A cloud of witnesses

As Catholics go through sacramental preparation for Confirmation, Confirmation saints are chosen to be a person we want to be like, as well as someone who can pray for us from heaven.

It is important to remember that as members of the Church, we are never alone, as St. Paul said, ‘We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses’ (Hebrews 12:1).  These witnesses are the saints who continually intercede for us (CCC 956); in choosing a confirmation saint, we are choosing a special friend to intercede for us in heaven and after whom we can model our lives while here on earth.

You can’t call up a famous person you want to be like and ask them for help, but your Confirmation saint is someone who you can talk to whenever you need them, and they will always have your back!

I have a confession to make.  For years after my Confirmation, I was absolutely sure that I chose St. Albert as my patron saint because first, his feast day is the same as my birthday, and second, my sponsor’s first name was Albert.  About 10 years ago, I read an article in a magazine that said the majority of Catholics tend to forget who their patron saints were and many more who thought they knew were mistaken.  I felt a ‘nudge’ from the Holy Spirit to verify that I had, in fact, chosen St. Albert.  I found the e-mail address for the church I was attending when I was confirmed.  I wrote a letter with the facts as I knew them--that I was confirmed in either 1966 or 1967, the name of my sponsor (Albert Alva), and my name.  I also wrote that I was pretty sure I chose the name of Albert, but upon reflection I might also have chosen Michael or Gregory.  Three very "manly" saints.  They would be the names at the top of my list.  No other names even came to my mind. 

When I got my reply a couple of weeks later, the woman who responded had a very good sense of humor.  Her email simply said, "Much to your SURPRISE, you chose none of the mentioned names.  You chose......"  Then she made me scroll down to the name.  I had a very good laugh most of the day when I thought of her creativity and wit in letting me know how bad my memory really is.

Where was I?  Oh yeah!  The name I chose was JAMES!  Now my dilemma was to try to figure out which James I had in mind when I chose him.  Or did I choose him?  In those days, if you didn't choose a name by a certain date one was chosen for you.  Knowing how I procrastinate this may have been the case.  If it was, no wonder I couldn't remember!  But if I did choose the name, why?  Well, obviously it can't be a bad thing--he is a saint, after all.  But which one? 

James the Greater?  Hmmm, one of the "Sons of Thunder" and part of a "group within a group" of the Apostles, along with Peter and John.  These three Apostles alone were privileged to be present at the miracle of the raising of Jairus's daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), at the Transfiguration (Mark 9:1; Matthew 17:1; Luke 9:28), and the Agony in Gethsemani (Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33).

How about James the Lesser?   James was called to the Apostolate with his brother Jude; in all the four lists of the Apostles, he stands at the head of the third group (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).  Of James individually we hear no more until after the Resurrection.  St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15:5-7) mentions that the Lord appeared to him before the Ascension.  The Epistle of St. James reveals a grave, meek, and calm mind, nourished with the Scriptures of the Old Testament, given to prayer, devoted to the poor, resigned in persecution, the type of a just and apostolic man.

After considering them both today and trying to apply them to my spiritual growth, I've decided it doesn't matter which James I was thinking of as a teenager.  I think I would take either one of them as patron saint, if they will have ME.