The Seeds of Our Sanctity Are Always There!

My mom used to go to our parish church on occasions that were special to her. On these days, she brought me along with her to our parish church, Saint Anthony of Padua. It was enormous and overwhelming to a seven-year-old.  What I saw upon entering were huge stained-glass windows which supplied the dim light and always made me squeeze tightly my mother’s hand.

We moved into a pew and then I slowly eyed the Church. I was surrounded by what seemed hundreds of statues. My mother then spoke in a whisper: “See these statues, they are our saints.” As she pointed to the statues with her out-stretched arm, she said to me: “Get to know them and make them your friends.” She paused, then spoke again: “Learn their names, because some day you will need their help.”

My mom suggested even then: “Pray now to them that you be a good boy. I’ll be right back.” And she left me there surrounded by all these statues. I watched her go to three different statues to light a candle, bow her head, bless herself, and pray.

When she returned, I asked why she went to those three saints and not the others. She told me, “The first statue is St. Lucy,” she said holding my hand. “St. Lucy helps me see better, even with my weak eye.” Next, she looked at me and said, “That is Saint Anthony, the second statue, he helps find things I lose around the house.” She stressed that “He’s pretty good at what he does.”

“And lastly, I go to the Blessed Mother and light three candles that you grow up to be a good boy, and that your sisters be good girls.” I wanted to ask how we were doing, but I thought better to leave well enough alone.

I have been back at Saint Anthony’s many times since that day long ago. When I bless myself and pray, I often thank Saints Anthony and Lucy, and Mary, our Blessed Mother, for their help. And now I ask them to pray for my mom and all my family that have left this earth. For now, they see all the saints there and I am sure they have all become good friends.  Saint Francis de Sales once wrote: It is a consolation to know that the relationships we began on this earth we will continue in heaven.” And so will the prayers from which I know I still am benefiting. 

I leave this quote from Fr. Jim Martin’s book, “My Life with The Saints:”

Problems arise when we begin to believe that we have to become someone else to be holy. We try to use someone’s map to heaven when God has already planted in our soul all the directions we need. In that way we ignore our own call to sanctity.

Painting: St. Anthony of Padua Church, Wilmington Delaware, Kevin P. Coogan, Artist