In the Catholic Church, the sacrament of Confirmation gives
us a special grace that strengthens and deepens our faith so that we can share
it with others by example in what we say, the things we do, and how we live our
lives. In preparing to receive this
sacrament, Catholics are asked to choose a saint who will serve as their role
model and on whom they can call on to intercede and pray for them. One of my
sons chose St. Jude for his Confirmation saint, and recently, during some serious
situations, I found myself calling upon him, too.
St. Jude Thaddeus is a relative of Jesus and one of the
twelve apostles, not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, the apostle who
betrayed Jesus. He is the patron saint of lost causes and desperate cases, reminding
us that nothing is impossible with God. The Epistle of Jude is attributed to
him, and in it he warns Christians against false teachers and prophets and
stresses perseverance and growth in faith, prayer, and love of God.
In addition to private prayer, I have visited the St. Jude
website, www.shrineofstjude.org and
sent prayer requests that were delivered to the altar of St. Jude at the
National Shrine of St. Jude in Chicago. Around 2:35 pm on June 6th,
I went to the website and placed a prayer request with vigil light for the
healing of my daughter-in-law before heading out to the hospital. My son had
called earlier to inform us that his wife had suffered severe injuries in a
motorcycle accident. My family and I
were six hours away from the hospital in Lubbock, TX. When we arrived shortly
after 9 pm, we learned that she had passed away shortly before 7 pm, around the
time my son arrived from Abilene.
Not all prayers are answered the way we would like. Leanne’s
death was a shock to us all, for she was young and full of life with the promise
of great things to come in the future. As the days go by and life moves on, her
absence is a bitter pill to swallow. The
greatest consolation is that God knows what He’s doing, and He asks us to trust
in Him. I also find comfort in the
numerous ways that the Catholic Church offers for souls to gain entry into
Heaven, including: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the rosary, the Stations of
the Cross, a plenary indulgence for Divine Mercy Sunday, the Divine Mercy
chaplet, the Divine Mercy novena, and plenary indulgences on All Souls Day.
I’m writing this in thanksgiving for the gift of Leanne and
in thanksgiving for my petitions that were granted, as well as to spread the
devotion to St. Jude so that others may benefit.
