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Father Muench Says...

Surrounded by saints in my life

Oct. 30, 2013

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

My saints – my life has been flooded with saints.  They may never be canonized and, yet, I am absolutely certain they are saints.  They made my life so much better and they made me a better person. Many of them truly suffered for me – others just brought happiness and joy into my life.  They are all spectacular people; the whole world has benefited a great deal by my saints. They are a gifted group, my saints.  God blessed them with all those great qualities so that they could truly become guides and teachers for me. 

Someone I knew described a saint as “someone who does ordinary things extraordinarily well.”  As I think over my saints, I recognize that ability in them all.  They were the ones I could definitely count on to make my world sound and sensible because I knew that I was certain that good and sensible and simple things would always be done well. Because they knew how to live well, they brought God into my world.  My saints were not preachy. They simply lived well in the spirit and message of Jesus. 

Oh, there were times that they were challenging – especially when I was lazy – sometimes they were downright nasty in challenging me.  However, I thank God for them every day because they were trying to make me a better person, a better priest.

My saints were often surprises. I must admit I didn’t realize how some of them were so spectacular.  In unique ways, I was touched and helped; I was guided by someone I least expected. 

After a while, I must admit I was not so surprised  because I became used to God’s surprises for me.  So, I would stay open and available even to those who I didn’t expect much from.I know well that only God forms, leads and makes saints.  God touched the lives of my saints in unique ways. 

I have discovered that my saints are people of prayer.  Because they pray, they have found a strong faith in the Lord and hope and confidence that good things will happen with the Lord.  Through prayer,  they knew that God would never abandon them.  My saints found great strength in prayer.

Pope Francis continues to put new life into all of us – he continues to challenge us all to become saints. 
Pope Francis wrote about this in his interview recently published in America Magazine. 

He wrote: “I see the sanctity of God’s people, this daily sanctity.  I see the holiness in the patience of the people of God: a woman who is raising children, a man who works to bring home the bread, the sick, the elderly priests who heal so many wounds but have a smile on their faces because they served the Lord, the Sisters who work hard and live a hidden sanctity.  This is for me the common sanctity.  I often associate sanctity with patience: taking charge of the events and circumstances of life but also as a constancy in going forward, day by day…This was the sanctity of my parents: my dad, my mom, my grandmother Rosa who loved me so much.  She is a saint who has suffered so much, also spiritually, and yet always went forward with courage.”       

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