“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
This verse came to mind to me recently as I was meditating on what a beautiful variety of paths to holiness we have through the saints. These holy men and women throughout the centuries are models for me, sources of great courage and comfort, because by imitating them I can imitate Christ. There are saints from all walks of life, like the poor peasant boy turned martyr José Luis Sánchez del Río, to the wealthy yet charitable Louis IX. The saints have wildly different personalities too; the often grumpy and boisterous St. Jerome can hardly be said to have the same temperament as the reserved and mild-mannered St. Therese of Lisieux. There are even some saints that my Protestant brothers and sisters would easily recognize. The murderer St. Paul, for example, or the infamous doubting Thomas. I could go on and on, listing many holy figures throughout the history of Christianity, but what does that have to do with us?
Most importantly, I think it shows that holiness is possible. It may be challenging at times, but it’s worth it. As Mother Teresa said, “Saints only sinners who keep trying.” Bishop Fulton Sheen echoed her saying, “Any sinner has the capacity to become a great saint, and any saint a great sinner.” Even if there are some Christians who are bit uncomfortable or even find it heretical to ask for their prayers for things here on Earth, that doesn’t mean we can’t admire them. That doesn’t mean we can’t read biographies of their lives and try to find ourselves in them. Yes, it’s true that the Bible states that, “there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5), but I think it’s important for us to remember that unlike us, Jesus was sinless. Yes he was tempted, and yes he is fully human, but I think that’s the key to realizing the beauty of the saints. The saints are people who allowed themselves to be totally transformed by Christ. Despite all their weaknesses and trials, they never forgot their goal: to love God with everything they had and to love their neighbor as themselves. Sometimes I imagine them telling me, “I did it. What’s stopping you?” The saints are living proof that holiness is attainable. They’re not something to be shunned or avoided in favor of Christ. That’s something to think about as the Church draws together to celebrate the feast of all the saints.
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