Saint Expeditus – A Saint for Procrastinators

You won’t find his feast day on your liturgical calendar, but four days after tax day in the U.S. is always a great day to remember this apocryphal saint. And to paraphrase what we say about good stories, all saint stories are true, and some actually happened.

Saint Expeditus is the patron saint of not only procrastinators but also the saint you turn to in emergencies when you need something done fast. He’s also somehow the patron of computer programmers and hackers. His feast day is celebrated on April 19 (I told you, four days after tax day!)…or whenever you get around to it. He is traditionally shown holding a cross with the word hodie, meaning “today” in Latin. Under his foot, he tramples a black crow in whose beak is a scroll with the word cras, meaning “tomorrow.”

For those of you like me who tend to put things off to tomorrow what should be done today, here’s a saint and a prayer for you.

Prayer for Procrastinators on the Feast of Saint Expeditus

I’ve done it again, Lord.
I’ve missed another deadline.
Why can’t I ever be on time?

Imagine if Noah had pulled an all-nighter
or the Magi had put off making travel plans—
I guess if salvation had depended on me,
your will would never be done!

But you also chose the less punctual to show your glory:
Jonah, the ultimate procrastinator,
and the infamous stragglers who wound up first.

Yet, Lord, I know that now is the time
and today is the day of salvation.
So help me do what needs to be done—
today and not tomorrow.

Keep me focused on the path—
looking ahead and not behind.

With the help of Saint Expeditus
and all who patiently wait for me,
teach me to order the chaos of my day,
that each moment may be spent wisely
in timely service to you.
Amen.

From The Work of Your Hands: Prayers for Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments of Grace by Diana Macalintal, Copyright © 2014, Order of Saint Benedict, Liturgical Press.

Image credit: Detail from Saint Expeditus, oil painting, Palermo, 19th century, from the Wellcome Collection, London, CC-BY 4.0