“If You Are Who God Created You to Be, You Will Set the World On Fire.”

 

Our generation is called to be a generation of Catholic Leaders. Nothing less than that. In this mission there can be no settling, no backing down, and no one can lose their focus for a second. Yes, this is a mission. Thus, we are all working with one goal in mind. To bring the love of God to all that whom we meet, to show that Christ is King, to pray for all, and to be Jesus to others. In other words, the mission is “to know Him, to love Him,  and to serve Him in this world, and be happy with Him forever in the next.” (Question 6, Baltimore Catechism)

Every now and then I hear people ask “What is a saint?”. Well, simply put a saint is a person who lived their life with the above mission always in mind. They allowed this goal to affect every single part of their lives. God was an all consuming fire in them.

And I have come to realize that there is no fire quite as beautiful as that one. It is the fire of love itself. Nothing can compare to living one’s life all for Him, as all whom carried this fire did. All the stories of saints, whether young or old, have that in common. Blessed Mother Theresa, Saint Peter, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Blessed Chiara, Saint Faustina, Blessed Frassati…. they all started off with this all consuming desire. That was the foundation for all that they did. It was their weapon on this battle toward heaven.

And this is a desire that we, Catholic youth, also have. Two weeks ago, this hit me as I was traveling back from Morning Star Leadership Camp up in New Hampshire. I had just spent a week with 70 other young ladies. A week filled with fun.

A week spent in the breathtaking retreat grounds and the magnificent lake.

A week were time was joyfully spent with the beautiful Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters.

But most of all, it was a week that I got to witness 70 amazing girls along with 17 holy sisters flock to the chapel for mass and other times of prayer.

And it was in these young faithful that I saw a saintly zeal. An inspiring and passionate love for the faith. A trait that is so counter cultural that one struggles to put it into words. And from this beautiful rare trait, there sprung up love, a real love that brings joy and peace.

Today’s Catholic young people, want to live are life centered on knowing, loving, and serving God. This is a desire which must give us all the strength and hope to continue on.

We must turn and see what this goal did in the saint’s lives. It lead them to have a deep relationship with God. It gave them the courage to continue. It made them true heroes. And in becoming this, their desire was totally fulfilled.

We have everything we need. The instruments the Saints used to win are in our hands as well. And we are called to use them.

So let’s go out and become a generation of Saints.

 

“Seek the bridegroom not the teacher; God and not man; darkness not daylight; and not to the light but to the raging fire that carries the soul to God with intense fervor and glowing Love.”  – St. Bonaventure 

“When you are totally consumed by the Eucharistic fire, then you will be able more consciously to thank God, who has called you to become part of His family. Then you will enjoy the peace that those who are happy in this world have never experienced, because true happiness, oh young people, does not consist in the pleasures of this world, or in earthly things, but in peace of conscience, which we only have if we are pure of heart and mind.”-   Bl. Peir Giorgio Frassati

 

God bless you,

Maria