The feast of all saints is celebrated every November, the first, in the Church’s calendar.
Most of us would probably think it egotistic, if not blasphemous, to call ourselves saints. Nevertheless, “Saints” is one of the earliest descriptions given to those who follow Christ. We, too, can claim this designation when we model our lives on Christ.
That is our goal in life, to imitate the holiness of Christ, the only goal which makes any sense in a world full of injustice, greed and egotism.
To be a saint, then, means to be faithful to Christ. It means reaching out to a broken world with generosity and compassion; it means suffering, but with the sure knowledge that God is with us. It means living in the confidence that we are wrapped in the great circle of people gone before us and those who walk among us who have followed and still follow the lead of God’s Son who is our beginning and our end.
The great saints who stand out as models of Christian holiness, like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Mary Magdalen or St. Paul were not perfect human beings. They were sinners like everyone else who saw the light and whose lives were changed by grace. They lived normal, human lives and did ordinary things, exceptionally well, but, when called, they made heroic sacrifices to imitate Christ.
Thus, the saints are not those who work to be self -righteous in God’s sight. That was the “leaven” of the Pharisees that Jesus warned us about. The saints are called blessed because they know that God alone can make them righteous, and they do not take credit for what God, in His mercy, has done through them. They do not do impossible things, rather they recognize that God alone makes all things possible.
Sainthood is a calling to which we are all heirs. We recognize this every time we profess our faith in the “communion of saints.” We claim this birthright every time we act with mercy and compassion towards our fellow man. We show we are Jesus’s followers when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless, comfort the sick, and visit those in prison ( Matthew 25 : 35-40 ).
We demonstrate our communion with Him who calls us to sainthood every time we die to sin and rise to new life in Him.
Be glad and rejoice in following Christ for He says, “your reward in heaven is great” ( Matthew 5 : 12 ).
—Fr. Hugh Duffy.
5 Comments
Donald Murray Alfredson
Yes, modelling one’s life on a saint is a way towards sainthood. In Buddhist practice that is the ultimate goal, to turn oneself into a saint.
But simply professing Christ is not in my view sufficient to become a saint. It is, rather, by whatever path to become holy in one’s living and thought. Thus I have known people using other paths, such as Islam, whom I regard as saints.
Donald Murray Alfredson
The Buddha spoke of four grades or stages of sainthood, the first bringing unshakeable faith, and a maximum number of lifetimes in which full enlightenment is attained.
Maureen Ford
Someone once said to me “if you want to become a saint,. act as though you already are one,”. it’s a constant awareness and effort. God help us.
Bishop Thomas Justin Mapira
Indeed, it is right to call ourselves “SAINTS”, people who are bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Cleansed by His blood and living a holy life. We are Saints in Malawi. Lets join hands for the glory of God.
Larry Frey
We are all called to Sainthood!!! As they walked as Saints on earth!!!……………….Thanks be to God!!!…….