By Father Bernard Holzer, aa
During this week, the Church celebrates several saints and she invites us to become like them.
We started the week with Saint Benedict (July 11), the founder of monasticism in Europe with his famous rule of life: “Work and pray”. This was followed by Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American Saint and Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of saint Therese of Child Jesus (July 12), Saint Henry emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (July 13), Saint Camille de Lellis, founder of the Camilians (July 14), Saint Bonaventure, Franciscan and doctor of the Church (July 15), and Saint Marceline, the sister of Saint Ambrose of Milan. The Church also celebrates several Blesseds, some killed for their faith or social commitment.
Saints are from every century, from different social classes – emperor, indigenous peoples, a nurse, from different continents… so different yet united in Christ, searching and serving Him in their own responsibilities. Nobody is excluded. They are not “supermen” who are born perfect. Rather they are ordinary people who followed God with all their heart.
“They are like us, '' says Pope Francis, they are like each of us, they are people who before reaching the glory of heaven lived a normal life, with joys and griefs, struggles and hopes… They spent their lives in the service of others, they endured suffering and adversity without hatred and responded to evil with good, spreading joy and peace.”
We are all called to be saints! Sanctity is a vocation for everyone.
“The saints are men and women who have joy in their hearts and spread it to others. Never hating, but serving the other, is the greatest need. To pray and to live in joy: this is the way of sanctity!” – Pope Francis
Let us ask the grace to follow their path!
Comments