Who knew saints were so cool?

I have a new preoccupation. However, I think I can get away with this one. I have become fascinated with the lives of the saints. I am trying to figure out how I have gone 24 years being raised Catholic and just now realizing how amazing the saints are. Seriously. I am not sure where this preoccupation came from, but I have an inkling.

I am going to go ahead and blame my comprehensive exams. I was able to work intimately with the works of St. Teresa of Avila (who is awesome) and Julian of Norwich (also awesome). It was from the extensive amount of time that I spent with these two holy women in their writings and in prayer that I came to know the importance of the saints. The lives of the saints are meant to be a beacon of hope for all of us that we might too live holy lives. They tell us that it’s possible. Holiness is possible for all of us if we only believe that God lift us to him.

I recently stumbled upon a quote from Blessed Chiara “Luce” Badano: I'll be a saint, if I am a saint now. At first glance that sounds like a tall order, but then you have to read her biography. Being a saint for her was living her life for the glory of God and allowing Jesus to be her guide. If there was ever a theme in the lives of the saints it is to let Jesus be your friend and guide. St. Teresa of Avila wrote about it, so did Julian of Norwich, Blessed Mother Teresa, and also Blessed Chiara.

I leave you with a prayer to our friend Jesus; may it be a step in the direction of sainthood.

Jesus! You are my true Friend, my only Friend.

You take a part in all my misfortunes;

You take them on Yourself;

You know how to change them into blessings;

You listen to me with the greatest kindness when I relate my troubles to You,

and You have always balm to pour on my wounds.

I find You at all times;

I find You everywhere,

You never go away:

if I have to change my dwelling,

I find You there wherever I go.

You are never weary of listening to me,

You are never tired of doing me good.

I am certain of being beloved by You,

if I love You; my goods are nothing to You,

and by bestowing Yours on me, You never grow poor;

however miserable I may be,

no one nobler or cleverer or even holier can come between You and me,

and deprive me of Your friendship;

and death, which tears us away from all other friends,

will unite me forever to You.

All the humiliations attached to old age,

or to the loss of honor,

will never detach You from me;

on the contrary, I shall never enjoy You more fully,

and You will never be closer to me

than when everything seems to conspire against me

to overwhelm me and to cast me down.

You bear with all my faults with extreme patience,

and even my want of fidelity and my ingratitude

do not wound You to such a degree

as to make You unwilling to receive me when I return to You.

O Jesus, grant that I may die praising You,

that I may die loving You,

that I may die for the love of you.

Amen.

~Saint Claude La Colombière