Thankful Thursdays

For sticky prayers…and our interceders.

Some time ago, I began placing on a St. Jude prayer card sticky notes with the names of people for whom I invoke a blessing or special intention. People who are ill, who are going through some type of adversity, or who are trying to achieve something seemingly impossible. You see, St. Jude is the patron saint of desperate causes.

I keep this prayer card at work and, in time, others started asking that I add names to it for their own prayer intentions. My St. Jude card filled up quickly, to the point that I could only see the man’s face. And that’s when I turned to Amazon (my patron saint of shopping) and ordered a board so I can have more space for sticky prayer notes. Already looks like I’m gonna need to size it up.

Saints, in case you don’t know, are those individuals who were persecuted and martyred for their Christian faith, or who lived their lives generally as holy people. Those who, through their extraordinary lives of virtue, upon entering Heaven, are believed to share in what is called the Beatific Vision, a face-to-face experience of the presence of God, and are thereby able to provide assistance to us mortals when we ask through prayers directed at them. Although we are strong in our faith in God and, through our prayers, we intend to give our troubles to Him, some of us choose to call upon the saints as well for assistance. They are not to be worshiped, but can be prayed to, to intercede on our behalf.

There is a long and distinguished list of saints. There is a patron saint for practically every area of life you can think of — St. Jude, who I mentioned above, is my personal favorite and one I kept quite busy clearing many obstacles I encountered during Mom’s illness; St. Christopher, patron saint of travelers (always with me during our adventures); St. Joseph, patron saint of homes and families; St. Thomas More, patron saint of lawyers…wait what? Lawyers? — And the list goes on.

Of course, as is the norm with prayer, sometimes we become discouraged and frustrated when time goes by and it seems our prayers to these saints fall on deaf ears. I’ve been there. I am still waiting to see the outcome I want from some of my petitions. The outcome “I” want…which lack thereof, by the way, could only mean they are not the results God intends. So why pray to the saints then? Well, why not? Don’t you ask friends, sometimes-even strangers, for help? I for one like believing there is someone besides me, someone out there in the spiritual world pleading my case and pulling for me. Strength in numbers, you know.

So for sticky prayers and our interceders, I am most definitely thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners.”
-S. Kierkegaard

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people….”
-1 Timothy 2:1

“The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ.”
-St. Anthony of Padua