IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE SAINTS

By Brother Patrick

Saint Francis of Assisi once said: “What a great shame that while the saints actually followed in the footsteps of the Lord, we, today’s servants of God, expect glory and honor simply because we can recite what they did.” True enough. We build altars in their honor. We hold festivals in their honor. We recite novenas in their honor. We read about the saints. We pray for their intercession. We ask them to pray for what we want. We ask them to pray for what we think we need. We build big churches in their name. We travel around the world on pilgrimage in their name. We stand behind podiums and preach in their name.

To be sure, I am among the worst offenders. My bookshelves are lined with books about the saints. My walls are covered with icons and images of the saints. I have traveled the world on pilgrimage to pray at the shrines and tombs of the great saints. My passport has been stamped dozens of times, alleged proof of my devotion to the saints. It is all very nice. It is all very pious. It is all very expensive. But it is all for show if we fail to follow in the footsteps of the saints. It is all for show if we fail to follow in the footsteps of those who followed in the footsteps of the Poor Christ.

Are we willing to follow them? Are we willing to humble ourselves as they did? Are we willing to serve as they served? Are we willing to suffer as they suffered? Are we willing to follow Jesus to the point of persecution, to the point of crucifixion, to the point of death and destruction? Are we willing to give witness to the Gospel no matter what? The loss of our livelihoods? The loss of our families and friends? The loss of our creature comforts and social status? Are we ready to be bullied? Are we ready to be harassed? Are we ready to be martyred?

Are we prepared to love God with our whole heart? Are we prepared to love our neighbors, even those neighbors who are illegal immigrants, same sex couples, transgendered teenagers, or people who dress differently or practice a different faith tradition? Are we prepared to love the refugee family that moves in next door? Or will we build a fence? Or will we move? I don’t know about you, but I dread having to answer these questions. “What a great shame that while the saints actually followed in the footsteps of the Lord, we, today’s servants of God, expect glory and honor simply because we can recite what they did.”

At this point, it makes sense to reflect on what it takes to become a saint. I don’t just mean the Church’s criteria for canonization. Rather, who are these holy men and women? What makes them tick? What do they have in common? What makes them saints?

A few years ago, members of the Assisi Project spent an entire year reading and reflecting on the lives of the Franciscan saints. Their lives span eight centuries of human history. Some are born into privilege. Some are born into poverty. Some are blessed to live long lives. Some are called home all too soon. Some are nuns. Some are priests. Some are preachers. Some are lay people, men and women, just like you and me. These saints come from all walks of life, from all around the world. But they have some things in common: courage, commitment, confidence and trust in God; desire, determination, deep faith in Christ.

These holy men and women are eager to love, serve, and follow Jesus no matter where he leads them. They are eager to preach the Gospel with their words and good works. They are eager to give witness to the Gospel with their whole lives if necessary. They are eager to suffer for the salvation of souls. What makes them tick? What makes them saints? How can we be more like them?

In Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, we read these words: “All of the faithful, whatever their condition or state, are called by the Lord, each in his or her own way, to that perfect holiness by which the Father himself is perfect (LG 11).” We are all called to holiness. We are all called to give our own individual gift of holiness to the world. We are all called by God to become what Pope Francis calls “everyday saints” or the “saints next door.”

In Rejoice and Be Glad, Pope Francis writes: “If anyone asks what must one do to be a good Christian? The answer is clear. We must do, each in our own way, what Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount (GE 63).” Be simple. Be humble. Be righteous. Be pure in heart. Be peacemakers. Feed the hungry. Serve the poor. Stand with the oppressed. Wipe away the tears of those who mourn. Be kind. Be nice. Be merciful. Love your neighbor. Forgive your neighbor. We are called to bring the Beatitudes to life.

Pope Francis also says: “God asks everything of us, but he also gives everything to us. He does not want to enter our lives to cripple or diminish them, but to bring them to fulfillment (GE 175).” God wants us to be free to live the Gospel, share God’s love, and build up the Church. God wants to empower us, enlighten us, and strengthen us, so that we can empower, enlighten, and strengthen our brothers and sisters.

In more than two decades of parish ministry, I have been dragged down, dragged through the mud, and sometimes even dragged kicking and screaming back to work. At the same time, I have also been empowered, enlightened, strengthened, and truly uplifted by the everyday saints in our midst.

Joan has some health problems, but leads an active and busy life in retirement. She does what the rest of us often fail to do. She shares a kind word. She offers encouragement. She asks about your health and she actually listens to the answer. Joan is not perfect, but she is an everyday saint.

Sally is in her nineties. When I first met her, she was still driving, climbing the stairs into church, and visiting her older sister every week. Nowadays, she takes the shuttle bus, needs help with stairs and walking, and mourns her sister’s death. But Sally is still smiling. She is still asking me to pray for people. And she is still sharing a friendly greeting with every person who passes by her favorite pew. Sally is not perfect, but she is an everyday saint.

Fred is a quiet man. He is one of those parishioners who arrives early for Mass, prays the Rosary in silence, and helps out in small ways that often go unnoticed. Fred and I look for each other every weekend. We exchange a fist bump and a few words. We pray for each other. We pray for our parish. Fred even prays for my dogs. Fred is probably not perfect either, but he is still one of the everyday saints.

Pope Francis says: “A community that cherishes the little details of love, whose members care for one another and create an open an evangelizing environment is a place where the Risen Lord is truly present (GE 145).” This kind of community is fertile ground for little flowers of faith, hope, and love. This kind of community is fertile ground for seedlings of the Great Commandment to take root, break through the suffering of our world, and blossom as lives of holiness — the lives of everyday saints. This is what we should be all about.

Sister Thea Bowman (1937-1990) died more than thirty years ago after a brave battle with cancer. She was a scholar, teacher, and preacher. She was the only African-American woman in an all white religious order. In 1989, just months before her death, Sister Thea delivered a rousing speech to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). She reminded the bishops that while women are not permitted to preach in church, they can preach everywhere else. She then said: “God called us to speak the word that is Christ, that is truth, that is salvation. And if we speak that word in love and faith, with patience and prayer and perseverance, it will take root. It does have the power to save us. Call one another! Testify! Teach! Act on the Word! Witness!”

In the end, it is these things that the saints have in common: They call us. They teach us. They testify to the truth that is the Word of God. They act on that Word. They live the Gospel. They give witness to it. They bring us closer to Christ, closer to the Church, and closer to each other.

One last time, we hear Saint Francis say: “What a great shame that while the saints actually followed in the footsteps of the Lord, we, today’s servants of God, expect glory and honor, simply because we can recite what they did.” Let’s prove Saint Francis wrong. Let’s pass on the glory and honor. And let’s truly follow in the footsteps of those who truly followed in the footsteps of Jesus. No matter what. No matter where it leads. Even to the Cross. What do we have to lose? Everything. What do we have to gain? Even more.

Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us! Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us! Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us! All saints, pray for us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brother Patrick Garvey is a co-founder of the Assisi Project. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine, Saint John Seminary, and the Catholic University of America. He is a writer, spiritual director, retreat leader, and university lecturer. He also serves as Associate Minister of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport in Massachusetts. In 2023, on the Feast of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi, Brother Patrick was consecrated as a diocesan hermit by Bishop Mark O’Connell, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Boston. For more information about the Assisi Project and our programs and ministries for adults of all ages and backgrounds, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@assisiproject.com.

Art Credit: Rutchapong Moolvai – Photo 115772572 – Dreamstime.com

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ABOUT US

Founded in 2007, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with friends and followers throughout the world. We are dedicated to helping Christian believers of all ages more faithfully live the Gospel of Christ in the spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. The Assisi Project is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable organization. All are welcome to support our ministry via Pay Pal (see link below) or by mailing a tax-deductible donation to the Assisi Project, Post Office Box 3158, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01931-3158. The Assisi Project Podcast is Produced by the Assisi Project, Inc. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. May the Lord give you peace!

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