All Saints Day is coming up on Friday!
All Christians are called to be saints. Saints are 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. The word “Saint” comes from the Latin “Sanctus”, which means Holy.
When I read the lives of Saints, whether short accounts or long account, they inspire me. They lived on earth as we do, and a lot of them had many challenges throughout his or her lifetime. Some of them had challenges that amaze me. Martyrs or not martyrs they are people whose faith strengthens them to keep going and be faithful to Jesus. Maybe the witness of someone gave the grace of conversion and from there they became a saint.
Do we meet Saints who are still living on earth? Yes, but they are saints, (small “s”) as they don’t yet live in heaven and see the beatific vision. These little saints are any baby who has been baptized, for original sin is washed away, and they are not old enough to commit actual sin. A very handicapped child who is baptized and is not capable of committing actual sin is a little saint, (again small s).
My Confirmation Saint is St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Some of my other favorite Saints are Mary, the Mother of Jesus, St. Teresa of Calcuta, St. John Paul II, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi, Blessed Carlo Acutis, Blessed Chiara Luce Badano and of course my name sake St. Catherine of Siena and St. Catherine of Alexandra. (I claim both, however, my birthday is St. Catherine of Alexandra.)
Do you have a favorite Saint? If you don’t know him or her, learn about his or her life and get to know our friends in Heaven!
