People having identity issues

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Hi,

A lot of people I know who are not practicing Catholics are having severe identity and personality issues, and I feel like they are trying to drag me down with them. They don’t know who they are, and feel threatened by myself, and others who have a clear Catholic identity, because it threatens their own lifestyle just by the fact that we exist and believe what we believe, and do the things we do, even if we don’t say anything to them about it.

One of the things I know is important to knowing oneself is to know one’s own name, and what it means to you and what it presents to people. My birth name is Joshua, so I have something in common with Joshua of the Old Testament, but also my name is the Hebrew version of the Greek name Jesus. The name means “God saves”. So when we say each others names, we are saying something, even if we don’t know what it means. So I think it is important to know the meaning of one’s own name. Also, I chose as a patron saint for confirmation St. John the Apostle. John is a Hebrew name meaning “God is gracious”. So a lot of names actully mean something that says something about God.

But the thing I want God to help us to do and I am asking you to pray for His instruction and teaching is to know who I really am, and to know who other people really are, and to pray this for each of us. Because you cannot have Communion or relationship or friendship without desiring to know, love, and serve that person you desire Communion with.

Please pray to your patrons saints for these, and ask them who you are, who your friends and family are, and who God is, and what we all are to each other. I hope this will be a helpful prayer intention. The wording is awkward, but I am sure God understands what we need. A lot of people really have no sense of their own identity as individual persons, or as members of a Communion with Christ and with the Church. Please pray that Jesus draws us all together into full Communion with Himself very soon.

May God bless you tomorrow on Memorial Day, and prayers for all those whom you have lost in wars.

Joshua
 
Very interesting post. I have often thought about my name, what it means, my patron saints, and I have wondered what I am supposed to learn from it. Yes, I know my parents chose my names, but why? It has always been a mystery to me, and I have wondered if maybe my saints chose me somehow, or God thought I needed their particular assistance.
 
Yeah, bizarre, huh?

Seriously, though, I was just agreeing that this is a very interesting topic. My name, though I wont tell it here, is a bit odd. I do have patron saints, but the name is very different from the names my parents gave my sisters. I have always wondered why. My parents just say they liked the name. Sometimes I tell them, yeah well you guys are the only ones!
 
***Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen***
 
littlenothing said:
Yeah, bizarre, huh?

Seriously, though, I was just agreeing that this is a very interesting topic. My name, though I wont tell it here, is a bit odd. I do have patron saints, but the name is very different from the names my parents gave my sisters. I have always wondered why. My parents just say they liked the name. Sometimes I tell them, yeah well you guys are the only ones!
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Names are interesting, I agree. Strange we don’t get to have a say in it.
I felt a bit robbed when they “struck off” the St Christopher miracle.
 
This is an interesting topic. I have looked up my name too and disappointedly I found out it can mean ‘from mars’ or ‘war like’. However, I know from my mom that I am actually called after St. Martin des Porres as that was the saint she prayed to when I was born ‘sickly’. Before being given my name, I was supposed to get something Welsh because my mom liked the sound of welsh names. To be honest, I am glad I was called after St. Martin as I have looked into his story and I find him very inspirational. I think its also interesting to note that when I looked him up, a couple of years ago, I found that he was a patron saint for a lot of the things I care about: Education, workers, healthcare, orphaned/abandoned children. The fact that he was rejected as a minority, bi-racial, and ‘illegitimate’ child. I am none of those things but I admire the fact that, although he was probably met with a lot of derision, he still managed to be charitable and work miracles for others.

sanmartindeporres.webs.com/stmartindeporres.jpg

PRAYER TO ST. MARTIN de PORRES
To be said by those in distress

In this pain and sadness which weighs me down and for which I can find no human support, I turn to you, Saint Martin. Be my friend and my protector and intercede for me with our merciful Father in heaven. Ask that my sins be forgiven and that I may be freed from the evils which burden and distract me. Give me your spirit of sacrifice that I may welcome whatever God sends me for love of Him who makes all things a means of holiness.
O Heavenly Father, in the name of your Son and of His Blessed Mother, and by the merits of your faithful servant Martin, help me in my great trouble and do not forsake me. Amen.
 
chris62 said:
Names are interesting, I agree. Strange we don’t get to have a say in it.
I felt a bit robbed when they “struck off” the St Christopher miracle.
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No doubt! But he’s still in the Roman Martyrology. So keep your medal, and keep him as your patron!
 
From Mars!

That was a great prayer, thank you for posting it. St Martin was a remarkable saint, and I had forgotten he was illegitimate. Could definitely be a powerful intercessor for children in our times, I should think. I love saints who were given trials that people face today. It gives me hope that others with similar trials will find inspiration by reading about their lives.

I wish I could speak more clearly sometimes…hope that was understandable.
 
***Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen***
 
littlenothing said:
From Mars!

That was a great prayer, thank you for posting it. St Martin was a remarkable saint, and I had forgotten he was illegitimate. Could definitely be a powerful intercessor for children in our times, I should think. I love saints who were given trials that people face today. It gives me hope that others with similar trials will find inspiration by reading about their lives.

I wish I could speak more clearly sometimes…hope that was understandable.
Click to expand...
You speak very clearly. I like your insight about St. Martin’s illegitimacy and his possible intercession for children in need today. What a wonderful idea 👍 So many children are growing up without the benefit or acknowledgement of one or the other of their parents, that St. Martin would be a natural intercessor for them–as well as a great example of charity.

God Bless,
Martina
 
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