When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings, he gave us a vibrant metaphor for the Christian life. In many ways, we are all Frodo. We are all on a mission, called to take up our cross and wage war against evil and darkness. We’ve each been given a task only we can complete, and the cross we carry grows heavy at times, but it is also the means to transform us into better people.
And like Frodo, we are not required to walk this road alone.
Jesus has promised to be with us every step of the way. But we also have the communion of saints to inspire us, assist us, and strengthen us.
Do you have any favorite saints? Have you ever stopped to think about how they came to your attention, or wondered why you are drawn to them?
There’s a small group of them for whom I have a special affinity. I affectionately call them my Saint Posse. Although I used to believe I picked them myself, I have come to agree with Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, who said, “We often think that we choose our favorite saints, but I believe the opposite is true. Rather, God assigns these saints, with their specific talents and graces, to help us.”
Posse started out in English as part of a term from common law, posse comitatus, which referred to a group of citizens summoned by a sheriff to preserve the public peace as allowed for by law. “Preserving the public peace” so often meant hunting down a supposed criminal that posse eventually came to refer to any group organized to make a search or embark on a mission.
My Saint Posse is not unlike the Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo’s band of eight companions who helped him on his journey to Mordor. Each member of the Fellowship had strengths and skills Frodo did not have, traits he needed to accomplish his mission.
Similarly, a Saint Posse is a group of patron saints who are gathered together to help you on your journey to Heaven. Each one serves a specific purpose. It may be a role model who traveled a similar path and gives you an example to follow. It might be someone who can help you grow in a specific virtue. Their role could also be to provide a source of comfort or help defend you against the powers of darkness.
St. Joseph is my role model for fatherhood, and he helps me grow in humility and fortitude. St. Michael the Archangel joins him as one of my primary defenders against attacks from the evil one. He is kind of like Aragorn, Legolas, and Grimley all rolled into one mighty protector.
Meanwhile, the anonymous giving that St. Nicholas was known for inspires me, and he helps show me ways to practice generosity.
St. Philip Neri was known for his joyful spirit. I tend to fall into melancholy easily, he lends me his silliness and good cheer, which are a great help.
I share a special connection with St. John Paul ll. Not only was he the prominent pope of my formative years, but we also share a Polish heritage and a deep affinity for the arts. Like so many who knew him before his papacy, he is like a beloved Uncle to me, inspiring me with his authenticity, bravery, and devotion to the Eucharist and Our Blessed Mother.
The most recent addition to my Saint Posse has been St. Teresa of Avila, who is like a big sister I can go deep with. She is helping me grow closer to the Lord by deepening my prayer life.
This is my Saint Posse. These are the companions who have been helping me on my journey to imitate Christ and hopefully, become a saint one day, too. I pray to them often, spend time learning about their lives, and when possible, read what they wrote. The more I get to know them, the more I’m amazed to discover new examples of how uniquely suited they are to my particular personality and mission. Perhaps its number will continue to grow as I go through life.
My wife and each of my kids have a Saint Posse, too. (We even share a few between us!)
And you, my friend, have one as well.
Maybe you already know who’s in it. If not, I encourage you to pray for them to reveal themselves to you. Think about the saints you’ve always been drawn to for some reason or another. Or any who have popped up at seemingly random times in your life.
I can assure you, it’s not random.
You are here for a reason. You are on an important mission, with a task only you can complete, and you’ve been given a fellowship of companions to accompany you.
Find them, welcome them, and allow them to help.
“You can trust us to stick with you through thick and thin—to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours—closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
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