We need!

This year WYD (World Youth Day) is in Brazil, on the home continent of our Papa Pope Francis. Recently I have been paying attention to it, and some day I hope to go to it. It is the largest gathering of Catholics each year. He said something that struck me and stuck with me. He said:

"We need saints without cassocks, without veils - we need saints with jeans and tennis shoes. We need saints that go to the movies that listen to music, that hang out with their friends. We need saints that place God in first place ahead of succeeding in any career. We need saints that look for time to pray every day and who know how to be in love with purity, chastity and all good things. We need saints - saints for the 21st century with a spirituality appropriate to our new time. We need saints that have a commitment to helping the poor and to make the needed social change. We need saints to live in the world, to sanctify the world and to not be afraid of living in the world by their presence in it. We need saints that drink Coca-Cola, that eat hot dogs, that surf the internet and that listen to their iPods. We need saints that love the Eucharist, that are not afraid or embarrassed to eat a pizza or drink a beer with their friends. We need saints who love the movies, dance, sports, theater. We need saints that are open sociable normal happy companions. We need saints who are in this world and who know how to enjoy the best in this world without being callous or mundane. We need saints."


He called for saints, I am a big fan of The Communion of Saints, I read about their lives all the time and wonder, "How can I even come close?" How can I come close to even imitating their lives. One they lived so long ago even if it is 50 years ago that they died that is a long time. Two, we as people don't operate the same as the did say in St. Francis time, or St. Paola Elisabetta Cerioli (a Saint that died in 1965). They didn't have Ipads, TV, and Social Media. People were different, Yes, you can take a lot from Saint's lives, their virtue, morality, and unwillingness to fall into temptation. But or Pope is right, we don't have Saints where they stories include being sports fans, that listened to music on their iPods, used social media, drank beer. We need saints who aren't afraid to live in this world. 

In a few months Pope Francis will canonize  one of the most modern Saints. John Paul the Great aka John Paul II! This is a moment of history for us as Catholics, JP II has influenced almost everything in our faith as it stands today. He lived in WWII Poland, saw his family die...well let this picture explain it:

Truly We need more people like this man, commit yourself to live your life through the eyes of Jesus Christ. Saints don't have to be perfect in fact  none of them were. They lived extraordinary lives for Jesus Christ and now it is our turn!