There are Saints and there are saints; Which are you?

I am often asked, “What is a saint, and how does someone become a Saint?” On the Sunday of All Saints, which is always the Sunday following the Feast of Pentecost, the Church commemorates all the holy men and women, most unknown, who have shown themselves to have placed God first in their lives while on Earth. They were some, the known holy men and women, who excelled in their love for God while living either through martyrdom (bearing witness to God sometimes even to death) or confessing Him before others, or living holy and righteous lives, that the Church bestows the title of “Saint” and urges the faithful to imitate their loyalty to God.

Then there are the unknown holy men and women, known ONLY to God, who lived quiet lives dedicated to God above all else in their lives. They were teachers, janitors, mothers, fathers, priests, bishops, monks, nuns, lawyers, farmers, ranchers….normal people just like you and me who struggled against the “ways of the world” in favor the “ways of the Lord.”

These Saints and saints were more interested in Heavenly things than earthly things. Saint Paul teaches we are all called to be saints (Romans 1.7) and reminds us “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,” (Hebrews 12.1) as inspiration to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. We are not alone in being tempted by our passions (wealth, power, anger, selfishness etc) since all the saints were also tempted.

Be inspired on this Sunday of All Saints to reclaim the courage to become the loyal saint you were called by Christ to become. Be comforted today by being reminded that all saints have temptation. Be strong today and decide to place God first IN ALL THINGS in your life. Be blessed by God who said, “Every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10.32)