St. Jude, Pray for Us

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 6^th, 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.