Well its Halloween week and everyone is talking about things that go bump in the night. Of course Saint Paul states in Ephesians 6:12 “For the struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” In other words, as believers we shouldn’t be surprised by a spiritual realm that fights against goodness.

So…I thought it would be fun to talk briefly about some of my experiences with the strange and mysterious. A few years ago I was in a little shop in Puerto Rico and was attracted to a small Santos. A Santo statue is usually carved from cottonwood root, pine or aspen. They represent a saint, the Holy Family or in my case the Good Shepherd. I was very pleased, still am, with my purchase and placed it on my desk at home.

But…then came Easter and I started to notice a unique smell…kind of like roses. After some investigation I discovered it was coming from the statue. Not only that but the small representation also seemed to be leaking an oily substance. Now I know that the artist covered the statue in gesso, a mixture of native gypsum and glue, to prepare it for painting even using homemade pigments. So…the room is warm and the oily substance obviously started migrating toward the surface of the statue. But the smell…now that was unique.

No big deal right? I mean it dried up and no more roses. But…for the last several  years at Easter, at Christmas the smell returns as does the oil. Then after the holy days the statue is dry. The rational part of me says its just  something that happens because of climate change, heat exchange on and on. The spiritual side of me says well…I don’t know. Why? Because of my other experiences which I’ll mention later for this week before All Saints Day.

What is my point? Answer: Sit back and recognize there is a lot going on in our world that you just can’t explain. That maybe just maybe we should appreciate the small miracles going on all around us. Patrick of Ireland prayed this interesting prayer: “Against all Satan’s spells and wiles against false words of heresy, against the knowledge that defiles, against the wizard’s evil craft, against the death-wound and the burning, the choking wave and poisoned shaft, protect me, Christ, till thy returning.”

Keep on the path no matter what God is with you!