Big Brother

While in Maryland this past summer, I joined a young adult group at the local parish, and although different off-topic discussions stick out in my memory, one comment in particular that was actually on topic that night, really sticks out to me: “It’s sounds really crazy doesn’t it? Catholics have dead people for friends.” …Or at least it was something to that affect. But it’s true. We have the saints who intercede for us constantly, and on occasion there are a few who even seek us out it feels like. After all, if they’re living with Christ Himself, then they’re truly more alive than we are now. Why can’t our Lord use them to still preach His love?

There’s a couple saints in my life who seem to be having an influence on me, and one in particular who I feel like the Holy Spirit is occasionally talks directly to me through: Padre Pio. Respected mystic from the early 20th century and a stigmatic. He suffered the wounds of Christ and is portrayed as helping Christ to carry His cross in my favorite sculpture of Pio in Roma. Last year at this time I had only heard that Pio was a “really cool guy.” In my search to better know and understand the saints and their teachings, I decided to ask for a daily devotional with the writings of Pio for Christmas. I have spent the last 10 months reading a verse or two of scripture followed by a piece of a letter from our big brother in the Christian family. ¾ of the time, the daily reading is exactly what I needed to hear that day. So often I have found comfort in his words that on more than one occasion I’ve been completely convinced that the Holy Spirit had him write these words down while he was alive for me to read in the future, especially when he addressed his spiritual daughter. These bits and pieces of his letters have left me hungry to know him better. No doubt, one who suffers from the stigmata is a worthy person to look to for guidance. He’s becoming a very influential spiritual mentor to me through his writings.

Another one who was introduced to me by one of my best friends is Therese of Lisieux. During my senior year in high school, this friend confided to me that Therese was basically her patron saint. She had prayed a novena to Therese for intercession for a healing of a horrible skin issue and with no medical reason, she was healed. I had mentally put Therese’s name in my mental filing cabinet of “Really Cool Saints to Remember” at the time and thought little more of it over the course of the next year or so. That is until this friend gave me a copy of the Little Flower’s autobiography for Christmas. How could I not read it? Although I found it dry and nearly unbearable at first, I eventually realized that these were her actual words. I was getting to know who she really was, and I soon tried to be engrossed as I could be in the reading style. Her messages of little acts of love and total desire for our Lord are inspiring ideas to me. I have found it shocking just how much this one idea of love is reflected in Bl. Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Probably the thing that shocks me most about this spiritual big sister is that she died at the age of 23. She was so close to the age I am now, yet so wise.

Two more saints whose influences are growing in my life are Theresa of Avila and John Paul II. Have you read any of the works by these people? If not, then you really should pull up Amazon right now and find something by one of these great spiritual brother and sisters that the Holy Spirit worked within so much that they’ve left lasting impressions on the Church. Christ gave us Himself to look to for an example of how to live, and then He gave us these people who were meant to help guide others closer to Him. He is continually reaching out to us in the Eucharist, Mass, and through people (and probably in more ways than we can notice), but are we seeing Him or seeking Him in these people? Are we ignoring what He’s done and is doing through them?

Love and warm wishes!