What is a saint? What does it mean to be a saint? You'll get alot of opinions on those questions.
Fulton Sheen once said that there are two images for people: What God wants us to be and what we are. He has the musical score and then there is how we play that music. I've always liked that, and always thought that it was a good analogy.
In a piece of music, everyone has a special part. Without that part, the score is not right. Music takes practice to get right. It is a rare person who picks up an instrument or piece of music and plays it just right.
So were saints the ones who just could play it right from the start? No. I would think not. St. Augustine proved that. Saints practiced. But above all, saints struggled to see the music.
The score that God has written for each of us can be hard to see. It can be hard to understand. And it, like all great music, is hard to play.
Saints strive to see the music the great composer has written. They silence the worldly hearts inside of them and look for the divine music that is their particular theme in the greatest symphony ever written.
In this silence and struggle we can hear the voice in the whisper that teaches us the music. This inward journey is guided by Scripture, tradition, the example of Christ, the example of Mary, Joseph and all the saints. It is guided by our love for God and each other.
Following the examples of the saints helps us know what our part is in the score. When you hear one part of a symphony it helps you figure out the rest: especially if you've heard the main part of it before, if you know the theme, you can play the piece a little..you can practice if you know the basics. And we have heard it:
The soft introduction of Mary saying "Be it done to me according to your word."
The early anticipating music of Bethlehem.
The hectic fury of the flight into Egypt.
The wedding music at Cana.
The grand movement of a ministery filled with miracles.
The deep sound of the suffering of Gethsemane.
The contradiction of music in the courage of the accused who loves those who hate Him.
The dirge of a suffering mother.
The mournful building action of the crucifixion.
The Glourious crescendo of the Resurrection.
We have heard it.
What is it to be a saint?
It is to play the love song that God has written for His children.
It is to play our part in that song as our love song to God.
To be a saint is to play the music written by the hand of God.
