I like to celebrate the day after Halloween, All Hallows, of which Halloween is the eve. (Get it?) If you do, you’ve just saved me a lengthy historical explanation. All Saints is a day on which I rest mentally with the thousands of people who made it to Heaven, and with whom I’m free to communicate, according to the communion of saints (it does seem a one-way communication, but don’t judge yet).
I was once influenced by the example of St. Francis of Assisi to give away large sums of my money (is that one way communication?) and believe it or not, I never regretted it. Fortunately I recovered, and in return learned something valuable about life. Of course that was before I assumed the fatherhood of a family, but ever since I have viewed material gains with a certain disdain.
So, there I was, if ever, in a two-way communication with a saint, fostered by God the Holy Spirit. A name has meaning, and words also, if they are used effectively, can throw light, even if we hear them by chance.
Civilization 