THE DEFECTS OF THE SAINTS

 

THE DEFECTS OF THE SAINTS

Many pious souls may find the above title shocking. It is based on the book of Fr. Jesus Urteaga (Sinag-tala Publishers, Inc., Manila) with the same title. You may ask, are saints not all-holy and without defects? With all our weaknesses, failures, sins, and shortcomings, becoming saints seem impossible for us.

Fr. Urteaga writes in the introduction to his book: “Those saints on the altars are not made of wax and plaster, but are mortals like us.”

Saints were not born with a halo. Saint Peter was a coward when he denied the Lord; Saint Paul persecuted the Church; Saint Augustine was a playboy who seemingly mocked heaven when he called his illegitimate son Adeodatus (Given by God); Saint Therese of the Child Jesus was a very stubborn kid. And so the list goes on.

What then made them saints? Their struggle! When they sinned, they went to confession, seriously determined not to commit the same sin again. When they fell, they stood up without giving up.

Like those known saints, we cannot avoid to struggle and, like them, conquer our weaknesses in the end. “For every fall, God leaves us a basketball of hope,” Fr. Urteaga writes. That’s good news for us.

Saint Paul wrote, “God wants everybody to become holy.” When God wants something, we have no right to say, “Impossible.” He provides the means to reach this goal—confession, the Eucharist, reading the Bible, praying regularly, and avoiding persons, places, and things that cause us to sin.

Today, we honor all those uknown saints who were never canonized but reached the joys of heaven. They never gave up in their struggle but tried to live out Christ’s values in daily life.

May November 1 also become your feastday and mine! Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

---------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS ----------

Are you easily discouraged by your weaknesses and sins? Do you trust the Lord enough to get up and go on like the saints did?

Lord, when You fell under the weight of the cross, You got up and went on. Help me to follow Your example when I fall under the weight of my weaknesses and sins, and so reach my goal: heaven! Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________