Reading the Lives of the Saints

Reading the Lives of the Saints

Introduction

The Saints have similar life-patterns in praying, performing penance and conversion experiences in the history of the Church. Though few are gifted with spiritual maturity at a very young age (like St. Catherine of Siena), many began with worldly or sinful lives in their youth. But after a conversion experience they followed a way of life that was virtuous and exemplary - one rooted in the love of Christ and His Church. Their conversion experience was a turning point experience that often is unforgettable, and very memorable because of a personal encounter with God. This experience began their spiritual journey to a greater love of Scriptures, the Sacraments and the members of the Church, especially the sick, the poor, the uneducated, and the homeless.

The study of the lives of the Saints is called hagiography. Two definitions in Microsoft Encarta Dictionary define hagiography as: [1] biography dealing with the lives of saints; and [2] biography that shows undue reverence. In the early centuries of Christianity, it was the monks who studied the lives of the Saints; many of them were hagiographers. But now, in our modern age, there are scholars who make analytical studies of the Saints' lives - using the social sciences, such as depth psychology (as in the study of the life of St. Benedict of Nursia). They also consider socio-historical methods as tools to understand extraordinary spiritual phenomenon, or literary form analysis to study the Saints' mystical writings.

In the stories of the Saints, especially those that have been written traditionally, it must be noted that many of these were written for pious reasons (to engender faith in its readers), thus being judged by modern readers as having no historical basis in fact. That is why we may be surprised if what was written about them were really true - in the scientific sense or context we have been trained to think. But, we have to respect the piety of the historical era in which that Saint lived and did his mission. Also, we are called to respect the same piety by which the writers have recorded the Saints' biographies. In our modern society, where we are already educated with scientific knowledge and technological tools, we are called understand this pious context of the past with an educated faith and reason that gives also space for mystery and the powers of a soul gifted by God. For even in the age of machine learning and artificial intelligence, there is still so much to be known and cannot be known (as ML and AI has not fathomed the entire universe yet, nor the depths of the human soul till the end of time). Science and mystery is a gift God gives to us so that we can balance our way of work and life (giving attention also to the spiritual needs of humanity). Miracles happened in the past. They happen now. And they can still happen in the future. Concrete examples of miracles in the past are the stigmata of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (died 1968) and St. Francis of Assisi. Also to mention are the aerial flights of St. Joseph of Cupertino and bilocations of St. Martin de Porres. And not to mention the many Saints who have been the sources of many healings, exorcisms, and conversions.

But it is not the Saints' miracles that are primary for faith. It is the way they lived the charity and mercy of Christ in their lives. And also the justice of Christ, as in the life of St. Thomas More. The Saints' miracles are only supplementary to the miracle and the mystery of God in His Son Jesus. What we are called to believe is that each Saint exemplified a pattern of prayer, or ministry, which Christ Himself first did - as recorded in the gospels. The Saints applied Christ's way of praying and mission to their particular historical period and culture. Some Saints were given by the Lord with extraordinary spiritual gifts because they are to be instruments of His healing power, miracles and supernatural wonders. Our attention must go beyond the seemingly impossible feat that a saint can do, and look deep within to a God who made that Saint's life-story the "face", the "body", the "hands", the "feet" of Jesus for his or her time, or country (like Mother Teresa of Calcutta). God calls the Saints in order that the Church may grow in faith and charity not only for their particular historical period, but especially after their earthly life when they are elevated to the altar in canonization. They embody "Jesus" for the whole Church, the world and for all time.

Common life patterns among the lives of the saints

Every saint has his or her own unique story, but in reading their life histories, one will discover these common traits:

• 1. a conversion experience where there is a turning away from a former life;
• 2. a period of intense prayer and solitude accompanied often by a withdrawal from the busy world;
• 3. a period of intense apostolic activity that involves great works of charity - with some performing miracles and wonders;
• 4. experiences of persecution and suffering as a result of this apostolic work;
• 5. death by sickness, consumption, exhaustion due to penances or martyrdom

1. Conversion experience

There are inspiring conversion stories that line up our history of Christian heroes. Think of St. Francis of Assisi who went home sick from battle with a fever. After his terrible fever, he suddenly changed his behavior to the Poverello of Assisi. Think also of St. Ignatius of Loyola who was a soldier hit by a cannonball on his right knee. While convalescing in the castle of his family, he was given Thomas a' Kempis "The Imitation of Christ" and a volume of Voraigne's on the life of the saints. From then on, he resolved to turn away from his earthly soldier life to become a soldier of Christ the King. Think also of St. Augustine of Hippo. How he turned away from his pursuit of worldly wisdom and his life of unchastity to a life in Christ - inspired by the leadership of St. Ambrose and the incessant prayers of his mother, St. Monica. Not to forget St. Teresa of Avila who began as a 'worldly' religious before she became a reformer of her Order. Also consider St. Thomas a Beckett who was fond of wine, women and song, before he took seriously his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury. From then on, he lived an austere monastic life and often wore a hairshirt for penance.

2. Prayer, solitude, withdrawal from the busy world

St. Benedict of Nursia is reported to have entered a cave in Subiaco to live a life of solitude and prayer. St. Ignatius of Loyola also entered a cave in Manresa where he discovered the movements of the Spirit and wrote a book for discerning the movements of the spirits in our spiritual life. Then there is St. Anthony Abbot, a.k.a. St. Anthony of the Desert. He entered an empty castle for 20 years and then when he came forth from the castle, people exclaimed how he had not changed a bit in those 20 years. He had such a remarkable calm and equanimity in him that could not be disturbed by the noise around him. After their conversion, many of these Saints continued their life of prayer and founded communities who also valued prayer and work. They formed communities in the desert or on the top of the mountains.

3. Apostolic and missionary activity

After encountering God, withdrawing into solitude, and learning to be in union with Him in prayer and work, the majority of these saints returned to the world with a remarkable zeal and burst of energy to evangelize others. St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuit Order for the purpose of Catholic education. St. Benedict of Nursia founded the great monasteries of Europe that influenced many to follow his Rule up to now. St. Francis of Paola, the wonder-worker hermit, also founded an association of hermits called Minims. St. Teresa of Avila was a zealous reformer of the Carmelite Order.

4. Experiences of persecution and suffering

As a result of their zealous works, some of these saints had political conflicts with the Church's authorities or with the members of their own religious communities. St. Ignatius of Loyola was put under the Inquisition because what he wrote in his book, The Spiritual Exercises, was new and not yet part of the tradition of the Church. St. Teresa of Avila suffered the rebukes from some Church authorities because she wanted to improve the spirit of her Order, making it stricter. Other saints suffered in different ways. St. Alphonsus Liguouri was expelled as the superior general of the congregation he himself founded! St. John of the Cross was imprisoned by his own community of brothers! These stories attest to the fact that as they chose Christ, they also shared in the Cross of Christ in their lives.

5. Death

We do not have to go into the many details of how some of the saints have died a martyr's death. The martyrology of the Church gives witness to the gift of courage and fortitude that many of these saints have shown. Although martyrdom is the best witness to Christ, the majority of the saints simply suffered by patiently enduring whatever opposition or sickness they received from preaching the gospel. The deaths of many these saints were remarkable. Those who were martyred were figures of great Christian courage. People rushed to grab the bones of these early Christian martyrs because they believed that those relics have the power of God in them to heal and to grant intercession.

Summary

The common life pattern we see in the lives of the saints is due to the truth that they have followed faithfully the life and mission of Jesus. We are called to respect and revere them because they help us to see what was important in Christian evangelization during the era in which they lived. They truly applied the life and mission of the Lord in the time and culture they were called to evangelize. As we read more into the lives and biographies of these Saints we will discover how each one particularly emphasized a charism of Jesus that is needed for their specific generation, for the historical period and culture in which they were called to embody the values of the gospel.