Pondering Saints and Friendship

Replica of Saint Francis of Paola
Sharon Clossick, 11 x 14", Oil on Canvas
​Available for Purchase

​     WE ALL CHERISH BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIPS.  Friendship, also known as Philia love, is defined as an authentic friendship that is an intimate sharing of values, interests and experiences between people.  It is argued that it could be one of the strongest relationships of all the loves.  I know for me, I cherish those friends whom I am most close with in my life.  Intimate friendships are great blessings.

     As we find ourselves in the month of November, we are reminded of so many beautiful souls who are no longer with us.  November is what we hear people say, the month of the dead.  I never liked hearing the month of November described in this way because my birthday falls during this month.  Who wants a birthday celebrated in the month of the dead?  But the more I ponder this, the more I realize the depth and beauty of November.  First, we honor the saints.  Saints are men and women who actually are our friends in heaven just waiting to intercede for us here on earth.  They are normal people like you and me who fought the good fight, endured hardships and never gave up on their faith.  They continued to grow in holiness and stay in the grace of God no matter the cost.  I find it comforting to know that we can look to these holy people to pray for us. We look to them as our friends.  We also honor the souls of our loved ones who have already gone before us.  We not only remember them, but we also pray for them that their souls are purified so that one day they will be with God in eternity forever.  Our loved ones need our prayers, as we need theirs.  How beautiful that we keep this friendship going into eternity.

     As we enter the “month of the dead”, a new saint has recently entered my life!  His name is St. Francis of Paola.  During the fall season I committed myself to further art development.  I worked with a great master of today, Eric Armusik, a classical figurative artist from Pennsylvania.  We worked together to complete a copy of a master painting.  From the options presented, I chose St. Francis of Paola by Jusepe de Ribera, a Spanish artist from the seventeenth century.  I was drawn to the beauty of this painting because it had a glow and serenity I cannot explain.  The way St. Francis looks upward in his gaze makes me somehow connect with his heart.  I only imagined what he was praying at the time of this intense gaze.  It was a beautiful experience to intimately get to know this painting, which in turn made me want to get to know this saint!  To no surprise, St. Francis of Paola was very much like St. Francis of Assisi.  He was a Franciscan Friar from the fourteenth century who possessed similar virtues of St. Francis such as poverty and humility.  Qualities I hope to achieve, only by the grace of God.

     During this month of November as the leaves drop from the trees and nature is dying all around us, rather than grumble that I celebrate a birthday in the most depressing “month of the dead”, I pray that I will instead consider myself blessed to have been born in a month that celebrates our friends in heaven.

     Speaking of saints, this is a perfect time to mention that I will be taking on a “saint project” for the coming year.  I plan to do a series of paintings depicting some of our most special saints.  If you have any suggestions please send me an email and let me know!

     I’d love for you to check out Eric Armusik’s beautiful artwork at ericarmusik.com.  I also hope you have the opportunity to get to know Saint Francis of Paola, as I have.  You can read more about him at: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-francis-of-paola/.  My painting of Saint Francis is available for purchase.

PURCHASE

​St. Francis of Paola, Pray for Us.
All the Saints in Heaven, Pray for Us!

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God bless you,


Sharon
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