Our Wise Sages

WE CATHOLICS PRAY BOTH WITH AND FOR THE DEAD, A CONTROVERSIAL PRACTICE TO OTHER CHRISTIANS, BUT A TEACHING OF OUR FAITH. I see it as a practice that honors those who have gone before us. We remember their dignity as human beings and their own relationships with the Lord, thus giving them special consideration in our lives. We pray for God’s blessings and graces on some, while asking for intercession and help from others.

My tradition is to honor and revere many of my forefathers and foremothers as wisdom figures. I ask for their guidance and sage advice, request their help to clarify confusion, and ask for words of consolation and hope. They have become, for me, soulmates on my spiritual journey, and so I share with you a few of these holy companions.

Not in order of importance, I begin with my great great-grandmother, Elizabeth, who died in 1884. While I never knew her in this physical world, I know enough about her to envision her as a wise, experienced, holy mother. I have spoken with her many times in prayer about who I am as a person and why. I have received a lot of spiritual insight about myself from our quiet and peaceful times together.
Another confidante through my life’s adventure is my eighth-grade teacher, Sister Mary Joseph. During the school year of 1964-65, she taught me how to give presentations and lead meetings, the dos and don’ts of dating, and the Second Vatican Council’s importance to the world. During my working career, she was my spiritual go-to with business decisions and human relationships. I still rely on her advice, even when writing these articles. In my prayer, she is one of my best friends.

In 1982, we lost our baby to miscarriage. In his peaceful and holy pastoral presence, Monsignor Gaston Hebert helped us consider the possibility that we had created a saint, a saint! The image quickly took root in my heart as I pondered the mystery. For no earthly reason, I assumed this saint was a girl. Although I named her, I usually call her “my little saint.” She’s been by my side in every way these last forty-two years, holding my hand as I walk down the aisle to communion. We’ve shared many intimate moments. Talking to her once about our daughter Emily’s car accident and what a horrible experience it was, I told her I was glad she was not here to suffer through it all. I was then overcome by her sweet voice that said, “Oh, Dad, I was here, walking with you every step of the way.”
Other soulmates who accompany me on this journey include my late mother and father (daily!) and my maternal grandmother. I have strong relationships with two old friends named John – one died of cancer a few years ago and the other drowned when we were seven years old. They both counsel and comfort me. Several other deceased family members and friends also offer their companionship from time to time.

Finally, there are the well-known saints and holy people: The Teresas of Calcutta and Avila, Ignatius Loyola, Francis of Assisi, Julian of Norwich, Meister Eckhart, and Popes John XXIII and Paul VI, to name a few. As I write this, I recall so many more now living in the next life who are sharing their insights and perceptions with me. While among us, Karl Rahner, now a spiritual comrade from the afterlife, said they are all rooting for us. I’m confident that’s true.

My rich and powerful associations with the faithful departed always bring me into a more extraordinary love relationship with God. Each encounter with these dearly beloved invites me to fall more deeply, intimately. and madly in love with our Creator. The accompaniment of these soulmates is the infinite grace of a God who loves us more than we can imagine. These companions have become my wise sages, enriching my life with the presence of the Divine.