Called to Holiness...Called to be Saints!

When Pope Benedict came to the UK in September he invited the youth of the UK to become saints.

“I hope that among those of you listening to me today there are some of the future saints of the twenty-first century. What God wants most of all for each one of you is that you should become holy. He loves you much more than you could ever begin to imagine, and he wants the very best for you. And by far the best thing for you is to grow in holiness.”

Lent, is a time of spiritual reflection and a chance to turn  back again to God in holiness.

Perhaps the first step of this journey is to accept our brokenness and failure. By honestly looking into our hearts and taking our spiritual temperature we can begin to invite God into the darker areas of our lives. This is not an exercise of despair but an attempt, through our honesty, to bring ourselves closer to God.

Remember: the disciples were chosen by Jesus to walk with him through his ministry. They were certainly not examples of perfection, and when Jesus needed them most, they deserted him. God does not expect perfection from us but he is longing to be closer to us, he is inviting us into closer communion with him in the Lenten season.

This holiness which we are called to is not a visible pious attitude, or an outward demonstration of faith, but an inner conviction that we truly are children of God. God says to us...

 “You are my beloved child, in you I am well pleased.”

(Matt 3:17)

As Pope Benedict tells us “He loves you much more than you could ever begin to imagine”, yet we find this a very difficult thing to accept.

If we are to genuinely accept the mission of becoming saints, then we need to ask ourselves,

What changes is God calling us to make in our lives?

We need to open our hearts to accept the love God is pouring out to us. Everyday we need to orientate our lives back to God, so that “it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20)
By our own merits we can do nothing but “I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13)

Why don't you get anyone who is around you and say this prayer together. Remember you say it with other Catholics around the country -

Lord, we pray that this Lent would be a time of change in our lives. That you would move us to a deeper knowledge and love for you. That the areas of our lives which are closed to you, will be opened so that you can truly enter our hearts and live in us. We accept the call to be saints and to be holy, and we pray that each day you would give us the strength to do your will.

Amen!



Helen Hunt, 20
At Durham Uni studying Theology
Member of Durham CathSoc Exec Committee
From Shrewsbury Diocese