All Saints Day is the perfect time to reflect on those saints on whose shoulders we stand: those who have mentored us, nourished us, taught us, and loved us.
One of the things I appreciate about our church is the notion that we are all saints of God, imperfect but striving. There is really nothing I’m aware of in the New Testament to indicate there is a special class of saints, even though some are clearly deemed more mature in their spiritual development than others.
My point is not to talk about theology, however, but to take a moment on All Saints’ Day to reflect on a few of those saints whose lives are, in one way or another, widely recognized and accepted as having been a beacon for God’s love in the world. Credit to Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister, for these profiles:
- Julian of Norwich, a 15th century anchorite who was devoted only to God, gave the world three learnings that would change the very things we call holy: that God is mother; that fear of God is not humility and that even though we sin all will be well. Those are brave, heroic concepts in a world where God who is all spirit had been reduced to the notion of a male judge.
- The Baal Shem Tov was a man with an eye for the spiritual and a song in the heart. Nothing clearly authentic is known about him, but nothing much less has been forgotten about the man either. The Baal Shem Tov insisted that the presence of God lurked in life as it was, that it was there for the seeing, that to live life joyfully was itself the real task of life.
- “The purpose of prayer, my daughters,” Theresa of Avila wrote, “is always good works, good works, good works.” Given her heroic and unending attempts to make religion spiritual and the church holy, she of all people had the right to say so. She did not use prayer as a refuge; she used it as a beacon. Learning to persist in the pursuit of good should make saints of us all.
- John XXIII is really remembered for making the political, the scholarly, the efficient, the clerical and the papal, human. What stands as a monument to his heroism is the indictment of ageism by an old man who turned a system upside down to make it new again. Now, thanks to him, age is no excuse for doing nothing.
- Joan of Arc’s heroic commitment to conscience over authority is a mighty one. There are some things in life that belong to God alone, Joan implies: human life, human responsibility, and human will. Joan of Arc is patron of those who hear the voice of God calling them beyond present impossibilities to the fullness of conscience everywhere.
Is there a saint whose life has inspired you or made a difference in your own spiritual development? Please comment below or join the conversation on my Facebook Page.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to Sister Joan Chittister’s e-newsletter “for spiritual seekers and kindred spirits.”
[Updated post from November 2013.]
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Pray (and write) without ceasing
I know little about the acknowledged saints but have met a few people who fit my own definition…people whose faith in God is such that they do not have to preach or even speak about their faith. The way they live their lives is evidence enough.
I agree that the way a person lives their life is more powerful than what they say. I consider myself a spiritual person…certainly I am a seeker…but my warning bells go off when someone wears their religion on their sleeve too much.
Elizabeth, I enjoyed this. What a great way to observe All Saints Day.
Thank you so much, April. I love learning about interesting people, past and present!
Off the cuff, I’m sorry to say that I cannot name any saints…though I am spiritual, I’m not a regular church-goer. I have studied the Bible. I’ve been to many churches – Baptist, Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, and more.
One of my best friends back in PA is a minister, and she and I have had many email conversations about the Bible, God, belief, and so on.
I recognize all the saints you mentioned. And I do appreciate that you mentioned Joan. And Theresa of “good works.” I try to do good works every day…just to make a comment like “I appreciate you!” to someone who might need a booster-upper.
Thank you for your honest and helpful response. I certainly didn’t know all of these five, and familiarity with saints is never a predictor of spiritual maturity or savvy. Neither is regular church attendance, but that’s another discussion 🙂
I just take pleasure in discovering people who have, for whatever reason, made a difference in their lives (and a couple of these were alarmingly short). There was a hymn we used to sing in Sunday School – “I sing a song of the saints of God…” and it ended,
“They were all of them saints of God, and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.”
A little saintliness can spice up our lives, don’t you think? 😉