It may seem far fetched to be friends with the saints, but the saints are not our imaginary friends, they are real people who have struggled with life and faith issues just as we do today. Making friends with the saints begins like any other friendship, by getting to know a person.
Over the summer, while on retreat I had the pleasure of getting to know St. Therese of Lisieux. I discovered that she too struggled with excessive feelings. She realized with God’s help that her over-sensitivity allowed her to be pushed around by her feelings.
Do you have a favorite saint? Saints can be with us in good times and bad and have so much to teach us. St. Ignatius of Loyola taught me to find God in all things. St. Francis of Assisi challenges me to be a peacemaker when it’s most difficult. Padre Pio can help us with pain and suffering, as he too had so many physical ailments throughout his life and St. Michael is a must have saint friend for protection from the evil in this world. The love and protection of the saints is real if we open our eyes to their presence.
Saints are witnesses to God; and we too can become one by simply having the desire to build God’s Kingdom wherever we find our feet. If you would like to learn more about the saints, here are a few I have enjoyed. Happy All Saints Day!
Making Friends with the Saints by Therese Boucher
My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ
365 Saints- Your Daily Guide to the Wisdom and Wonder of Their Lives by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker