All Saints Day - Running the Race

I remember as a kid waiting for the JCPenney's catalog to come out in the fall, so I could look through the toy and clothes section and mark all of the things I wanted for my December birthday and of course Christmas. I was thinking about myself and what would make me happy at the time. That giant beast of a catalog probably weighed a few pounds. It was  a big deal. I have memories of the catalog and things. What I cherish now are the memories of my family getting together for the holidays, especially now that most my parents and grandparents have all passed away.

Fast forward to 2023, catalogs aren't really around much anymore because everything is online. My daughter makes her list on a Reminder app and sends it to my phone. I get notified every time she adds something new to it. That is not really as fun as fighting with my brother over the hefty Penney's pages. 

But some things you can't find in a catalog or online. I always thought it was kind of hokey when parents would say things like, "I just want my family together," or "I want my kids to come see me."  I understand those things now that I am older and I don't care about the "stuff" as much as I do about my people. With All Saints Day landing this week, I started thinking about what I really want in my life, and the one thing I want and continuously work on is the idea of becoming a Saint (a girl can dream!). Ever since I converted to Catholicism I have been fascinated by the Saints. I used to think of them as these perfect, holy creatures that were completely unattainable. I wondered how in the world a human could be that good, that perfect. However, as I have tried to grow in my faith, I have learned a great deal more about the Saints. They were flawed sinners just like me. I tend to relate to the Saints who had their fair share of struggles. St. Therese of Lisieux is one of my favorites because she was challenging, lovable, honest, frustrating and the list goes on. This is a girl I can relate to. I love her persistence. 

Father Mike Schmitz says a saint is someone who gives everything up to God - strengths, weaknesses, victories, losses; the gifts and the sins are all His. We just have to believe and give Him our love all while knowing despite our flaws and sins, we are still loved. Fr. Mike also compares becoming a saint to running a race. He talks of the persistence required in trying to achieve the goal of sainthood. I hope everyone has a saint or many that they look up to. I also hope that some day November 1st could be your feast day. God Bless.  

Here is 1 minute of Father Mike's Homily. Enjoy.