Ghosts and Goblins, Saints and Souls - Katie

          Having spent my childhood in Catholic school, it was a boon to my friends and me that we always got the day after Halloween off. Not because the nuns took pity on us young ghosts and goblins, but because the day after Halloween is All Saints Day, a Holy Day in the church. Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, began back in the 8th century and marked the beginning of the holidays to honor saints (November 1st) and souls (November 2nd) though it may have had its origins in the Celtic harvest festivals. Nevertheless, thanks to the saints, the sinners got to play and stay out later than usual.

          In thinking about All Saints Day this coming Sunday,  (no free day this year!), I remembered someone I came across while researching The Miracle Chase. I had written "St. Juan Macias" on one of the colorful index cards the three of us used to share information with each other and was intrigued by the modern miracle associated with him. Still, months went by before I finally sat down to research him. It was my wedding anniversary, September 18th, and as I brought his name up on the screen, it showed his feast day as September 18th, one of those Celestine moments that seemed to happen all the time while writing the book. In any case, St. Juan Macias and I bonded immediately.

          I'm not sure why I thought of him again recently, maybe because he has more than a few things in common with Pope Francis. Juan Macias was born in Europe (Spain) and immigrated to South America (Peru), where he became a Dominican friar and ministered to the poor. Though he died in the 17th century, he was not made a saint until 1975. This was thanks to a spectacular miracle attributed to him that occurred on the evening of January 25, 1949.

          In the town where he was born, Ribera de Fresno, Juan had long been the village patron saint and was known simply as "the Blessed." On that evening, a volunteer cook set out to prepare dinner in the parish hall for the children of the nearby orphanage and the destitute families who came to the door each night. When she realized she only had 3 cups of rice, she said a desperate prayer for help to "the Blessed". And then an odd thing happened. The rice pot began to overflow, so she transferred some to a second pot, and then a third. For four hours, the rice seemed to multiply much to the amazement of the pastor and the other 20 witnesses to the events that night. We miracle chasers call it Miracle Math. Like Frederick Buechner said, "A miracle is when 1+1=1000."

          I'm not one to pray to saints, though I did pray to St. Anthony once when I lost a key (and promptly found it, I might add). There is a patron saint for just about every cause (including lost causes), country, and profession. A couple thousand years of men and women (!) who overcame their propensity to be human and spread some divine light around the earth instead. It seems Saints, dead or alive, are the gift that keeps on giving. (Katie)