Raising our Children in the Good and Blessed Company of the Saints

Today is the Feast of All Saints.

A parent learns early the strong influence friends can have on children as they grow. But what if the people we spend time with are saints?  Well by definition saints are those that have passed on...no longer living here on earth. So how can we spend time with them? How can they become our friends? 

There is a boy in Vietnam, Tran, who has been a beautiful witness to me of how a child can grown in love and friendship with the saints. He regularly has shared with me the stories of saints very dear to him. He keeps prayer cards and relics of the saints close to him. He lights candles before pictures of them. He finds great inspiration from their lives and brings his worries in prayer to them and asks for their prayers. He has in a very clear way, a deep relationship with the saints. 

Through this time in prayer, he has developed a love of the poor and disabled. He loves to spend time serving others. His love of Our Blessed Mother and Our Lord is evident. He understands the value of suffering. Indeed for a young person, his understanding and desire to bring more young souls to God is great. I have marveled to myself what a good effect having friends that are saints can have on a young soul after getting to know Tran. As a mother, seeing these things are a powerful confirmation of the role saints can play in assisting our children grow in virtue. This time in prayer and asking the help of the saints brings fruits.

In a special way tonight we ask for the intercession of the saints for the Children's Rosary and all the members and their families. We wish to be saints. We wish our children to be saints. These souls have gone before us and know the way. With many things trying to draw our children away from God, we wish to raise our children always in the good and blessed company of the saints.