BB wrote “Catholics are so ‘close to the ground’ of human experience”-—
Yes, I do believe this to be true. Perhaps that is why we understand that saints may be at our shoulder and why we may truly believe, as is in our Creed, that we believe in the Communion of Saints.
One of the little books I have that greatly encourages me is a very small one entitled “God Under My Roof”, a book of Celtic songs and blessings—
Qoute: “Perceiving a world in which the divisions of sacred and secular seemed irrelevant, these Gaelic people found God lovingly concerned with all aspects of their lives and felt themselves walking not only in his presence but close to the saints and angels too. Almost as a matter of course they assumed that they were surrounded by a multitude of spiritual beings, near throughout the day and nearer still in the hours of sleep. The involvement of the saints... was taken for granted:
The holy apostles’ guarding
The gentle martyrs guarding,
The nine angels’ guarding,
Be cherishing, be aiding me.
The quiet Brigit’s guarding,
The gentle Mary’s guarding,
The warrior Michael’s guarding,
Be shielding, be aiding me.
The God of elements guarding,
The loving Christ’s guarding,
The Holy Spirit’s guarding,
Be cherishing, be aiding me.
Yes!