Naturally, as a Jesuit, I am incredibly fond of Ignatius, Francis Xavier and a host of other (official and unofficial) saints of the Society of Jesus. Beyond the Jesuits, the Church offers me a rich array of wonderful saints and Jim Martin’s My Life With the Saints, which many of you may already have read, was a great refresher course in how to make the saints an more active part of my spiritual life.
Why, then, when I lose something don’t I pray to St. Anthony or to St. Joseph of Cupertino when a plane ride gets bumpy? Whenever I feel the need to call upon a saint, I inevitably go straight to St. Jude, the patron of “lost causes,” and ask for his help and intercession.
I think it’s because I assume that everything else is going to fail and so I might as well go straight to the court of last appeal. How Irish is that?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Paul,
In the last year I have re-discovered the saints. They are my companions in prayer, especially prayer of petition. I believe that if I ask a gathering of saints to join me in prayer, Jesus’ promise that where two or three are gathered in His name He is in the midst of us. One saint I almost always invite to my gathering is Patrick. I also always include the saint among saints, Our Blessed Mother. Thank you for telling us of the book by Fr. Martin.
Eric
Paul,
I rely very much on Mother Mary, but I also count on S t. Jude for the
desperate family issues and some are better. In the last 20 years St. Anthony did not find 4 expensive pieces of jewelry but I still call on him. God may be telling me something here bcause St. Anthony finds everything else I lose! My favorite is St. Therese, the Little Flower. A son & wife were told they would never have a child so I asked her help and their daughter is 12. Also, a granddaughter & husband were still childless after 5 years of marriage. I again asked St. Therese and their daughter is three. Yes, Saints are powerful and they do help us. They each have a given mission and are anxious to help. I pray more would call upon them. Thank God for Saints!
Audrey
I went straight for St. Francis of Asissi and Dorothy Day in Fr. Martin’s wonderful book. As a child in Catholic grade school, I used to read those hagio-bios: St. Gemma comes to mind. But it’s been decades.
This line from the book stayed with me for a long while: “…one reason we are initally atracted to a saint is that the saint is already praying for us.”
Whoa.
The sentence continues with “though I admit this is an impossible hypothesis to prove.” Not that that’s ever stopped folks from believing and/or moving, creating, comforting, and generally doing the impossible.
Audrey,
Greetings from Dublin where I find myself these past few days. Yes, you’ve got it right – Thank God for Saints.
Paul
Maureen,
Welcome on board! It was great to hear from you. I love that line that you quoted from the book. Isn’t it consoling to know that there are good people rooting for us?
Paul
Maureen,
Thank you for that quote form Fr. Martin’s book. How comforting to think saints are praying for me even before I pray to them. I had it reversed and am gratful to think it is possible the other way even if not provable! The thought will sustain me in my efforts to persevere in prayer for a particular petition.
Audrey