Class Challenge: As a group jot down how many Saints you can think of….. Which side of the class will win????

What is a Saint? "saint" means "holy“….holy refers to something that has been set apart Broadly speaking Saints, are those who follow Jesus Christ and live their lives according to his teaching. Catholic Tradition refer to especially holy men and women who, through extraordinary lives of virtue (good & righteous) have already entered Heaven Those who were venerated (paid high respect) after their deaths as saints

How can I become a Saint? You would have to live a life according to the Christian message by living a virtuous life You would have to undergo a process known as Canonization one of the requirements for the canonization process is proof of miracles performed by the possible saint after her/his death their lives are held up to Christians still struggling here on earth as examples to be imitated

What is a Martyr? Literally means “witness” A special category of saints that were killed because of their Christian faith

Why do we pray to Saints? Ancient roots- Jews would call upon the deceased tzaddik (righteous ones) to intercede on our behalf it is permissible and profitable to honor the saints in heaven, and to invoke their intercession The saints (those who are formally acknowledged and not) are in communion (relationship) with God and we ask for their help Ex) it is similar to the act of asking someone to pray for you while you are going through a difficult time

How You Can Be a Saint 1. Rely on God's grace. Much in life doesn't make sense and seems rather uncertain at times. Trusting that God is in the mix of our everyday life is a courageous leap of faith, an acceptance that you are not in control—God is. 2. Love Jesus above all else. Know Jesus by reading the Gospels and by listening to the Scriptures proclaimed on Sundays. As a way to prepare for Sunday, place yourself in the upcoming Gospel story as one of the characters, in particular where you can interact with Jesus. Be sure to allow for silence so that God can get a word in edgewise!

3. Love the Church. You might have feelings about hypocrisy in the Church and may even think you can best commune with God in nature or on your own. The Church has its share of hypocrites and sinners. That's why we need Christ and each other! Christ formed a community of imperfect people whose task it is to struggle together and support one another on the journey. 4. Make the Eucharist the center of your spiritual journey. Eucharist is the sacrament of commitment. Every time that you eat and drink at the Lord's Table you recommit yourself to your Baptism. Allow the Eucharist to nourish and sustain you and make it a priority.

5. Forgive again and again. The ultimate mark of the Christian is forgiveness. Recall the words of the Lord's Prayer, "forgive us as we forgive others." This doesn't mean letting people walk over you, but having enough internal dignity and self-respect to forgive others, especially when they don't deserve it! 6. Be servant to the world. The world created by God is fundamentally good. Christians never have the luxury of shutting out the world but must be servants to it. The saint, although imperfect, is a sign to the world of the love of God.