It’s a frantic weekday morning. We’re racing around the house, trying to get the children out the door so they won’t be late for school. The bus will be pulling up any minute. Suddenly one of them yells, “Where’s my jacket?”
It’s not on the hook. It’s not in the coat closet. It’s not hanging on the back of one of the dining room chairs. It’s too chilly to send him to school in the T-shirt he’s wearing. We need to find his jacket—and we need to find it now.
So, we do the only thing we can do. We turn to St. Anthony.
“Tony, Tony, look around, something’s lost and can’t be found,” I say as we push the couch pillows aside, dig into the hamper, and run to the basement to see if his coat’s in the dryer.
In the midst of the chaos, my son unzips his backpack and—aha!—there is the missing jacket, shoved into the bag next to his binder.
He slips it on, grabs his backpack and trumpet, races out the door just as the bus is pulling up.
Whew.
St. Anthony of Padua is used to hearing from my family whenever we have a lost item. Asking for his assistance as we search reminds us that it’s OK to call for help and that God cares even about a seventh-grader’s lost jacket. Which, of course, He does.
Our Friends and Intercessors in Heaven
Inviting the saints into our lives during the ordinary moments of our day is important to me as we try to raise our children in our faith. I want them to see saints as their friends—friends who happen to be in heaven.
Just as we might ask a friend on earth to pray for us, we can ask a friend in heaven to pray for us. I explain to them that St. Anthony can say, “Hey, Jesus, that boy you love so much in Timonium has lost his jacket yet again. Could we help him find it?”
I like to think that turning to saints throughout the day helps our children grow in their faith and helps them feel less alone. I want so much for them to feel loved and supported. Here are a few of our favorite people to ask to intercede for us in our daily lives:
St. Michael the Archangel
Young children encounter moments of fear throughout the day. St. Michael is a perfect saint to turn to in a moment of fear or anxiety. Our sons know he’s a strong warrior—we have a statue that shows St. Michael crushing the devil’s head under his foot—and they know that the St. Michael Prayer begins, “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.”
Going down the steps into a dimly lit basement doesn’t feel like a battle to me as a grown-up, but it can to a child. Saying that phrase as a little boy peers down the steps can give just enough courage to take on that daunting feat.
St. Teresa of Kolkata
St. Teresa is someone to turn to when I am facing a mess—physical or emotional—that I would rather walk away from completely. I look to her for support in remembering that we show love through our actions.
When the dishwasher is broken and I’m washing dishes for hours on end, I think of how Mother Teresa said, “Wash the plate not because it is dirty nor because you are told to wash it, but because you love the person who will use it next.”
St. Rita: Patron of the Impossible
St. Rita is a patron saint for impossible causes, so I keep her in mind for the really difficult situations in life. When a diagnosis seems dire or a problem seems to have no clear answer, I turn to St. Rita and ask her to take my problem to Jesus.
She has moved some mountains I didn’t think would move—both in my personal and professional life—so I don’t run to her with just any request. But she and St. Jude are known for being able to help sort out some of life’s seemingly hopeless situations.
St. Clare: Patron of TVs and Screens
It is amazing to me how often we have issues with technology. Someone’s forgotten a password to access something on their phone, the remote control isn’t working anymore, or there’s some other screen-related issue.
That’s when it’s great to reach out to St. Clare, who is the patron saint of televisions and screens. My children used to be surprised that there is a patron saint of television, but there is.
We even have Blessed Carlo Acutis, a former video gamer who is on the path to sainthood. It’s great to know that you can be a gamer and achieve heaven—and it makes saints feel more real to all of us.
St. Francis of Assisi: Patron of Animals
Our pets are such treasured members of our families. In our household, we’re all about our little finches. But sometimes we are watching them to make sure they’re staying healthy. At times like that, it’s great to be able to turn to St. Francis, who is well-known for his love of animals and nature.
Even families who don’t have pets might find themselves turning to St. Francis to ask for prayers for a nest of eggs on their porch or the squirrels who travel through the yard with nuts in their mouths. Many children are more enthusiastic about praying for animals than for the humans in their lives.
St. Joseph
Many people turn to St. Joseph for help in selling their homes, so he seems like a great person to reach out to when there’s a household issue.
That pipe is leaking? The heat doesn’t seem to be coming on at the start of winter? The repair service says they can’t send anyone to fix the dryer for three weeks?
St. Joseph is a great person to ask to help, especially since he is such a model of patience and going with the flow through life’s twists and turns.
All You Holy Men and Women, Pray for Us
As we enter the month of November, when we think of all the saints in heaven, we have an opportunity to pick one or two who might be new to us. Getting to know more about holy people who lived lives of love and service reminds us of our own purpose here on earth.
And next time we need a friend with a little expertise or insight in a certain area, we’ll know who to call on for help.
Let’s hope that jacket isn’t missing again tomorrow.
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