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Many Catholic Christians have heard of Saint Therese’ of Liseux.
Saint Therese’ is known as Saint Therese’ of the Child Jesus and The Little Flower. She is the patron of missions and florists.
Saint Therese’ is known to send roses as a sign that she heard prayers and is in heaven interceding for those who ask her to pray for certain intentions.
Saint Nicholas is the patron of quite a few things, including children.
Saint Therese said on her death bed:
“After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will raise up a mighty host of little saints. My mission is to make God loved…”
So inspired by this statement, many pray what has become known as the Novena Rose Prayer:
O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose
from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love.
O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God to grant the favors
I now place with confidence in your hands . .
(mention in silence here)
St. Therese, help me to always believe as you did in
God’s great love for me, so that I might imitate your “Little Way” each day.
Amen.
And many, after praying this novena, have received roses.
If you ever said this novena and received a rose – no explanation is really necessary. You just know that rose was sent from Saint Therese’.
It is quite beautiful!
I prayed the Novena Rose Prayer many times in my life. One petition I had for years was to fall in love with and marry a good, Catholic man.
When my first date with my husband was orchestrated and finally set by us over the phone, I never expected that when I would answer the door to meet him for the first time in person, that he would be standing there with a single red rose for me.
7 months later, we were engaged.
Apparently, this is something many other women have experienced! Spoken Bride published this article with testimonies about receiving a rose when praying about their vocation of marriage.
Saint Therese’ has sent me many roses and many others testify to this as well.
Here’s my line of thinking:
If Saint Therese’ can send roses,
Saint Nicholas can send gifts.
Here me out.
When I was longing to become a mother, and every year the radio would play that Mariah Carey song – you know the one . . . All I Want for Christmas is You . . .
I would listen to that song and think . . .
All I want for Christmas is a positive pregnancy test
and then
All I want for Christmas is for that phone to ring to inform us our baby that we will adopt is born.
And one year, I took out my prayer journal and wrote my own letter to Saint Nicholas. I remember writing something like, “Saint Nicholas, you are the patron of children – please pray to God about my husband and my desire to have children to love and raise . . .”
(want some free prayer journal prompts? Subscribe for free journal prompts for Lent and here are some Advent Journal Prompts)
Eventually, in 2012 – my husband and I brought home a baby boy.
He was born in June but it was almost August when we finally brought him home from the hospital.
Oh no, I forgot to buy him a stocking!
When December came we were so excited to have a child to celebrate Christmas with!
We bought him gifts. We sent out a Christmas card with his picture all over it. And as the day of Jesus’ birth quickly approached, our neighbor invited us to come to her house when Santa Claus was scheduled to come to visit.
We were so excited! In the midst of getting ready, it dawned on me . . . I had yet to buy a stocking for our son!
I thought, I’m going to have to get one – how could I almost forget that?
So we went to our neighbor’s house. All her children and nieces and nephews were there and there was excitement in the air.
Santa Claus came and, to my complete surprise, he brought with him a stocking full of gifts for each child there.
I didn’t need to buy my son a stocking,
Santa Claus, aka Saint Nick, gave it to him!
When this happened my heart leaped with childhood excitement. I couldn’t help but smile and tell my friend who had invited us how I truly believed that was Santa.
So, yes, I believe in Santa Claus.
I know he’s not getting all the gifts – trust me, I have 3 children and I know full well how this works.
But I can think of several instances like the stocking one, where it just seemed magical.
Perhaps, in those magical, or “no way” moments, Saint Nicholas’ intercession was involved.
Let me give you some examples:
- When I was a senior in high school I participated in something called Operation Santa Claus. The entire archdiocese of Philadelphia contributed gifts to give to the less fortunate and in an office in center city, high school students would wrap presents for specific ages and genders. Then, on Christmas Eve during the day, seniors in hight school would be driven around town by adult volunteers to homes that were on a list of needy families. Perhaps, once in a while, the toy you donate is guided by Saint Nick.
- When I did this in 1992, it was incredible. We went to a handful of homes, but one in particular still stands out to me. I remember handing a wrapped present to a young girl. She opened it in front of us. It was a Barbie doll. She JUMPED FOR JOY and hugged me! She was so excited she received this gift. Her parents didn’t buy that gift. Perhaps, just maybe, that was the intercession of Saint Nick.
- Two nights ago, my husband and I were out on a date and he mentioned that he got our son a rubix cube. Our son never asked for one, but my husband said, “I think he’ll like it”. Then, just last night I was out with our son and he says to me, “I want a rubix cube now”. I’m pretty sure he spotted one in the store section we were in at the time, and that sparked that comment. That – that’s Saint Nick.
- Yesterday my daughter drew a picture of what she described to me as a pig mamma doll that she would name lavender. She said she wanted Santa to bring her this doll. It reminded me of a squishmallow I bought over a month ago that I was agonizing over the other night – I was debating “do I give this to one of my niece’s or to Jaina?”. Well, that drawing told me – give it to Jaina. Perhaps, that was the intercession of Saint Nick.
I know Christmas is about the coming of our Savior Jesus.
But I also believe in the communion of Saints.
I believe in the power of prayer.
I believe in miracles.
And, yes, I believe in Saint Nick.
I encourage you to look for those miracle moments this Christmas.
Enjoy the holy day through the eyes of a young heart.
Wish Jesus a very Happy Birthday and thank the saints for their intercession.
Especially Jolly Old Saint Nick!
Merry Christmas to all!!!
By the way, there is a new book which my children LOVE called The Night the Saints Saved Christmas! I highly recommend it!
