It is all so mysterious—a paradox, enigma and conundrum. Faith is generated by righteous acts and moral behavior but faith is also necessary in order for me to be able to do righteous acts and to be moral. Just as life produces breathing and breathing makes us to live, so faith produces good works and good works produce faith. But, ultimately, neither life nor faith originates with us, they are gifts from God. However, in another of one of God’s many great and wondrous mysteries, it seems that this gift can be passed on to those we love through our prayers of intercession. We cannot be made holy simply by being around holy things, but apparently we can be made holy, indirectly, by being around holy people and being wrapped in their intercessory prayers. St. Paul tells us that “And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.” 1 Cor. 7:13-14 What an incredible and glorious mystery! The ultimate goal of our intercession is that those whom we love and pray for experience the grace of God, directly. But until that day comes, we wrap them in the protection and sanctification of our prayers, just as we are protected, sanctified and cared for through the intercessions of the saints, as we are all held in the loving, protecting and sanctifying arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.