Saints Preserve Us

St. Christopher - the Christ-bearer.
St. Joan - the youthful and androgynous visionary, willing to die for her truth.
St. Anthony - the one who helps find lost things.
St. Luke - the physician.
St. Raphael - the archangel of healing.
St. Gabriel - the announcer of important news.
St. Michael (I have a special affinity for him) - the warrior.
St. Anne - the grandmother of Jesus.
St. Jude (I've called on him a time or two) - the patron saint of nearly hopeless causes.
St. George - the slayer of dragons.
St. Genesius (my patron saint) - the brave comedian who challenged imperialism from the stage.
Ss. Sergius & Bacchus (of course I like these guys) - martyred lovers.
St. Maximillian Kolbe - WW2 hero who offered his life so another concentration camp detainee could live.
St. Francis - the Dr. Doolittle of the middle ages.
Blessed John 23rd - modern day reformer
St. Lazarus - a close friend of Jesus (how close? what kind of friend? one wonders...)
St. John the Beloved - a "close friend" of Jesus (could he actually be Lazarus?)
St. Mary of Magdala - a "close friend" of Jesus (some say his favorite disciple; others even suggest she was his wife)
St. James - the brother of Jesus
St. Mary, the Blessed Lady (I was very devoted to her in younger years) - the Mother of Jesus, co-redemptrix, symbol of the divine feminine, and some believe our spiritual mother.
St. Thomas (another one of my faves) - the apostle whose faith required both reason and experience
Uriel - archangel named in apocryphal texts
Sophia - the Wisdom of God (and possible Christ figure)

Nov. 1st is All Saints Day. The saints: some of them existed, others...who knows? But those who lived and those who live only in human imagination, those who were courageous and those whose courage have been exaggerated, those who modeled the best of human potential and those who were just in the right place at the right time...they all represent something powerful to those of us who revere them. They represent that ordinary people can become holy. They represent the hope that we are never really alone. We have friends we can't even see who are cheering us on, believing in us, hoping that we do well in life. They intercede for us. They represent miraculous possibilities. They remind us that life and community and meaning are not limited to this experience of life. The saints as symbols of faith have a very important role to play. They encourage us to be our best selves and when we manage that, we accomplish great things.

Saints and sages, teachers and healers, holy souls of all times and all places, cosmic beings known and unknown, all who are committed to Goodness and Light in every realm - pray for us and grant us your ceaseless friendship and aid. Amen.