Saints – Our Heavenly Intercessors

HEALTH IS WEALTH
“Many of the insights of a saint stem from his experience as a sinner.” – Eric Hoffer

When I was a kid, I remember my Lola became a devotee to St. Anthony de Padua, a well-known saint whom she believed miraculously helped her saved her son, Nemecio, from the scheduled major operation from a serious inguinal hernia, plus other serious conflicts in the family. So, I now realized that all her sacrifices and the candles she lighted every 13th day of the month in Sibulan were worth it.

Catholics in all Christendom celebrate All Saints Day every first of November. Who are the saints? They are the earthly faithful who lived an exemplary holy life strictly following the Commandments and living the words of God to the fullest and after their death, they undergo a process of beatification. Later on, they are canonized by the Pope, in Rome and thus officially recognized by the Church as saints. All Saints enjoy the beatific vision of God in heaven.

I have a book – The Spice of Life – which described beautifully and briefly, sainthood. It says, “Why are saints, Saints? Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful; patient when it was difficult to be patient; and because they pushed on when they wanted to stand still; and kept silent when they wanted to talk; and were agreeable when they wanted to be disagreeable.

That was all. It was quite simple and always will be.”

Filipinos are fond of asking favors and intercessions from their patron saints. Saints are special protectors or guardians over our areas of life. For example: Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of ecologists because he loves nature. St. Frances the Sales is the patron saint of journalists; St. Claire of Assisi was named patron saint of television because one Christmas, while she was too ill in her bed, she saw and heard Christmas mass, even though it was taking place miles away; St. Thomas Aquinas, a doctor of the church, is known as the patron saint of universities; St. Joan of Arc, patron saint of soldiers; St. Matthew, patron saint of bankers; St. Jerome, patron saint of librarians; St. Therese of Lisieux, patron saint of the mission; St. Augustine of Hippo, patron saint of brewers; St. James the Great, patron saint of laborers; St. Luke, patron saint of physicians; St. Dominic, patron saint of astronomers; St. Monica, patron saint of abuse victims; St. Thomas Moore, patron saint of lawyers.

Plus many other saints who struggled and withstood their ground and won the battle against the evil and deceiving world. Even the angles, like St. Michael the Archangel, can also be named as patron saint. At the time of our birth, God gave each one of us a guardian angel to watch over us. The most outstanding of the saints is the Blessed Virgin Mary who is venerated by the Catholics as the “Queen of the Angels and the Saints.”

So, let strive to be truly righteous and pray to our heavenly friends – saints and guardian angels – to always guide us in our arduous journey towards our eternal home. A message of concern.

“Never gamble your life. Strive to be a saint. All of us are called to become Saints. If we fulfill our daily duties as best we can.”