Shine a light on me

Being raised catholic, I spent time in a church filled with statues, candles and incense. Hated the incense. Still do. Must be a throw back to a previous life. But I always loved the mysterious statues and the flickering candles.

I was the only catholic on the block, so I was taunted by the protestant kids who said I was a pagan who worshiped “false idols.” (Remember, during this time they were making movies like The Ten Commandments and Ben Hur.) They thought we Catholics gave too much attention to Mary and the other saints, not enough to Jesus.

I loved having so many saints on my side. And I was intrigued that they all had their own “specialty”. When I lost my Brownie ring, my mother told me to pray to St. Anthony, the patron saint of all things lost. So I did.

One day, sitting on the front porch, I saw something in the grass catch a glint of sun. Getting down on my hands and knees I saw packed down in the clover my beloved ring. It had been mowed over a couple times and the stone was chipped, but St. Anthony had come through for me.


These days whenever I’m in a store that sells those tall votive candles featuring Saints with their own dedicated prayers, I can’t help but pick them up. I’m fascinated by the images, the lore, the symbolism. Every saint, it seems, has a niche.

But for my life today, I’m thinking I need some new saints and some new prayers to keep pace with the ills that torment me.

To aid me in my never-ending frustration with technology, I need a St. Bill. In those times of hair pulling, anguished screams and pounding fists, I will call upon him for patience and tech savvy.

Oh unblemished creator of programs for the geek challenged
Enlighten me with thy software intelligence.
I beg your intercession as I surf the perilous waves of cyberspace.
Grant me patience and unrelenting fortitude.
I am at your mercy.

For a memory boost, especially at those times when I am trying to speak (or write) and words do not form in my brain, I could call on St. Carnegie.

Hail beloved guardian of brain cells
I beseech thee to share thy power
in times of befuddlement and in the absence of word recall.
I am humble in your glory.


There are all too many areas in my life that could benefit from a spark of divinity. I suppose until those infirmities can be remedied with a saintly connection, I will ask the Goddess of Good Humor to shine her light on me.