On November 1 we celebrated the feast of All Saints, the saints we recognize were, at one point, men and women like each of us. People of God who, like us, were challenged every day. People who felt tired, but who were looking for the necessary strength to give their lives as a gift.

However, we are mistaken if we think they did this all for themselves. This holiness (and the path of those who seek it) exists only as a gift and in a calling from God. This gift is something that is given to us by the grace of God, something that we can only receive; something that is sown in baptism. To accept the gift that is given to us is to recognize that we are, part of Jesus and not just an isolated member in his community. The call to holiness is a vocation common to all Christians– not just a few! This call is the path we take to reach the great goal: communion with Jesus in eternal life.

It is important to recognize these dimensions and that, in fact, we too can become a saint. Let us then have the audacity to recognize this possibility and look to the saints as guides for the path ahead. Let us face this path with courage and hope. In Christ, we, too, can become a reflection of the presence of God: saints.

– Vitor Castro
Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Portugal)