Be a Saint!
In Graham Greene’s famous novel, The Power and the Glory, there is a powerful moment. The priest is near the end of his life and is doing some deep soul-searching. The last line of the scene is especially moving: “He knew at the end there was only one thing that counted — to be a saint.”
In November, the universal Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints and the lives of those who have been officially canonized as saints. The feast also reminds us that in and through our baptism we belong to the Communion of Saints and must strive daily to imitate the holiness of those who have gone before us ever dependent on their intercession.
The list of canonized saints includes people like us: people of great diversity, varied personalities, a wide array of gifts and weaknesses and an assortment of vocations. Yet, there are two specific qualities to highlight which they embraced and so must we: faith in the midst of suffering and focus in the midst of chaos.
Like any disciple of the Lord, the saints experienced suffering, conflicts, hardships and even persecution. They inspire us because in their sufferings and hardships, their trust in God’s abiding love became paramount. Jesus was their rock, their fortress and their might. As disciples of the Lord we will necessarily be called to share in His cross. In faith, this can be a grace-filled opportunity to grow in holiness as we unite our sufferings ever more deeply to His, and entrust our cares upon the One who always cares for us. It is the saintly thing to do! As a source of inspiration, try to find time this month to read again the story of one of your favorite saints and to allow his or her example and words speak to your heart.
The saints experienced the chaos of earthly life and a world, like ours, that so often confuses priorities and forgets the values and virtues that are from above. Yet, they did not lose focus. They kept their eyes on the things above. We must avoid embracing the empty promises of this world. I encourage you to take time this month to prayerfully read and mediate upon the Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 1-10). The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The Beatitudes invite us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else. They teach us that true happiness is not found in any human achievement but in God alone, the source every good and of all love.” The saints never lost that focus and neither must we.
This is a month we also remember in a special way the faithful departed: our deceased grandparents, parents, family members, friends and special people who taught and inspired us. We remember them in love and in thanksgiving to God for the gift of their lives in our midst. We honor them in making sure that their good example and fine qualities are reflected in our lives. It is also our sacred duty to pray for the faithful departed and for their eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven. To all those who are mourning the recent death of beloved family member, I express deepest sympathy and convey assurance of prayers. May your faith in Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, sustain you and may the love of the special people in your lives and your parish community support you, especially at this time.
If we seem a bit overwhelmed by the call to imitate the lives of the saints, we take to heart the words of Saint Bernard, who says, “We must seek the prayers of the saints. Thus, what is beyond our own powers to obtain will be granted through their intercession.”
We ask for the Lord’s divine assistance to be strong in faith and focused on Him alone as the source of happiness and of all love. In this way, we remain true to the call to holiness. And after all, in the end there is only one thing that counts — to be a saint!