Dear Saints,

The innate concept of “opposites” helps humans make sense of the world by creating a contrast that clarifies each reality when set beside its counterpart. Hot, for example, makes a lot more sense when one understands cold. From our earliest thoughts, our brains build categories that simplify complexity and give meaning through comparison.

There is one persistent pair, however, that most of us get wrong. Thanks in part to artistic geniuses like Billy Joel - who would rather laugh with one group than cry with the other - we often understand sinners to be the opposite of saints. Yet this is not exactly true.

The real opposite of a saint is someone who, having sinned, refuses God’s mercy. The Church does not canonize people because they were flawless, but because they were undaunted. Again and again, saints return to God with contrite hearts. They accept his forgiveness and firmly re-set themselves in the ways of self-denial and charity.

We saints do not struggle against sin alone. Every time we pray the Hail Mary, we ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for us as sinners. And every time we sincerely re-set our footsteps towards God, he runs out to meet us. Even if he has been waiting on us for years, he will not make us wait even a second before he lavishes his merciful love upon us, transforming his poor sinners into his triumphant saints.

Christ’s Peace,

Father Daniel

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ