The wind is getting colder. Leaves crunch under our feet. It's November again – the month when the Church asks us to pause and remember something beautiful: death doesn't have the final word. The saints aren't just figures in stained glass windows. They're family. They're alive in Christ, praying for us, cheering us on.
I love how All Saints Day and All Souls Day come just as the world turns towards winter. When everything seems to be dying, the Church reminds us of an amazing truth – we're part of a family that stretches beyond the grave. These aren't just dead heroes we're remembering. They're living brothers and sisters who see God face to face.
Think about it. Right now, St. Therese is as alive as you or me, showering us with roses. St. Francis is still praising God and loving His creation. St. Monica is still praying for wandering children. Death didn't end their story – it just brought them closer to God. And because God is the God of the living, not the dead, they're still part of our family story.
This feels especially important right now. Another presidential election has just passed, and everyone's talking about the future of our country. Some people are stressed and worried, and I can't help but think it's because they're lacking that familial and historic connection that keeps me grounded. If you forget where you come from, where you're going seems far more scary. It's harder to face uncertainty.
Our Founding Fathers knew this. They weren't just clever men with good ideas. They were sons and fathers themselves, carrying forward centuries of hard-won wisdom about freedom and responsibility.
Sometimes I wonder what they would think of us now. Would they recognize the country they built? Would they see in our families the same strength they depended on when they created our democracy?
These days, it's too easy to feel alone. Social media tells us that tradition is outdated, that community is optional, that history is boring. But step into a church where the saints are remembered, where their stories are told, where their examples still inspire – that's where you'll find real connection happening. That's where heaven touches earth.
When we pray to the saints, we're not talking to distant strangers. We're reaching out to family members who've made it home ahead of us. They know the way. They faced the same struggles we face. St. Augustine knew what it meant to resist God's call. St. Peter knew what it meant to fail and start again. St. Teresa of Calcutta knew what it felt like when God seemed far away.
This is what makes our faith so beautiful – we're never really alone. The communion of saints isn't just a nice idea. It's a living reality. Every Mass connects us to this great family. Every prayer joins us to their prayers. Every struggle we face, they faced too. And now they're cheering us on, praying for us, showing us the way forward.
As Catholics, Christians, and conservatives, we understand the power of remembering. We are called to remember the prophets and the patriarchs. The Lord calls us to remember him at his last supper.
To know these things as distant facts is not enough. True remembrance is participation—staying connected to the wisdom and strength of those who came before.
Every time we celebrate Mass, every time we vote our conscience, every time we teach our children about the saints – we're tapping into something bigger than ourselves.
This November, while we're thinking about our country's future, let's remember we have friends in high places. The saints aren't just historical figures – they're family members waiting to help us. Light a candle. Say a prayer. Ask for their intercession. Feel the strength of their presence around us – all those holy men and women who show us what it means to live for God.
They're praying for us. They're showing us the way. And one day, when we see God face to face, they'll be there to welcome us home.
About the author
LyLena D. Estabine is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist holding a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Harvard University, where she converted to Catholicism. Writing on her faith and Catholic social teaching, she regularly publishes short poems on her Instagram (@catholicpoems). Her poems have been published in various literary journals such as the Clayjar Review, As Surely As the Sun Lit, Heart of Flesh Literary, and the Catholic Poetry Room. She is the founder of Voice & Virtue (@voicexvirtue), a literary journal and press for conservative, Christian, and Catholic art.
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