Saints, Seen and Unseen

I know this post is a bit delayed... but better late than never!!


I should probably begin by saying that I LOVE Saints. I will be the first to admit that I am no expert, but I have been learning about them like crazy in the past few years. Maybe it's due to the fact that I feel that was something we kind of glossed over in religion classes when I was in CCD, so I had to soak up the knowledge from other sources. Maybe it's because I am a person who cannot pass up a good story, and the saints offer no shortage of intriguing tales! Or maybe it's something else altogether. But whatever the reason, the saints simply fascinate me.
I love knowing that they are there, praying for me -- and that none of them were perfect. A lot of them actually led pretty crazy lives, which gives me hope for myself! Taking a day to think about them, honor them, and reflect on how learning from their stories and love of Christ can help me on my own journey is one of the many reasons All Saints Day is one of my favorite days of the year. It's like a big family reunion, but better!!


This year, I was very excited to be able to share this enthusiasm with my school family. In August, every classroom chose a saint to be "their classroom saint" for the year. We included those saints (along with a few others special to our school) in our litany at Mass for All Saints Day, and each room chose a representative to dress up as their saint for Mass. They were our greeters before and after Mass, they led our procession, and they stepped forward as their saint was named in the litany. It was beautiful to see these young students dressed up as these holy men and women we were begging to pray for us, and inspiring to recognize that we are all called to be saints.

For me, though, the most beautiful moment was yet to follow. After the litany ended and we began Mass, all the "saints" sat in the first pew for Mass. At some point in the Mass (I don't remember when), I glanced over at the pews of saints. And the reminder hit me like a ton of bricks: all those saints that are represented here ARE ACTUALLY HERE!! They are here with us at every Mass. They are celebrating in heaven as we are celebrating here.

St. Augustine, St. Monica, St. Lucy, St. Cecilia, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Juan Diego, St. Rose of Lima, St. Jerome Emiliani, St. Anthony, St. Nicholas, St. Patrick, St. Damien of Molokai, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton, St. Clare, and so many more -- seen and unseen!! -- all present in the eternal celebration of the Mass.

Visual reminders of things unseen... yet another way the saints help me to pay attention to what is given to me! (And yet another reason why Nov. 1 is one of my top 10 favorite days of the year!)


All you holy men and women, pray for us!