strive to become a saint

 Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Deuteronomy 34:1-Joshua 2:24
Luke 13:22-14:6
Psalm 79:1-13
Proverbs 12:26 

Let's look at Luke. People ask Jesus if only a few people are going to be saved. He doesn't say if there will be a few or many. What He DOES say is this: Strive to enter at the narrow gate. What does that mean exactly? It means: strive to become a saint.

That's our goal as Christians. We are called, all of us, to become saints. How do we become saints? When the sister of St Thomas Aquinas asked him how to become a saint, he replied, "Will it!" That means make the decision to become a saint. Decide that you're going to learn how to be a saint like those who have gone before us. Learn to turn your suffering into a purification process. Learn to love everyone in your life, especially your enemies. Pray without ceasing. Does this seem hard? Well, it is. But when you "will it!" God will help you to complete the journey.

God, thanks for teaching us to strive to be saints.