The Patron Saint Drawing for 2011, hosted by Angela at Where Angels Blog, closed this year before I could put my family's names in the hat. Last year, Angela drew Blessed Zélie Martin for me, who proved to be a most apt and helpful influence in my life in 2010, to the extent that I allowed her to be. Nonetheless, I believe I have found a patron saint for next year: Blessed Pope John XXIII. The reason I'm electing him is that I had an elaborate dream about him last night, in which we had a conversation, and in which, most importantly, his presence emanated love.
I've had one or two dreams that I believe have contained important information for my real life and have changed its course significantly, but in general I don't believe in the prophetic or eternal nature of dreams (in my dream last night, incidentally, Bl. John was a thin young man!). Nonetheless, if a saint or near-saint has a chat with you in a dream, as long as they're not spouting heresy, it can hardly be a bad thing, I suppose. I suppose it stands to reason, too, that my saint would be a fairly controversial figure. Unfortunately, some heretical Catholics have used his name to give their efforts legitimacy, as others from the opposite side of the same heresy have used the name of Pope Saint Pius X to advance theirs.
May Blessed John XXIII, the Good Pope, pray for us all in 2011.
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4 comments:
+JMJ+
I once dreamed that Pope John Paul II heard my confession, but I woke before I could receive absolution. Which is just as it should be, as one can't receive sacramental grace through a dream. =P
You can be sure I stuck myself in a real confessional at the first opportunity! ;-)
(Interestingly, I confessed one sin to him in the dream that I wasn't consciously aware I had been committing. But when I woke up, I couldn't remember what it was at all! I guess my conscious and subconscious minds don't really get along? LOL! The whole experience gave me new appreciation for the "for these and for all of my sins" formula.)
E, it makes sense. The dead in Christ aren't really dead, after all, and I'm sure they help us in all kinds of ways.
I was married on the day that Pope John Paul II died. I had written to Rome a few weeks earlier to apply for his papal blessing for our marriage, but never received it because of his death. I always thought, after that, that it was a really good day to get married anyhow.
+JMJ+
And more recently, I had a dream about Spandau Ballet. =P Dare I ask what you think of them?
May the saints continue to watch over you, Pentimento!
LOL! I hate to say it, but I always thought they were sort of second-rate compared with their more interesting peers -- like Heaven 17, for instance.
God bless you and your family in 2011, E.
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