LOGOS TRADING POST - CATHOLIC OLIVE WOOD STAND PLAQUES

The Saints of Old & The Perseverance of Our Faith

Hebrews 11:1-2 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.” Those in the past who put their faith and belief in God received commendation from Him, and it is a good thing that we commend them as well. The history of God’s world and His church is littered with amazing Catholic saints with incredible life stories. These stories can remind us of 1 Corinthians 10:13’s words: “You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted.” These Catholic saints of the past have experienced the same pains and struggles that we go through today. We want to remember their stories and be inspired by them, so we are more than happy to offer these olive wood Catholic Saint statues, made with only the highest of craftsmanship.

The heart behind Catholic icons such as this is that our faith may be strengthened in resolve by the lives of those depicted. Not only that, but when we connect to God in a prayer recognizing them, we have the opportunity to join the Saints in prayer. Perhaps you’re enduring a hardship right now similar to one of the Catholic patron Saints; keeping that Saint in mind as you pray - maybe even reciting a prayer written by that Saint, in some cases - is a manner of participation in what Saint Paul has called “the body of Christ.” Specifically, in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, he writes, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”  We are in this journey of faith together, and allowing guidance from those who have gone through the same journey is certainly a good practice.

With that perspective of the Catholic Saints in mind, allow us the opportunity to share the stories of a couple of the Saints featured on our olive wood Catholic Saint statues.

The Virgin Mary

 Of course, where to begin but with Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ and almost definitely the most recognized of all Catholic Saints. If you know the story of our Savior, you know her story as well, but perhaps never taken the time to consider the fullness of her role within it. Of course, by the Holy Spirit, she conceived the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Through her purity and faithfulness, she could be used by God the Father to give life to a son who was both entirely human and entirely divine. Her motherhood and her role in the birth of the Savior - or “the last Adam,” as He is called by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:45 makes it entirely fitting that she is the Catholic patron Saint of all humanity.

Even still, her role was unfinished after the nativity in Bethlehem. She nurtured Jesus in his childhood, guiding Him toward the path to do His great earthly deeds and to eventually make His ultimate sacrifice. She was not the Savior, but she took the responsibility of His care and guidance seriously. Indeed, as a matter of fact, we know that she pushed Him to perform His very first miracle from John 2:3-11, urging Him to transform water into wine. It is said in verse 11 that, by this act, Jesus “manifested his glory.” Though not much is known about what she did after this miracle, it is known for certain that she was present with Christ at the crucial moment of His crucifixion. She took it upon herself, then, to make His journey, her journey as well, from birth to death, and then from resurrection to ascension.

Saint Michael the Archangel

One of the Catholic Saints you’ll also see on our olive wood Catholic Saint statues is Saint Michael the Archangel, who is technically not a Saint in the sense of any sort of humanity, but by his meaningful service unto God, His Kingdom, and humanity. As such, he has been determined to be the Catholic patron Saint of warriors and healers.

He is mentioned Biblically only four times in total, but each time he plays the role of a protector and warrior. In Daniel 10:12-13, a comforting being speaks to Daniel, claiming, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia.” Later on, in Daniel 12:1, the comforter says, “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

Next, in Jude 1:9, he is shown in direct opposition of the Devil, with the text saying, “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’”

Finally, he is shown opposing and overcoming the Devil’s armies in Revelation 12:7-8, “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.”

He is a fighter and protector through and through, so when you align yourself with the Lord and pray to Him, a Catholic Saint of great power is on your side: Saint Michael the Archangel!

The Cloud of Witnesses

These two have incredible stories and act as Catholic patron Saints in very different areas, but let us not forget that these two only scratch the surface. After all, doesn’t Hebrews 12:1 say, “We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.”? We encourage you to engage in study of the Catholic Saints on your own, but in the meantime, we hope the olive wood Catholic Saint statues we have available here can be enriching to your faith and encouraging as you pray!