Saints model, encourage:
On our rocky journeys toward holiness

		Notes from the  Vicar General  Msgr. Paul J. Swain

In November we focus on saints in a special way. They serve as models of discipleship and encourage us as we struggle on our rocky journeys toward holiness. Some of the saints who have influenced and encourage me include:

St. Alphonsus Ligouri, bishop and doctor of the Church. He was an outstanding civil lawyer. The possible apocryphal story is told that he lost a case in court he should have won, and decided that he would abandon civil law to become a priest. Whether true or not, the Church was blessed with his decision. He became a great preacher, moral theologian, and canon lawyer who was known for his sensitive pastoral way. He models clarity in teaching and compassion in pastoral ministry.

St. Thomas More, whom Pope John Paul II declared patron saint of politicians and public officials. He was a scholar and father, politician and theologian. While serving in the high office of Chancellor to King Henry VIII in England, after much reflection, he refused to give in to political expediency and accommodate the personal preferences of the King by denying the pope as rightful head of the Church. He was executed for his principled stand. He models exercising an informed conscience and standing up for what is right despite pressures to compromise.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, doctor of the Church. She entered the cloister of the Carmelites at 15 to save souls and pray for priests. Enduring great physical suffering, she died at 24. Through her beautiful writings she emphasized the power of love. She models the recognition that what we do is less important than why we do what we do. A simple task, any task, done with love has power beyond our imaginings.

St. Teresa of Avila, doctor of the Church. She lived in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation and challenged the Church to reform. She suffered physically with illness, and spiritually with periods of difficulty in praying. She is reputed to have said, "From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, Good Lord deliver us." She models perseverance and hopefulness when, despite the crosses we must bear, our lives are fixed on the risen Christ.

Though not a declared saint, one who is in the communion of saints is Pope John Paul I. He served as Pope for only a few weeks, but influenced my conversion. His was a faced lined with deep wrinkles and a broad engaging smile. He models the time worn but Spirit guided Church as the way to happiness and peace, despite cultural turmoil and internal division.

St. Peter. At the Last Supper, when Jesus foretold that the faith of the disciples would falter, Peter declared, "Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be." Within hours Peter denied our Lord three times. Then in a moving act of contrition and sorrow, Scripture tells us that Peter wept bitterly. Despite his falter, Jesus did build his Church on Peter. He models that Christian discipleship is not easy; there will be times when we frail beings will falter. Yet, when we sincerely own up to our mistakes, Jesus forgives, heals, and uses us as his instrument.

What saints encourage you?

Life is short: Use gift of time wisely

	Guest commentary  Fr. Don Lange

"If you want to make God laugh, tell God what you are going to do tomorrow!"

These words proved to be prophetic for Fr. Mychal Judge, the chaplain of the New York City Fire Department, when he and nearly 3,000 others were killed unexpectedly as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks last year. For Fr. Judge and the others there was no earthly tomorrow.

Cup of life

The death of even one person reminds us that human life is fragile, finite, and precious. Poetically speaking, God gifts each of us with a cup of time to drink. Sometimes tragically our cup of life breaks early either by accident or design and our gift of times runs out. We die.

But while our cup of life still has time in it we sip gratefully drop by drop, day by day until our cup is empty. Sooner or later we die and we face God with our cup void of earthly life. As believers we hope and pray God fills to the brim our empty cup with heaven's eternal joyous love.

Late October and November remind us of our mortality as the frost of autumn kisses plants with death, the last leaf of summer that still lingers dies, and the earth freezes stone cold as it prepares to be covered by a funeral shroud of snow.

But we know that God uses winter's snow and frost to help to renew earth's energies so that its flowers, plants, and leaves will rise again in the Easter of spring and remind us of resurrection.

In November the Church focuses on last things when it celebrates All Souls Day, All Saints Day, and the feast of Christ the King followed by Advent when we prepare for the birth of Jesus who offers us the gift of eternal life.

Respond to God's grace

One of the best ways that we can use our limited gift of time to prepare for eternity is our response to grace expressed in good deeds. For in Matthew 25:31-46 we are told that the doors to heaven open to those who respond to the nudge of the Holy Spirit and minister to Christ in their neighbor in need.

Our need to respond to grace now while we still have time is expressed in an inspiring poetic reflection, "Lord, I shall pass this way but once. Therefore if there is any good that I can do, Lord, let me do it now. Please show me how! For I will never pass this way again!"

While we still have time, we can ask God for grace to respond to our neighbor in need. Life is short and the best way to prepare for heaven is to respond now to God's gift of time in a graced Jesus way.

When we do, perhaps God's laugh will change into a smile. But we must do it now, for as the death of Fr. Mychal Judge and others show, "tomorrow may never pass our way again!"

Fr. Don Lange is pastor of St. Bridget Parish, Ridgeway, and Immaculate Conception Parish, Barneveld.