Friday, March 19, 2010

I'm No Saint...or Am I?



Saint Anton, Antioch, Antony, Andrew, Amandus, Adalgott, Adam, Aquila, Arcadeus...
Whew! There are scores of saints. Patron saints. Catholic saints. Episcopal saints. Anglican saints. Did you know there are even Methodist saints?

In fact, http://www.catholic.org/  claims over 10,000 named saints and beati from history, the Roman Martyology and Orthodox sources, but no definitive "head count".

To a Southern Baptist girl, saints wore funny robes and headdresses and often were depicted wearing halos. Saints were a half-rung down heaven's ladder from angels. And they were good. Very, very good.

A few earthly types were saints, or at least my mother called them that. "She's a saint to put up with him," she would moan when a certain couple walked down the street. Saints were regular humans whom God had given Job's patience and Mary's virtue. Saints didn't live in our house!

Or maybe they did.

God's word says one who calls on the name of Jesus as Savior also claims the title of Saint. The precious Holy Spirit even intercedes for believers (the saints) in accordance with God's will.

That ornery neighbor just might be a saint. So might your uppity friend. Through kinsmanship with Christ, believers possess the very power inherent in Christ Jesus.

But a saint shouldn't...let a bad word slip or kick a cabinet or think very black thoughts about friends and family...should she?

No, a saint shouldn't...and doesn't...when handing over her life's controls to Christ.

"When a man is rightly related to God, it is the Holy Ghost who works through him, and as long as he maintains the will to believe, the will to receive, and the will to obey, the life of Jesus is manifested in his mortal flesh.(Oswald Chambers 351)"

If you call on Christ as savior, you have been added to the roll of Saints! If you surrender self to Christ, others will recognize your saintly behavior and link you with Christ.

In a mind-boggling, mystical way, the head count for saints exponentially exceeds our earthly estimations! You just might see scores of saints...today!


How do you apply the term "saint"? Do you celebrate All-Saints Day?

Blessings!

Patti

8 comments:

  1. Hey Patti, At our church all the members are called saints. A pastor speaks of the saints he shepherds, etc. But at the same time we all know that not everyone in the church is a saint.

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  2. Hey Patti, here's what I think when I hear the word saint:

    - a perfect child (I was not)

    - Roger Moore (he was not)

    - Joan of Arc (probably - hard to tell from just the movie I watched as a kid)

    As you can tell, all those impressions are from my childhood. I wasn't raised Catholic and when visiting my French cousins who were, we didn't dwell too long on their necklaces of St Christopher or pictures of St whoever on the wall. To me, they were someone Catholics prayed to instead of God although at that young age I couldn't figure out why anyone would pray to a Saint when they could go straight to the big guy Himself. Still don't actually.

    Excellent post, Patti.

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  3. Blessings to all of y'all in nondial-up land!

    Am staying at "The Narrows," the farm of my Irishwoman. Have mucked a barn, slogged water, helped milk a ewe's swollen teat...whew.

    If I don't get back at ya, have a great weekend!
    Patti

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  4. I know in my heart that Saints are all those sanctified by Christ's redeeming blood and have in turn asked Him to be Lord of their lives.

    But the word is just so big and full of baggage to use flippantly. (So, I'm a saint, right?) It is nearly an impossible thing to say out loud. For one thing people will really think I've gone over the edge, and also, I know how unsaintly I am.

    Oh, but I want to be in that number...


    Patti, have a great weekend full of blessings with your friend!

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  5. Hi Patti,
    I didn't grow up in the Catholic Church but I've always had a fondness for Saint Francis of Assisi. I think most of us know he's known as the patron saint of animals.

    Having grown up on a farm as a child, I thought St. Francis a real hero, even though I didn't know much about him.

    Your said: God's word says one who calls on the name of Jesus as Savior also claims the title of Saint. The precious Holy Spirit even intercedes for believers (the saints) in accordance with God's will.

    Isn't that amazing? Thanks Patti!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I know, like Lisa, that we are all saints, and I sometimes think of "famous" saints, but my first thought is always those sometimes nameless, very ordinary gray-haired men and women who have endured all the ups and downs and unexpecteds of life with their faith intact. They inspire me to keep running to race.

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  7. I love this, Patti. I *know* all who call on Jesus are saints. But I sure don't *feel* like one. In my mind, I always think you have to be so perfect in thought and deed to be a saint. But that's not true, is it? Because Jesus's blood covers all our imperfections. What a liberating thought! I wish it was one I could always keep at the forefront of my mind, instead of remembering it *after* I've mentally beat myself up for something I've thought or done.

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  8. I was hoping someone would cover this during our Saints week.
    It reminds me of the Princess Diaries. She was a princess from birth (new birth, for us), she just didn't know it. When she did, there was a period of time where she had to learn to live, and walk, and eat, and move in her princess status. At first it was awkward, and she was embarrassed (and embarrassing). But when she realized the title, the position, wasn't just about HER, it was about the kingdom, then she could accept her place and her role.
    Hmmm. That'll preach.
    : ) Thanks for the reminder!

    ReplyDelete

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