Do you know that our friends in heaven — the saints — are actually excited when we seek their intercession? They long to comfort us, to listen to us, and to pray for us, especially during difficult times. This should bring us immense happiness because it reminds us that we never have to face anything alone, even when we may feel lonely.
While on earth, the saints encountered many of the same difficulties that we often face, including anxiety — something so prevalent today.
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I venture to say that most adults have worried about something at some time. Research has found that over 30% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of anxiety disorder, including repeated worries, at some point in their lives. During these moments, we must remind ourselves to give our worries to God, to stop allowing the “what ifs” to steal our joy, and to seek the assistance and prayers of the saints in heaven. And alongside faith, we should include a bit of a rational perspective as well, as studies have found that over 91% of the things we worry about never actually happen.
So, when you find yourself enveloped with anxiety, quiet the outside world and turn to one of these saints for solace. Their immense faith, trust, and hope in the Lord helped them combat any overwhelming feelings of despair, and they want to guide us as we seek this same peace.
St. Philip Neri
St. Philip helped the poor, led people to God, and lived an incredible prayer life, and he did it all with immense joy, even when facing adversity and sadness. His mother died when he was a young child, and after he became a priest, he combated corruption and complacency in the Church. Additionally, he endured tremors that caused his body to shake violently. Yet through it all, Philip remained joyful; he knew how to have fun and was said to be the “life of the party.”
St. Philip once said that “joy is the sign of a heart that sincerely loves God,” and anyone who knew him felt that infectious joy. Constant worrying steals our joy and even leads us away from God and into despair. So, it is only fitting that we seek St. Philip’s intercession when we need help overcoming the anxiety we feel.
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St. Dymphna
St. Dymphna was a young and virtuous girl who lost her mother at the age of 15. This loss sent Dymphna’s father spiraling into despair, and he decided he wanted to marry Dymphna himself. Knowing this was wrong, she fled to what is present-day Belgium and began helping the sick. Eventually, her father found her, and in a fit of rage, beheaded her.
Today, St. Dymphna is known as the patron saint of the mentally ill and of those suffering from stress and anxiety, as many miraculous cures for these types of illnesses happened through her intercession — especially at a church named for her in modern-day Belgium, where she was martyred. People come from around the world to seek both physical and emotional healing from her.
St. Peter Damian
If you lie awake at night with racing thoughts, then St. Peter’s life might resonate with you, as the prayerful seek his help with insomnia or attaining a restful night’s sleep. Peter understood the sadness and anxiety that often affect people, as he was an orphan who was mistreated by one of his brothers. Another of Peter’s brothers eventually rescued him from this life of poverty and steered him toward religious life.
Because of the experiences during his youth, Peter had a special devotion to the poor and served them with kindness. While it’s rumored that Peter was such a workaholic that he rarely slept, he also actually wrote about the importance of rest. So if your worries keep you from getting a good night’s sleep, ask for St. Peter’s intercession.
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St. Rita of Cascia
St. Rita is known as the patron saint of the impossible, but we can also invoke her when we struggle to overcome worries or face a problem that seems unsolvable. Though Rita wanted to become a nun, she was forced to marry a cruel man who treated her harshly, and together they had two sons. After her husband and sons passed away, Rita decided to enter religious life. There, she cared for the poor and even received the wounds of the crown of thorns. Because Rita understood grief, endured abuse and loss, and was at first unable to realize her dreams, she is a great saint to seek out when you feel hopeless or when a situation seems impossible.
All of these saints are not only willing to pray for you — they want to pray for you. So, take time to read more about their lives and determine which ones resonate with you. Contemplate their faith as you work to emulate their actions. Sit in Adoration and talk to them or reflect on something they wrote. Allow their faith to buoy you. Reflecting on their lives will point you toward God and lead you from the dark thoughts, from the endless worries, and to the joy of Christ.
