Siblings of the Saints

My conversion—reversion, really—to the Faith started off with a bang.

Ignited by a heavenly jolt to the soul as I sat transfixed before the news coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II, I knew immediately and with deepest conviction that my life had to change.

I wish I could say that day marked the last blackout, the last hangover, the final indiscretion with authority, but alas, I am a slow learner.

Still, I followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit and mucked my way out of the very worst cliche of the college lifestyle that I'd wallowed in for four long years. And I began to find friends in high places. First and foremost, JPII. Then Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Therese, and Saint Michael the Archangel.

As this army of intercessors amassed in my spiritual life, my prayer life deepened, my capacity for temperance increased, and I generally became a slightly less terrible person than I'd been able to manage on willpower alone.

The Saints—those members of the household of God—became real for me in a way I would never have imagined. They have continued to astonish me with the depth and breadth of their differences from one another, their personal struggles, and complicated narratives. They submitted their imperfections to Christ, culminating in lives of heroic virtue.

Today as the Church celebrates the feast of two great Apostles and martyrs—Saints Simon and Jude—ask the Holy Spirit to nudge you towards your heavenly siblings. You might be surprised by who you find.

As this army of intercessors amassed in my spiritual life, my prayer life deepened. // @jkuebbingClick to tweet

Did you catch this workshop on finding your saintly friends? It's still available for replay.

Jenny Uebbing is a wife, mother to six, creator of the online NFP resource community, Off the Charts, and author of the blog Mama Needs Coffee where she writes about sex, marriage, and the Catholic Church. She's a freelance writer, a speaker, and an espresso enthusiast. She is a contributing author of our Advent devotional book, All the Generations. You can find out more about her here.