A Prayer to Saint Expeditus

He also may have been a Roman martyr...no one knows!

Happy November!

As I awoke this morning after last night’s wild storms, I felt powerless. Literally. We had no power—no lights, no heat. At times like these, as we scurry around lighting candles and boiling water on the stove for coffee, I recognize how ridiculously dependent we are on our “modern conveniences.”

The Philadelphia Electric Company will restore everything at some point later today, but not soon enough! Time to pray! As God is clearly a busy guy these days, what with the world falling apart and all, I reach back to my Catholic upbringing, seeking the appropriate saint as my prayer-target. It is All Saints Day today too, a perfect time to give the Great Cloud of Witnesses in Heaven a shout-out. But who should I choose? I have read that there actually is a Patron Saint of the Internet now, but as I can’t get online to check at the moment I have no clue who that is.

I do remember reading a story about Saint Expeditus, a popular saint in Louisiana. Ages ago, when French folks settled in that part of the South, they had statues of saints from Europe shipped to the Port of New Orleans. One of these boxes was stamped “Expediter” (French for “send this quickly”). As the figure was unpacked, it was assumed that Expediter must be the name of the saint statue in the box…hence, Saint Expeditus. This (probably imaginary) fellow is still a part of the culture—people even take out newspaper ads, thanking Saint Expeditus for a swift resolution of their troubles.

All righty then, I found my guy! And here’s my prayer:

Yo there, Saint E!

You, who represent our need for speed, are the perfect saint for this supersonic age. Fast, faster, fastest! We cry unto you: bring us our restaurant meals at home via Über Eats! Deliver us from mall trips, with Amazon Prime! Keep on adding apps for our phones and shortcuts for our laptops and channels for our Smart TVs, and please do it NOW.

In this, my hour of trial, restore my Google and my microwave and my desk lamp and my ice maker.

Go on. I’m waiting!

Thanking you in advance, 

Elise

Seriously, though (and you knew I’d get here eventually), life is filled with unexpected storms, and being temporarily unplugged is very far from a calamity. I am so grateful for the workers clearing the felled power lines and trees, and feel so lucky that my family and friends are safe. The sun is shining right now, and after the destructive power of nature on display last night, the gorgeous blue sky is a benediction.

To quote the great mystic Julian of Norwich (who definitely DID exist) “All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well.” In God’s good time. In this crazy, hurry-up world, may our souls find rest in this promise, today and every day.

Beautiful morning after storm (but down went the leaves!)