Recently, a new friend and I were finishing up a text conversation right before heading to bed. Before I put my phone down for the night, I was struck by her last message: “Goodnight! Sleep with the angels & rise with the saints.”
Sleep with the angels & rise with the saints.
Laying there, I found myself captivated by this simple, yet powerful, message. My mind buzzed through a long list of saints whose stories have I have studied or learned about over many years of Catholic school. From household names like St. Peter and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, to the saints of our lifetime like St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and St. Pope John Paul II, we are blessed to learn from a long list of role models in the faith. As I lay there, I couldn’t help but feel small – how could I rise with the saints? These people led lives that changed the course of history, how could I possibly rise like them?
This call to live a life of holiness is intimidating, especially amidst a culture that seems to be in direct conflict with the moral teachings of the faith. However, as I prayed about these words and their possible meaning for my own life, I was reminded that I alone am not called to rise with the saints; rather, all of us are. The saints who have gone before us were all human. They had fears, struggles, and weaknesses. Their sainthood, however, was gained through an extraordinary commitment to honor God in their ordinary, everyday lives.
While each saint is a role model in faith in his or her own unique way, all saints are connected because of their commitment to living in virtue. Living virtuously means living with a sense of moral excellence. I like to think of virtues as character traits and habits that in practice and adoption, lead us closer to heaven. Charity, courage, diligence, forgiveness, fortitude, honor, joyfulness, and patience. While only a small sample of an expansive list, these characteristics and habits are presented to us as the tools for our own conversion, and ultimately our salvation.
Lastly, when thinking about rising with the saints and the call to a virtuous life, one can consider the following three words when reflecting on his or her personal journey to lead a life that honors Jesus: easily, consistently, and joyfully. What distinguishes the saints is not just that they possessed virtue. All of us have moments of charity or courage. The saints, however, lived lives that went beyond just moments. All aspects of their lives – their work, their prayer, their relationships – were defined by virtue. They consistently chose to live lives for Jesus Christ each and every day. They did not complain or appear disgruntled when taking up a cross in their own lives; they did so easily because they knew that nothing could compare to the cross Jesus carried for the sake of our sins. And they did so joyfully, seeing every day as an opportunity to grow in faith and love of our Lord.
The lives of the saints show us that following Christ is not always easy, but without question, it is worth it. The call to rise with them each morning is an opportunity presented to each one of us. Every day we have the choice, to move closer to or farther from Jesus. Like the saints, may we easily, consistently, and joyfully choose the path of virtue, knowing we are following in the footsteps of great men and women who have already run the race and been granted eternal victory with Christ in heaven.