On October 18th, Pope Francis canonized four saints. One of them was a married couple: Louis and Marie Zelie Martin. This is the first time in Church history that a couple has been canonized in the same ceremony. They had 9 children, and only five made it to adulthood. One of their daughters was St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower.
Was this why they were sainted? Noit was way more than that. During their 19 year marriage, the couple attended daily Mass, prayed and fasted, kept the Sabbath holy, visited the sick and elderly, and welcomed the poor into their home. There was nothing extraordinary you and I can do those things ourselves.
The path to sanctity is not easy, but it is quite do-able. It’s not something we do all by ourselvesit takes a community of faith to help us along the way, and above all, it calls for a deep and abiding trust in the Lord and an awareness of his presence in your everyday life.
The Beatitudes Sunday’s Gospel) give us some clues. Holy people know they can’t do it on their own. They realize that everything on earth and from heaven is absolute pure gift. They are aware of their times, and are deeply saddened by the violence and inhumanity they see on a daily basis. Maybe they can’t directly help the victims, but they pray and they help the organizations that can.
Holy people willingly let others take the glory and praise; they have no need to boast of who they are and what they have done. They take great pride and happiness in others’ accomplishments.They are compassionate and merciful, unwilling to sit in judgment or to criticize others. They always look for the best in everyone. When they are themselves criticized and judged, they take it in, ponder, and if the criticism is justified, make the necessary changes. Always and in all ways they seek to be peace in the midst of strife.
With all this in mind, do you know any saints, present and past? Do you think you would qualify?
Love deeply, pray faithfully, laugh often!
