A Felt Icon for a First Communion

You know what I love about the internet? You can discover all kinds of information with your fingertips AND you can buy all kinds of obscure stuff from all over the world. Quirky things that can actually help build a child's faith and prayer life. Alec, a family friends' middle child, celebrated his First Communion today. That's him at his home next to his dad after the Mass after he changed into a plaid shirt and striped shorts. His patron saint is Alexander of Comana, the charcoal burner. Seriously? I had never heard of the guy.

But thanks to the internet, I now know he was a third century Greek philosopher living in modern-day Turkey along the Black Sea. He had chosen the humble profession of a charcoal burner because he wanted "to practice a life of virtue removed from public admiration."  The job of a charcoal burner is to cut wood and burn it until it becomes charcoal. "The work provided just enough for Alexander to live and practice small works of charity."He was chosen by St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop of Neocaesarea to be bishop of his diocese. His life ended, as so many saints' lives do, in martyrdom.

I wanted our family to give Alec something related to St. Alexander of Comana. But what to give? I checked a website I have used before - Saintly Silver. There, as chance or Providence would have it, I found a Saint Alexander of Comana felt icon for Alec among the 213 four-inch-high felted saint softies for sale. How cool is this!?

His was a beautiful life and it is moving to consider that our little friend Alec has this humble man as a spiritual guide. I understand Alec will put the felted saint on his bookshelf in his room.

Men look upon clothes and the face. But God looks at the soul and the heart.