A brief break from my Sunday blogfast to join the prayers for all those suffering. Talking about names often feels a little silly, a little frivolous, a little privileged even, in the face of death and devastation, but I loved what Abby at Appellation Mountain said about it all today in her Sunday Summary:

“… some weeks I sit down to write about names when the news of the world around us feels overwhelming. How can I write about something as frivolous as unusual color names or bird names when the soundtrack is anger and despair?

… there’s no doubt in my mind that names matter, and that the act of bestowing a child’s name is sacred. And because if you want to experience unadulterated hope and joy, thinking about new life is one of the best ways to do so.

To write about names is to celebrate the potential of every new person on this planet. It’s a simple perspective, perhaps, but I do believe that the act of naming is always an optimistic one.”

St. Genevieve, patron saint of Paris, pray for us.

St. George, patron saint of Beirut, pray for us.

St. Romanus of Baghdad, pray for us.

St. Francis Xavier, patron of Japan, pray for us.

St. Joseph, patron of Mexico, pray for us.

Mother Mary, in all her titles (including Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Lebanon, Our Lady of Salvation [Baghdad], Our Lady of Japan, and Our Lady of Guadalupe), pray for us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.