Be A Saint

  “We are all called to be great saints, don’t miss the opportunity!”

Mother Angelica 

Not too long a priest asked me, “How do you become a saint? What should I tell the students?” I was completely caught off guard. It’s a question that theologians have wrestled with for centuries and certainly not one that I am qualified to answer. Nonetheless, I blurted out, “The path to holiness is just to do simple things. You know, like the little way of St. Therese of Lisieux or Mother Teresa of Calcutta, do small things with great love. Tell them not to gossip, not to cheat, to be kind to their classmates, respectful to their parents and teachers. It’s simple. Tell them that.” He nodded. 

An hour later, our 8th-grade students lined up outside our makeshift chapel at our retreat center. We lit the votive candles that they had decorated. As each student processed in, they bowed before the altar and placed their candle at the foot of the altar. I told them that their candle represented the light of Christ–the light that they were given at Baptism that needed to be spread throughout the world. Later that evening, the priest delivered the message on sainthood to the class. Following a beautiful mass, we adored Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament while most of the class received the sacrament of Reconciliation. It was a special time for the 8th-grade students, one I will treasure for years. 

Today, Wednesday, November 1, we celebrate the great Solemnity of All Saints. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops defines saints as “persons in heaven (officially canonized or not), who lived heroically virtuous lives, offered their life for others, or were martyred for the faith, and who are worthy of imitation.”  When reflecting on the saints, I often make the mistake of thinking only of their heroic virtue and forgetting that they, too, were people just like us, trying each day to do the Lord’s will, stumbling in their journey, asking for His forgiveness, and ultimately putting their complete trust in him.  All Saints Day is a wonderful time to reflect on our path of holiness, our struggles, and challenges, and ultimately our utter reliance on the Lord.  

Happy All Saints Day and may the Lord richly bless you and your families in the week ahead. 

Yours in Christ, 

Shana Druffner