“To be saints is not a privilege for the few but a vocation for everyone.”-(Pope Francis)
We are so blessed to be surrounded by an amazing communion of saints. Is there is a certain cause you are praying about? You can almost guarantee there is a patron saint who can help intercede. Lost something? St. Anthony of Pauda is your guy. Going on a trip? Ask St. Christopher to look out for you. While these are great saints, we are not actually called to become the next St. Anthony, St. Christopher, St. Mother Teresa, or any other person who has been named a saint rather we are all called to become our own unique saint. You, as you are, whether you are a teacher, father, plumber, or whatever, are called to be a saint. It can be easy to fall into the lie that if you are not a priest, sister, or missionary, then you could not possibly become a saint. Is that really the truth? Take the example of St. Monica! She was the mother of St. Augustine, who married a man who was not a Christian, and lived much of her life in her home with him, her mother-in -law and children. She spent her years praying for her family and their conversion to the faith. Spoiler alert: The Lord graciously granted her prayers, and she and her son are now both saints of The Church.
How does one become a saint?
Sainthood is a calling for everyone. Holiness is a call for us all. Here are a few practical ways that you can begin your journey to become the saint God is calling you to be!
- Go to Mass every Sunday
- Go to confession regularly to help work on those stubborn sins
- Develop a daily prayer life which involves talking and listening to God
- Embrace your God given gifts and talents, and put them to good use
- Do not be afraid to let the light of Christ shine through you
The more we are able to enter into the life of the Church and prayer, the more connected we are to Christ. Christ is the one who teaches us how to be fully ourselves. The more we seek His guidance, the more we are able to discern how He wants us to become a saint! One of my favorite ways the Holy Mass may end is by saying, “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life”. I encourage you to take that as your calling to holiness and sainthood. You were made for this, so go into the world embracing your gifts and talents which will make you the saint God is calling you to be!