Association Of Catholic Bloggers

I think most, if not all, Catholics like the idea of becoming a saint. Not because everyone wants official recognition but because the bottom line is: saints are in heaven and that’s where we want to be. In this way, the saints become a beacon of hope, a confirmation that the daily struggle is worth plowing through, because success is possible. Raised in a strong Catholic family, I grew up reading and loving the lives of the saints. I knew from a young age that these people were close to Jesus, and I hoped that some day, I would be close to Jesus too. Our desire for sanctity, in itself, is a good thing – it’s a reflection of our longing for God and innate sense that our hearts are made for him. So looking for some sort of formula or solid role model to follow is natural. Hence the importance we place in our faith on the saints and their example. Over time, however, I realized that finding inspiration in the saints was different from finding a realistic and imitable example...

Listen to this astounding quote on the definition of a saint: “In fact, a saint is  not one who carries out great feats  based on the excellence of his human qualities, but one who  allows   Christ to penetrate their soul, to act through their person,  He  being the  real protagonist of all their actions and desires, who inspires every initiative and sustains every silence.   To  let  oneself be led by Christ in this way is possible only for one who has an intense life of prayer. “  Pope Benedict XV                                                                                                           St.Thérèse’s   thoughts on prayer hel...

Naturally, most of the spiritual greats knew how to laugh. I mean think about it, when you are in a relationship with the Eternal, your life in comparison is rather hilarious. It is sort of like comparing the life of a man to that of a comical, self dramatizing ant. It follows that saints are not pale, morose souls with their eyes rolled up, gazing into the heavens; they are down-to earth, humble people who know how to laugh at their own ridiculous foibles. Look at St. Theresa of Avilia.While on a journey to visit one of her convents, a donkey threw this great doctor of the Church into a stream of freezing cold water. Standing in her water-logged, heavy habit, she yelled at God, “If this is how you treat your friends,  no wonder you have so few!” I smile every time a picture this scene of an outspoken, strong, unaffected woman with a quirky sense of humour because it is diametrically opposed to some of the pious, sappy looking paintings of her.  Nope...