The MODG Message: Proactively Pursuing Sainthood

A little bit ago I was driving in the car thinking about what I want to achieve with my life. I want to graduate with good grades. I want to go to college. I want to be happy and feel fulfilled. I want to be holy. I want to bring people closer to Christ. We all have lists of things we want to achieve, but at the root of all of them is a desire to be in relationship with God. In other words, a desire to be a saint. Thinking of this, I started to get excited, as I had just applied to be a missionary for the summer. I thought, “This is my chance to grow in holiness!”…

It took me a few seconds to realize the foolishness of that statement. Sometimes we get trapped in this mindset that we must wait for our circumstances to change in order to excel in something. For example, “I’ll just wait until Lent to start a daily prayer life” or “When summer comes around I’ll start working out”. Making excuses and procrastination never made any of the saints holy. In fact, nobody has ever excelled in anything by saying “I’ll do it later” or “I’ll start tomorrow”. We are called to be proactive, to take hold of the present moment in order to change the future. We cannot afford to wait until we are older or our circumstances change to pursue something as important as holiness. We cannot count on a single second of the future.

Sitting at a red light in the car, I realized something. We have been given the most amazing opportunity to grow in virtue. Within the family, in the midst of the hardships and joys, we are called to be holy. Holiness isn’t something that should be exercised at certain times and forgotten at others. It should be part of our character, and our character is most clear around our family. The journey to sainthood starts in the home, in that place where we feel most comfortable being ourselves and where we are easily frustrated and annoyed. We are called to be saints, not in 5 years or 10 years or 50 years, but right now. If you want to be a great saint, you need to start today.

I was once told by a priest who ministers to college students that the extent and measure of a student’s holiness is determined by their actions when they go home for a holiday or visit family. He continued to say that ministering to other students on campus and going to Mass is much easier than doing the same around your family. How do you treat your friends? In comparison, how do you treat your family? I know for me, I try to always present the best version of myself to my friends, but around my family I sometimes settle for mediocrity.

Don’t be fooled, it is hard to be a joyful witness to your family. In the moments when you want to yell or snap back at someone or give a younger sibling the silent treatment, you are called to see Christ in them and love them. In the moments where you feel underappreciated or unseen, there is opportunity to grow in greater humility. When we feel tempted to focus on ourselves, we are called to pour out for the betterment and sanctity of our family. Whew. For one second, forget about mission and evangelization to the world (that will come in time) and, in the present moment, in the circumstances we have been put into, focus on loving your family and forming a relationship with God in the context of your home.

Today the Lord has given us an opportunity to embark on a journey. He’s inviting us to not only work towards our personal sanctity, but to strive for the holiness of our families. Here are three pieces of advice for how to start this process:

Enter into a daily relationship with God in prayer. This will give you the graces you need to live virtuously throughout the day. Not to say that being virtuous will be easy; it’s like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to grow, and sometimes it will be painful. Also, receive the sacraments as often as possible. All these things will help you grow in holiness and, just like in the universal church, in the family when one person becomes more holy or virtuous, every other member is strengthened.

You must have a missionary’s heart within the context of your family. This means you need to start shifting gears and loving your siblings and parents as Christ would. It also might mean that you have to enter into an awkward conversation about the faith. We need to develop a heart of pastorship, loving those around us too much to let them settle for mediocrity.

Intercession! The Lord has big plans for you and for your family! Pray that God might grant you the grace to love your family better and might increase the holiness of your siblings and parents.

“If you want to change the world, first go home and love your family.” -St. Mother Teresa

“God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.” – St. Therese of the Child Jesus