I mentioned St Joseph in one of my last posts, but I’m thinking of some other saints that have been friends for the last 22 years.
1. Thomas the Apostle… I was confirmed at this parish in GR, I love that parish! I also have been to his tomb in South India. Matt Neher asked on my Servant Team, “Why did Jesus keep His scars? Maybe it was a grace for us.” When I came home I felt like Thomas, that Jesus had shown me His scars on my Servant Team out of grace for me, which is why I got my first tattoo “Grace” in Nepali on my left wrist in 06.
2. Catherine Laboure; the saint of the Miraculous Medal and my patron saint. I feel a lot of connection to her because she seems to show up in different ways. I attend St Catherine Laboure parish when I am home visiting my folks. I wore a Miraculous Medal that was given to me by the MCs in Kolkata (all the volunteers get one) for years before someone told me a bit about the story. (I thought the woman on the back with twelve stars around her was Mother Teresa. Err….) Catherine Laboure (or Zoe- her nickname) was super young when she had the vision of the medal and she shared it with her spiritual director, then lived the rest of her life in obscurity serving among the poor as a Daughter of Charity. The Daughters of Charity chose to always be interrupted by service, no matter what they were doing- prayer, Mass, time together, etc. They said the poor were Jesus. I see lots of inspiration in her life of humility and simplicity.
2. Mother Teresa, this goes without saying. When I read “Come Be My Light” last Lent I was struck by so much of what she said and lived. I’ve always loved the phrase “I Thirst” on the crucifixes in her homes. She talked about that in the book and offering some beautiful for God. This was why I got my second tattoo, it’s a band the width of the black rings that symbolize solidarity with the poor and it says “I Thirst” on it. I had it on my right arm because I want to give my best always for Christ’s Beloved, the way Mother Teresa did. Lately I’ve been thinking about ‘praying the work’ the idea that Chris has credited to Mother Teresa. I want to do that with my days and work.
3. St Dominic… I can’t not mention him! I love the Dominicans for their intelligence and commitment to the Church, I also went to a Dominican school so this guy needs a shout-out. Thanks to his legacy in St Catherine of Siena- the mystic, and Aquinas as well as so many other greats in Church history. He is also credited for instituting the rosary which has been a comfort and strength to me throughout the last few years.
4. Martin Niemoller…. A Protestant?! Yes. This guy was a German war hero in WWI and a Pastor, early supporter of Hitler, and anti-semitic. He’s the one who said “They came first for the communists, and I wasn’t a communist, so I didn’t say anything…” When he died at the end of his life he was a pacifist and said that he prayed for his mistakes and for those of thousands of people during the war. I love this man’s brokenness that was so in front of him, being an outspoken supporter of something that he realized was wrong, and then going back and bravely taking responsibility and apologizing.
5. Rumi. A Sufi mystic, she helped me find the lover in my relationship with Jesus. I can’t say much, her poems speak for themselves. Teresa of Avila is like that too… it’s not what I know of her life as much as the things that she said that have inspired and challenged me.
6. Steve Biko, the black South African activist. I’ve blogged about him before. Love this man, he’s taught me a lot.
7. A few living friends… Thich Nant Hanh, Jon Sobrino, Joan Chittister, Margaret Atwood.
), so I thought I’d reflect on the theme of 22. 
