Tuesday, September 30, 2008

IT'S ALL ABOUT MEME

Adoro tagged me for a meme based on holy cards. Here we go:

The initial premise: What picture do you think would be on your Holy Card if you were to be canonized, and of what would you be the Patron Saint?

Well the biggest problem is that most people will think my holy card is Saint Ignatius. It's the bald head and the beard that seems to make people mention this - not the aura of holiness around his head.

I love holy cards but think they sometimes lead us astray. Everyone always seems so serous in them. Catholics are called to be full of joy. The dower faces on many of our holy cards lead many people to think that truly holy people have overly serious, stern demeaners. Saints had senses of humor. remember that Saint Lawrence told his tormentors that who were roasting him alive on a grid iron, "You can turn me over. I'm done on this side now."

Then there is the famous holy card about guardian angels (on my mind since today is guardian angel day.) We always picure guardian angels watching over little German children walking across broken bridges. But guardian angels, a really very serious matter, are not sweet stories we tell children but beings that we would should respect and cooperate with in our lives.

Back to the meme. It is hard to say since we do not get to pick that for which we are remembered what would be on mine (not that I am counting on it either - but I'm trying.) We may not even know the most important ways we effect others lives. I can say a few things that I would like. I hope there to be a smile on my face and that people look at the card and think, "Not only is here a Christian and a priest, but he looks like he enjoyed both." And not knocking those who appear in flowing robes and what not, it would be nice to be in more modern clothing as with St. Maxamillion Kolbe as he appears in his striped prison garb.

And lastly it would be cool to start the next generation of symbols. Saints are usually depicted holding either a symbol of their faith or the instrument of their martyrdom. I don't see being martyred in Akron (but can you imagine what 21st century symbols of martyrdom might look like? Can you picture a saint carrying a gun as they do swords and knives or rocks?) Maybe saints of the future will hold a computer instead of a sheeth of papers and a quill, or a radio microphone, or a small car for those who travel much instead of a staff and shell. Who knows? Maybe I'd have a mug of Adam's Ale.

And as far as being a patron saint? Maybe patron of the bald.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL! I dunno, Father, you might be the Patron Saint of blog travelers....not that I would know anything about that...

;-)

Elena LaVictoire said...

Thanks Father V. I did the meme here:
http://www.mydomesticchurch.com/2008/10/holy-card-meme.html