I’ve always found it hard to pray with the saints. I don’t think I could ever relate to people who have such conviction and live such holy lives. Although their lives are appealing, I have a hard time feeling a connection to them. I was just reading about Padre Pio online the other day. They are exhuming him so people can view his body in commemoration of his death forty years ago. He was made a saint in 2002. The article says that the stigmata are not visible on his body. I think that is why it is so hard to pray to the saints. It seems that most of the world is in disbelief of the saints – especially the present day saints. Padre Pio was known for having the stigmata, and for fighting with the devil at night.
I can imagine the life of Padre Pio in my mind. A life lived in difficulty. Fighting demons. And having something that probably caused him a great deal of shame, or if not shame, embarrassment – with the stigmata.
Like Padre Pio, we all have our devils. We all have the demons that we have to fight at night. But actually fighting with the devil is something I hope I never have to do. I find it hard enough to battle with the small demons that haunt me at night. This is why I find it hard to pray with the saints – I’m not worthy enough to speak with them.
And like Padre Pio, we all have our own forms of the stigmata. We all have things that define us, and at the same time shame us. These are the things that give us character – and hopefully, if we can be anything like Padre Pio, we can see the image of God in them.
But even so. Even though I know deep down inside that I am not worthy to pray with them, I do sometimes try to pray to them. I try to remember that they were human, after all. Yes, they did have to do things in a more profound way, but perhaps by praying to them, and looking at their lives, I can gain a little bit of strength to go on with my own. So, I’d like you all to take the time to pray with me, and look at the lives of the saints, and try to incorporate their lives into our own.
I can imagine the life of Padre Pio in my mind. A life lived in difficulty. Fighting demons. And having something that probably caused him a great deal of shame, or if not shame, embarrassment – with the stigmata.
Like Padre Pio, we all have our devils. We all have the demons that we have to fight at night. But actually fighting with the devil is something I hope I never have to do. I find it hard enough to battle with the small demons that haunt me at night. This is why I find it hard to pray with the saints – I’m not worthy enough to speak with them.
And like Padre Pio, we all have our own forms of the stigmata. We all have things that define us, and at the same time shame us. These are the things that give us character – and hopefully, if we can be anything like Padre Pio, we can see the image of God in them.
But even so. Even though I know deep down inside that I am not worthy to pray with them, I do sometimes try to pray to them. I try to remember that they were human, after all. Yes, they did have to do things in a more profound way, but perhaps by praying to them, and looking at their lives, I can gain a little bit of strength to go on with my own. So, I’d like you all to take the time to pray with me, and look at the lives of the saints, and try to incorporate their lives into our own.
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