What Does It Take to Be a Saint? Three Qualities Stand Out

I think that is a question many of us either ponder or struggle to answer. At the same time, many men and women have responded to that call. Believe me, I have been one of them. The good news is that it is achievable for everyone. Looking through the lives of many of the saints and those to be, there were three qualities that each of them possessed. Those qualities were humility, daily repentance, and unwavering faith.

Humility comes from the Latin word “humilitas”, which means of this earth. It is a virtue that is commonly meditated on when we pray the first Joyful Mystery of the rosary. The Blessed Mother is the epitome of humbly accepted God’s invitation. Her “yes” changed the world.

Likewise, the saints in our church humbly accepted God’s call. Some were hesitant or scared, yet they took up the gauntlet to follow him. When it comes to explaining the virtue, St. Francis De Sales says that humility is “reached when we not only acknowledge but love our abasement, our pettiness, our embarrassing situations”. St. John the Baptist even sums up the best way to practice this virtue by having us decrease as God increases.

Harry Connick Jr boldly claimed that he’s Catholic but will keep practicing until he makes it right. Many saints in the church were once anti-Catholic or even persecutors. One great example of this class of converts was St. Paul. His letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Timothy, and many others were his call to convert from their evil ways. He persevered despite imprisonment and martyrdom.  When a saint repents daily, it shows that he or she is willing to begin again. Even St. Josemaria Escriva reminds us that a saint is a sinner who keeps trying. Strong faith is key to daily repentance.

All the saints have developed a strong faith. Faith is the antidote that is needed to overcome the fear that surrounds us. The saints developed strong faith through daily prayer, receiving the sacraments frequently, and sharing God’s word with others. Despite being seen as outcasts from the culture they were living, they pressed on and persevere for the glory of God.

Often, they have helped people to either convert or to be inspired to return to the faith. The late Mother Angelica helped a former gay model named Paul Darrow walk away from the LGBT lifestyle. All it took was for him to watch a program in which she called out the sin of sodomy and asked those involved to repent. In time, Darrow left as the AIDS epidemic was reaching its pinnacle. To this day he credits her for his conversion.

So, is sainthood doable? Yes. Will it be challenging? Absolutely. Is it negotiable? No. When do we start becoming saints? Now. Be a saint.