Two years ago, a visitor to the country was Jack Ma. He is the richest man in China and the founder of Alibaba. He is such a success that when he talks, people listen. Wherever he goes, news about him comes out. In fact, so many people follow his life. For those who are into business and technology, he may be considered a hero.
The heroes of our religion are its Saints. As we celebrate All Saints Day tomorrow, what is their significance in our everyday lives? We may consider it as All Heroes day in the spiritual realm. The influence of Saints in our lives is countless:
- They serve as models. If we study the lives of the saints, we realize that they are as human as you and me: they have their strong points and they have their weak points; they experience the ups and downs in life; they too questioned God in the difficult experiences. Yet in the end, they trusted God and were faithful to His call.
- Their Goodness and Guidance. Their words and their deeds up to now inspire people to holiness. I particularly love the words of Padre Pio: “Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry.” Also, the words of St. Teresa of Avila: “Do not fear, do not doubt, all is passing and fleeting and only God is constant.”
- Their Prayers. If we can ask family and friends to pray for us, why not the saints who are very much alive in heaven. Further, each saint has his or her own specialization. We call these patron saints:
- for missing objects – St. Anthony
- for the impossible – St. Jude
- for farmers – St. Isidor (San Isidro)
- for teachers – St. John Baptist de la Salle
Even places have their patron saints: - for The Philippines and Mandaluyong city- Immaculate Conception
- for Australia – Mary Help of Christians
- for Mexico – Our Lady of Guadalupe
- for San Juan – St. John the Baptist
- for Makati – Sts Peter and Paul
In the Mass, we realize the saying, “people need people”. And yes, we need saints too.
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 