain that the soldiers should pray wherever they found themselves; if they didn’t, they’d sooner or later go to pieces – “crack up.”
A directive was also issued in Patton’s name to the hundreds of chaplains in the Third Army: “Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for Battle…Pray for victory. Pray for our Army, and Pray for Peace.”
The prayer was answered on the morning of December 23, when the dense cloud cover was gone. “It was the war’s most beautiful sunrise,” one of the soldiers exclaimed.
By December 26, Patton’s 4th Armored Division and other elements of the Third Army had relieved the siege of Bastogne. Together with other troops, they were able to restore the front and set the stage for the final drive to victory.
The Third Army was considered by some historians to be one of the most powerful forces in U.S. military history. Rather than taking credit for the victory, however, Patton attributed his success to God. In fact, he believed it was impossible to bear the burden of command and the incomparable stresses of war without divine guidance.
“I pray daily to do my duty, retain my self-confidence, and accomplish my destiny. No one can live under the awful responsibility that I have without Divine help. Frequently I feel that I don’t rate it,” he wrote.
As Falun Dafa practitioners, we now face another test at the end of the Fa-rectification. Some of us may wonder why the CCP’s persecution can still intensify to the point of instigating a lawsuit against Master Li. We should remember that the Fa-rectification is a war between good and evil and that soul-stirring events can happen at any time before the war ends.
It has been 23 years since Minghui first published an announcement on sending forth righteous thoughts on May 25, 2001. Have we done well in using this divine power given to us by Master? I believe that if all Dafa practitioners send forth the purest righteous thoughts at this critical moment, we can surely eliminate the remaining evil in other dimensions, save more predestined people, and fulfill our mission.
Christmas is only a few days away. I hope we will all do well in sending righteous thoughts and using the strength we have, both as individuals and as a coordinated body of practitioners.
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Category: Cultivation Insights
