I've been tackling so much about saints but I haven't discussed why Roman Catholic have saints. Before adding more in my line-up of the virtuous people on my blog, I will discuss first what, who and why there are people who are honored as saints.
According to Google, as noun, saint is: 1. a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death. 2. used in titles of religious saints "the epistles of Saint Paul". As verb, formally recognized as a saint; canonize.
In the Catechism inculcated in us in The Sisters of Mary , saints are those who followed Jesus in every way, in all aspect. There are saints who renounced wealth and lived the life of poverty in following Jesus Christ. The best example of which is St. Francis of Assisi. And there are also saints who believed and justified the power of small deeds to follow Jesus like St. Therese of Lisieux, "The Little Flower".
Becoming saint is not just an instant. It's a constant practice and doing it out love for Jesus. When I was still in the campus, I was motivated to be like Jesus but it's really difficult. How not to scorn when being humiliated? How to pray fervently despite the whispers and giggles you're hearing from the back of the chapel. How to offer the the cleaning of CR when you never liked doing so. Sometimes, the practice becomes hypocrisy. That's why it's really---not an easy battle.
Who are Saints?
Saints are holy men and women who through extraordinary lives of virtue, have already entered Heaven. In the New Testament, saint referred to all who believed in Jesus Christ and followed his teachings. Saint Paul often addressed his epistles to "the saints" of a particular city as mentioned in Ephesians 1:1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to all the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother: to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia:
Acts 9:32 And it came to pass that Peter, as he passed through, visiting all, came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda.
Hence, the followers of Christ after His death had been so transformed that they were now different from other men and women and, thus should be considered as holy.
