Saint YOU

As we begin, I ask you to take a moment, clear your mind and think of what your name would sound like with the title of “saint” in front of it.

What does it feel like to think about yourself as a saint?  Does it suit you? Or does it sound so foreign that it is almost ridiculous?

And how do you feel when you hear me say that God is calling you to be a saint? Do you feel excited? Or do you feel afraid?

Finally, what is keeping you from being a great saint? What makes you want to shrink away from the invitation to lead a holy and inspiring life?

Do you think you cannot become a saint because of your sinful past? Don’t tell that to Saint Augustine. For years, he lived with a woman he refused to marry and had a child out of wedlock with her. He spent his youth chasing all types of worldly pleasures. And yet, he heard God’s call to have a change of heart and became one of the Church’s most important thinkers teaching us that God’s mercy can reach even the hardest of sinners. 

Do you think you cannot become a saint because you are not talented enough? Don’t tell that to Saint Therese of Lisieux. When she entered the convent, she noticed how many gifts the other nuns around her had and she wondered whether she had anything to contribute? In prayer, she discovered that all God was asking of her was love. From then on, she decided that she would make love her talent. In so doing, she became one of the most influential saints of the past 200 years teaching us that, to please God, all we need is to do all things with great love.

Do you think you cannot become a saint because you are divorced or a single mother? Don’t tell that to Saint Helena. At one time, she was married to the powerful Roman Emperor who divorced her and left her alone to raise her son. That son would himself one day become the Emperor of Rome and it was through Saint Helena’s influence that he was converted and ended the persecution of Christians. Then, at eighty years of age, she traveled to Jerusalem and discovered the true cross on which Jesus was crucified. So, don’t tell Saint Helena that you are too old to become a saint either!

Do you think you cannot become a saint because you are too busy? Don’t tell that to Saint Pope John Paul II. In 1978, he was elected head of the Catholic Church, the world’s largest and oldest institution with over one billion members. During that time he traveled 104 times, wrote 14 major documents, met with heads of state and many thousands of other people. And yet, he still made time to pray three rosaries a day!  You may have a lot on your plate, but are you busier than the pope? If he can become a saint with all he has to do, you can too.

Do you think you cannot become a saint because you are too young? Don’t tell that to Saint Jacinta. She was one of the shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared at Fatima. At the time, Saint Jacinta was only nine years old. Nonetheless, she embraced Our Lady’s call to do penance and pray the rosary for the conversion of sinners. Because of her love for Jesus and her concern for sinners, she taught us all that, not matter how old we are, we can change the world through prayer.

Do you think you cannot become a saint because you are uneducated or have a learning disability? Don’t tell that to Saint John Vianney. His passion was to become a priest but he struggled with his studies and almost was turned away from the seminary. However, because of his great holiness the bishop allowed him to be ordained. He worked tirelessly in his parish to teach people about the love of Jesus. Because of his reputation for holiness, people would come from miles away to go to confession to him. After his death, he became the patron saint of parish priests teaching us that it is not intelligence or learning that makes the saint but perseverance in grace.

Finally, Saint Thomas Aquinas gives us some of the best advice on becoming a saint. When a young friar asked him what the secret to becoming a saint was he said, “You must will it.” If we desire to be a saint, that is God already working in our hearts preparing us for the mission that only we can fulfill. If we do not feel that desire, then we can simply ask God to put it there. He wants us to enjoy all the blessings of this life and the joy of eternal life with Him in heaven. Therefore, we can count on Him to give us the grace to be saints.

God is calling all of us to be saints. There is no excuse not to accept that invitation and commit ourselves to living the gospel message in hope of the joining the ranks of the saints in  heaven.